From The Locks to The Rocks

By Capt. Craig Hensel

Welcome Everyone, to my column. My name is Captain Craig Hensel, Owner of Awol Fishing Charters with Captain Craig Inc. In this new column, I will be writing about the entire 191 mile stretch of the Cape Fear River, from the Locks to the Rocks. Everything from what is biting, where they’re biting, how to catch them, and much more. Let your eyes hit this page again because we will have some awesome stories to throw at you throughout the fishing seasons.

I guide a good portion of this river all year long from the waters of Wilmington NC, all the way up to where the Haw and Deep River form the Cape Fear River at Mermaid Point, just south of Jordan Lake. The greatest part of this River is that the fishing is never “hit or miss”. There is always something biting during every season. From the American Shad and Striper runs starting in the spring, to giant flathead and blue catfish all year round.

We will pick up some massive largemouth bass, spotted bass, and a few good sized hybrids, crappie, bream, bowfin, and much more along the way. We will also be talking about the best ways to catch different species of fish. We will cover some safety tips, water levels, fishing forecasts, and a few other tactics to help you improve your experience and fishing From The Locks to The Rocks. I am Captain Craig and until next time, keep those lines tight!

Captain Craig Hensel is the Owner of Awol Fishing Charters with Captain Craig Inc. Look him up at Awolfishing.net; Youtube@awolfishing; Tiktok@awolfishing