From the Locks to the Rocks

By Captain Craig Hensel

What’s going on everyone? Captain Craig here, with AWOL Fishing Charters! I hope all of you are enjoying this rollercoaster weather we are having right now, because it has got the fish cranked up!

We have been having the absolute best rod-bending action on the Cape Fear River, from Wilmington to Fayetteville, North Carolina. The American shad have reached the Locks way ahead of schedule this year. The stripers and the catfish are hot on their tails. Yesterday, March 12th, 2023, I received a call from one of my regular customers, asking if I was on the water. I laughed and said, no sir, I just woke up.

Now mind you, its 10AM. The time has changed and has me all sorts of messed up. Anyways, it’s pouring rain, cold, I mean just one heck of a dreary day. He asks if I would take him out for American shad and some nighttime catfishing. So I said, “yeah man, when do you want to go?” He says, “today”. I said, “well let me throw on some clothes, grab some rods, we’ll hook and book. I haven’t ever caught a fish wearing a raincoat.” So we drove to Lock and Dam #2 in Elizabethtown, NC.

Upon arrival, I put the full enclosure up on the boat, threw in

Continued, see LOCKS TO THE ROCKS Page 32