Emory Jr. has unforgettable outing

By Courtesy NCWRC
Published in Sports on April 17, 2009 1:47 PM

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Courtesy NCWRC

RALEIGH -- Ronnie Emory Jr. won't forget his latest fishing trip.

A few hours after launching his boat in a private pond in Granville County, Emory -- who hails from Franklinton -- and fishing buddy Jeff Williams reeled in 43 white crappie.

But one was a record setter.

Emory landed the 3-pound, 8-ounce fish which measured 20 inches in length and 141/2 inches in girth. He used a Garland mini-jig on a Quantum road and reel combo.

"I've been fishing that pond since I was 10 years old, and I've caught some big crappie out there, although nothing that size before," said Emory. "I knew that it was big, but I didn't know it was the state record until I went online and saw what the current state record was, and thought, 'mine's bigger than that.'"

Emory's white crappie catch surpassed the latest state record by 1/4 pound. James G. Brown caught a 3-pound, 4-ounce fish on March 5, 2008, from a pond at the Waverly Swim Club in Charlotte.

Emory's crappie was weighed on certified scales at Gooch's Grocery in Franklinton. The state record crappie was examined and certified by Corey Oakley, District 5 fisheries biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

To qualify for the state record, anglers must have caught the fish by rod and reel or cane pole, have the fish weighed on a scale certified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture, witnessed by one observer, have the fish identified by a fisheries biologist from the Commission and submit an application with a full, side-view photo of the fish.