THE CAROLINA TRACE
T.U.F.F. Club
Sanford, NC 27332
Lake Trace Hotline
919-499-1300
by Miss Libby
Posted on Sun Oct 01 2017
Here are some gallery photos of Lake Trace incredible fishermen who have sent me pictures of their 2017 bass catches verified by witnesses, a digital scale or fish biologists and a picture -- which we know is worth a thousand words. To you guys I say...I am so proud of your skill in capturing these illusive beasts of Lake Trace! (All fish were released BTW). So our 2017 TUFF standings show your double digit lunkers currently in first and second place. These two fish add up to over 26 pounds!
Our seasonal TUFF Derby ends November 15th so there is a chance that one of you may be knocked off the TUFF Scoreboard by then. There's a State record 16 pound large mouth bass in Lake Trace I am sure!! (Don has seen it.) To the Lake Trace fishing folks who are reading this now .... go get her! Who knows? You may receive the coveted, newly designed, extremely handsome engraved TUFF plaque shown in the gallery below. There are other categories in the Adult and Youth Divisions. Go to Catches to register for the Derby.
PS. My catch (shown above) was thirteen pounds, seven ounces, and the lucky date was March 10, 2013. She came up lethargically out of 16 feet in the chilly river channel below the Hidden Lake cove and the dam. She was blind in one eye and was barely hooked on a purple shad deep diving crank bait inherited from Barry Butzer's tackle that Nancy B gave me after Barry's passing in 2008. Barry had been Director of TUFF for 15 years. It was very serendipitous actually. Thank you Barry! The lunker measured at 27.25 inches long by 21.75 inches and the NCWRC fish biologist said she was over 13 years old. Witnessed and photographed by Sarge Alyies of Hidden Lake, this Grand Lady Of Lake Trace was released to spawn more Lunkers! Click on Read More to see the pictures and click on the picture to see names and other bass caught before our Derby started March 1st, plus our ...
Read Moreby Miss Libby
Posted on Wed Sep 06 2017
Less than a week after we had 20 kids come from the Lee County Boys & Girls Club for a lesson at the CTCC dock, long-time TUFF member (and Co-Director) Buster Harrill volunteered our "fishing instruction" services on Wednesday, August 23rd, to the First Baptist Church Summer Kids Camp. So, after a short fish safety and knot tying lesson by "Mr. Buster" at the church, he and"Miss Libby" were OFF to the races with our bait & 19 poles to a LOVELY pond off Rt. 421 across from Frontier Spinning with 14 enthusiastic First Baptist youngsters.
In less than two hours, 75 fish were caught and released (BIG Bream and 12 inch Bass).
Awesome fish, awesome pond, awesome kids, awesome fun! We have already been invited back! Hope more TUFF members can join us next time.
... Read More
by Miss Libby
Posted on Tue Aug 29 2017
Our August 17th fish for fun lesson was a great success -- even with the extra kids that came. We had twenty instead of the usual 14! Bringing all nineteen "Kid Caster" poles helped, although we ran out of water. Fortunately Pam Zorn brought some watermelon so we could re-hydrate. Special thanks to our teachers Pepe Corello, Buster Harrill, Frank Gagliano, Bud Burgess and Jody Jackett who provided bait and instruction. A total of 42 fish were caught and released at the CTCC dock. Special thanks to Debbie Betts who did name tags and took great photos, while I had the pleasure of untangling line, putting on lost hooks/sinkers and baiting those hooks with red wiggler.
The girls at the LC Boys & Girls Club were better about baiting their own hooks and holding/unhooking the fish. Anniyah (pronounced ah-NIGH-ah .. not ANNIE-YAH like I said) and Kimberly both won the TUFF Fish Medallion for Excellence in Lake Trace Fishing catching six bream and five white bass respectively.
With the heat index approaching 108 degrees, the TUFF Club members decided to re-think our annual "Back to School" lessons. Each year it has gotten hotter and hotter! Our Spring Break outreach will continue - and we'll have to figure out some sort of fall outing for this great group of youngsters from B&G Club!
... Read Moreby Miss Libby
Posted on Fri Jul 28 2017
A hands-on fly fishing session was held the evening of June 1st at Hidden Lake pond with instruction by new Woodmere resident Henry Kennedy who shared his teaching skills with seven Tracers from Hidden Lake, Golf East, North Shore and Sedgemore. Anyone interested in learning more about this sport should call the Lake Trace Hotline at 919-499-1300. Big Fish Alert! Mallard Cove resident Don Facciolo certainly had some amazing luck around the June full moon with not one but two double digit largemouth bass in the lower end of the lake pitching a green pumpkin jig with craw trailer. (Hint: go deep in this heat!) ...
Read Moreby Miss Libby
Posted on Tue Jul 25 2017
At the April 11th Spring Break "Fish for Fun" lesson for Trace children, TUFF guest Henry Kennedy (WM) shared his fly fishing skills with the 21 people who attended. Each child caught a fish and youngsters enjoyed trying to cast a fly rod. Three children caught fish (bream and catfish) that are now registered in our seasonal 2017 TUFF Derby (Youth Division) and may qualify to win a beautiful gold or silver medallion!
Our outreach to the Sanford community continued two days later with nineteen coming from the Lee County Boys & Girls Club. Over 30 fish were caught and it was two hours of fishing fun with these enthusiastic middle school kids! Thanks to TUFF volunteers Mike, Pepe, Buster, Frank, Jody, Debbie and Bud for helping with our 6th Annual spring break FFF lessons!
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