[piano intro] - Pop it, make 'em mad at it.

Oh!

It worked.

(laughing) It worked.

(gasps) Yeah, stay right up there and I'll get him when he comes to the side.

Nicely done, Davis.

Was it worth the ride down here this morning to get here early?

- Yep.

- Yep.

Good thing you can't drive, your liable left your daddy at home.

I swear, have to get you a driver.

Somebody gets up early in the morning.

Pretty work, Davis.

[light instrumental music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ - [Male Announcer] The "Carolina Outdoor Journal" is brought to you by: - [Female Announcer] "Wildlife in North Carolina Magazine."

- [Male Announcer]: And by EZ Bait & Tackle.

Family owned and operated.

We fish from fresh to saltwater.

We provide fishing supplies and advice to every type of angler.

For all your fishing needs, EZ Bait & Tackle.

And by contributions from PBS North Carolina viewers like you.

- Hello, and welcome to the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

Well, today's program will take us up to the Roanoke River.

We're gonna be fishing for stripers using fly rods.

But Joe, we've got a special guest today.

- Well, we do.

He's been with us before and well actually, both of them.

Chuck Laughtridge has been with us a number of times through the years.

He's out of Harkers Island, big fly fisherman, loves to do that.

In fact, that's all he does, is fly fish for many different species of fish.

But he's joined today by Davis Boyd.

Davis has been with us one other time, several years ago catching crappie in a farm pond.

Eight years old and quite accomplished with a fly rod.

So they're gonna team up today, fishing fairly deep water, 20-25 feet of water.

Sinking lines and just having a good day with the stripers.

- Joe, anytime you talk about fly rods, that brings on a lot of conversation from Geartime.

- Yeah, there's a little bit more to rigging a fly rod for especially this type of fishing.

This deep water, see, you have to use sinking lines and Chuck will go over that.

- And roasted duck for the recipe today.

- Yeah, you know, we kinda, from time to time get away from the seafood recipes we like to feature here and are gonna feature a roasted duck recipe from Donna.

- Alright, we got a lot going on, so thanks for joining us today on the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

- Davis, everything is coming together just perfect.

You're out of school, the rock fish at Weldon have finished spawning, it's late May, they're coming down the river chasing schools of shad, river herring, all kinds of bait, we've got plenty of bait on the screen.

But we're gonna go up here to a little hole in a minute that I think's real special.

You and I fished it once before but we're gonna get up here and see if we can't catch a bunch of rock fish on the fly rods.

If you can count to 18 or 20, I think we can catch a rock fish.

You ready to try it?

- [Davis] Yep.

- [Chuck] Lets go.

- Davis, this is one of your ties on this fly.

I'm pretty sure, isn't it?

- I think it is, actually.

- Good, that little chartreuse and white, we're gonna... We've got it tied on to some, 'bout 4 foot of fluorocarbon leader.

We're gon' toss it back there, let it count down about 18 or 20 seconds and some short pops for me, okay?

- Okay.

- And hold on, 'cause them rock fish'll snatch you out of the boat.

(laughs) Let's go.

- Got 'em on!

Man!

- [Chuck] My man is just thumpin' 'em.

- Gyah!

- Try to hold him out a little bit to the right, Davis.

That current will keep him out of the boat.

There you go.

Pretty work, buddy.

- (sighs) God, it's hurting my thumb.

It's hurting my finger - Look at ya, look at ya.

- Hurting my strippin' finger.

- You want me to help you?

- I got it.

- Yeah, no, that's okay.

Easy.

Just keep it out to the right.

Keep it out to the right, hard as you can.

Keep it out and to the right, that's fine.

- That wasn't hard except you got current, s'pose to move.

- You got him.

Oh!

He got loose.

I hate that, Davis, I really do.

- Well, that's a fish caught anyway.

- Tell you what I'm gon' do.

I'm gon' take this off for a minute.

- Meh.

(laughs) - Throw out there and get him.

Count out loud for me one time when you get out there.

One.

- One.

- [Together] 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

Get ready.

- It's like every cast.

(laughs) Oh, I'm getting bites.

- Well, if you get a bite, drop it back to 'em.

- Tight again!

- If you get a bite, just hook it, like that!

- [Chuck] So I love counting to 20, Davis.

- Oh!

- [Chuck] How 'bout you?

- Yup!

- [Chuck] Alright.

- I love counting 20 again.

- [Chuck] Well, hold on to... - Whoa, the anchor line.

- Yep, hold on to that one and I'll.

- Anchor line.

- I'm getting bit.

I'm already bit.

Tell you what I'll do, though.

I'll get that one off.

- Oh gah, my anchor line!

- Don't worry about the anchor line, you keep him right over here.

And I'll get him, hand him to you anyway.

Hold what you got right there, that's perfect.

Now, just swing the rod tip to me.

I told you we'd catch a mess a rock fish.

Come this way.

- Gah, it's a big one.

- I don't know about a big one but he thinks he's somebody.

- [Davis] Hey, if it was in season, Guess what?

We coulda kept that one!

Get the thumb.

- There we go, let's let him go.

I'm bent up and bowed.

I got... Let him go 'fore he gets tired.

(splashing) Tap him, tap him, go down.

- Uh!

- There's your fly.

We're gonna have to be real careful about keeping them out of the water that long.

I'm gonna have to go back to the de-hooker.

Count it 20 for me again.

- 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 - See, if we don't bring this fish out of the water.

He's there and gone and straight back to his momma.

I'm gon' get right out there next to you.

How 'bout that?

Right next to you, 3, 4.

- 11, 12, 13.

- 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.

You ain't got to wait, Davis, go ahead.

- That was only two strips, that was only two strips.

- Well, I didn't even strip once, Davis.

Look at that!

(laughs) Don't you start playin' me Davis, that's terrible.

Terrible!

Look at them rods bowed up.

- It's alright, right in your boat.

- Right there, buddy.

Stay on him.

- Mm.

- Stay on him.

Let me get this one off real quick and I'll get him.

- I actually broke a rod, fighting a cat, trying to pull a catfish on my dock.

- Shoo, well don't... That's a nice fish, Davis.

Hold on, I'll get this off and work on yours, okay?

(splashing) That one's gone.

Let's see what we can do with yours.

That's the biggest one you've caught today.

(goose honking) Got geese, eagles, ospreys, wood ducks, and eight year olds.

Now, you're going to the fourth grade next year?

- Third.

- Third grade, alright, don't let me age you.

Seven.

- [Davis] Oh!

Shoot!

- [Chuck] Oh, I told you I'd wait for you!

What have you got?

- I said, I did a 19.

I started stripping at 19 and then I went one, and right when that O came out of my mouth.

- That fish put you on the reel, alright.

If he needs to take off, hold on, now.

(panting) (laughs) That fish took off, Davis.

- I know that fish took off.

- I could tell, your eyes got big, you got quiet for a minute.

- And you could just hear that Z coming out of that line.

- You wait, nice fish.

Tell you what, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Just turn the rod sideways.

If you keep taking it straight up and down like that, you're gon' break it.

I'm sure TFO would love to hear from you, but they'd rather have pictures instead of a broken rod.

That one was just a bad dog, Davis.

He hit and left.

Why don't you sit down there and take a nap, let me catch up with you?

- Naw, I ain't takin' a nap.

- You're not gon' take a nap?

- Nope.

- You look kinda tired.

You really do, I'm worried about you.

Your mama told me to take good care of ya.

(laughs) (pleasant music) 21, look at that, Davis.

It takes longer to count down than it does to hook a fish.

Counting to 20 is sometimes the toughest thing you can do.

But with that sinking line going down there, that is something.

Get your count right, my man.

Get your count right.

(splashing) Get 'em, Davis, show me something.

- I was 'bout to strip one more time and then he just popped it, right smack in the middle of two strips.

(laughs) Gah!

- [Chuck] So he caught you between strips, didn't he, Davis?

- (blows loudly) Yep.

- [Chuck] There you go.

Pretty, pretty, pretty, sport.

- And then right when I stripped it that time, I was like this, "Bow!"

Oh, shoot I lost him right there.

- Did he get off?

- Yeah.

- Well, get you another one.

This is one of the few places you don't mind losing a fish.

You can go back now, maybe.

- He's coming right, he's goin' right to the motor.

- [Chuck] Okay.

Let me know when you got him and I'll come down there and give you a hand.

Okay, hold on.

Hold on.

I got it, man.

Nice fish, Davis.

Yeah, your fly line was caught around a cleat.

And your foot.

- [Davis] And I had, I had to go back because I mean, I really didn't want my fly line cut from the motor.

- Well, like I say, what you wanted to do and what you could do were two different things.

(laughing) What happens when you count to 20?

- Aw!

- [Chuck] Drop it back for five and see if you don't catch him again.

- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

- [Chuck] Or another one just about like him.

Good strips, pop it.

Make it work.

Man, that's... Alright, we'll do 20 again.

- [Together] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

- [Davis] 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

- Strip.

Pop it, make 'em mad at it.

Oh!

It worked.

(laughing) It worked.

(pants quickly) Stay right up there and I'll get him when he comes to the side, nicely done, Davis.

Was it worth the ride down here this morning to get here early?

- Yep.

- Yep.

Good thing you can't drive, your liable left your daddy at home.

I swear, have to get you a driver.

Somebody gets up early in the morning.

Pretty work, Davis.

(laughs) Come on to me.

Nicely done.

See if we got a tag on him.

I think he is naked.

(laughs) (splashes) If he'll go back and be up here next year, you'll see him at Weldon.

Might even see him down here next February.

Davis, you've got the cast down.

You've got the count down.

You have caught some fish.

I'm gon' get up and see if we can't get some doubles, how 'bout that?

- Come on, let's go.

- Let's go.

(grunts) Nice cast, Davis.

- I almost fell my butt off!

- Nice cast.

Get right out there next to you.

And count to 20.

What have you got?

- Striper.

- Striper?

Rock fish, boy, you from down here in North Carolina.

They have stripers in New Jersey and New York.

You got rock fish down here.

(sighs) Genuine grade A rock fish.

(grunts) Nice, Davis-- - I got him.

Well, how 'bout you just give me the line?

- There you go.

That's all I'm gon' do is give you the line.

You put your fly rod down.

There he is.

You, my friend, are on your own.

Lookathere, perfect release.

You wanna get this one?

- Nope.

- I didn't think so.

(laughs) Davis, we needed your daddy to have come this morning.

He could've come over here and de-hooked 'em for us.

You reckon he could do that?

He loves to de-hook 'em.

(laughs) - [Davis] 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

- Nice little schooly fish.

- [Davis] He's got fat on him, actually.

- Yeah, he is.

- [Davis] Go, fatty.

- Back down there in the water, ready to-- - Oh!

- Drop it back, drop it back, drop it back.

Wiggle your rod tip, count to five, 1, 2, 3, - [Together] 4, 5.

- Now strip it.

I'm gon' get out there 'fore you do this time.

I got a head start.

I'll wait for you.

Go on and get you one.

- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

- Joe, there are a lot of grown folks out there right now envying young Davis.

- Well, he's quite a fisherman and not only with the fly rod, but spinning tackle, too.

He's caught his share of a variety of fish and quite the angler.

But the guys had a good time that day.

It was a lot of fish.

Chuck had heard about the fish, where they were.

And we fished this area before.

It's kindof an area these fish congregate after the spawn every year up on the Roanoke.

And a nice little class of fish.

And you had get down to 'em.

You know, they were doing the countdown.

And Davis picked up on that real quick.

He counted it down and it seemed like every time he hit that magic number of 20, or somewhere close to that, the fish were there and they bit.

And they had a good day.

- Alright we got a lot of information we've got to check out here on Geartime.

(soothing music) - Davis, I know you had to get up early to get here from Wilson this morning.

And I know I had to get up real early at Harkers Island to get here as early as we did.

But your mother and my wife do not have any idea how big a favor they did us by letting us come out and play today.

We had nothing but some of the finest rock fishing I have had in two hours.

I can't imagine two hours being better than what we've had this morning.

We've caught fish on almost every cast.

We've caught doubles.

And once you got to the point where you made the cast and you could count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, - [Together] 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

- Bam!

You could catch a fish, couldn't you?

- Yes, I could.

- Yes, sir, alright.

We used Clouser Minnows this morning and most any color worked, yellow and white, chartreuse and white.

Davis caught his on one little fly he tied all by himself.

Every fish he caught this morning has come on a 6-Weight TFO Rod.

We've had great, great respect for these rods.

Perfect little BVKs this morning, we've used 250 and 300 grain sink tips.

And again, the key to it was getting that 20 count.

'Cause if we got that 20 count and you could strip, could you get that rod bent, Davis?

- I could.

- (laughs) Good enough, buddy.

I've had a blast.

Let's go grab a burger and we'll do it again.

- Thanks guys, for that valuable information, nothing like fly rod fishing.

Now, let's catch up with Donna.

She's in the kitchen.

Normally, we have a recipe for seafood but not today.

We've got a recipe for you today.

She's going to roast a duck.

(pleasant music) - Hi, today in the kitchen, we're making a roasted duck.

This is a beautiful recipe.

The duck turns out to be just gorgeous and your house will smell great.

And it's really simple, but people will think you spent a lot of time and a lot of effort, which is what we like.

So we have our duck.

It is ready to go.

We've patted it dry and it's about room temperature.

We've lined our jelly roll pan, or your baking sheet with some foil.

This will help for easy clean up.

And then we've also put a, I put a cookie sheet, or a cooling rack underneath my duck.

That way, when the fat, it'll...

The fat will release and then the duck won't sit in that.

So, we're gonna tie our legs.

We're gonna take our kitchen string and we're just going to loop it around.

And tie up our legs with our twine.

You can just buy this at the grocery.

Doesn't always work the first time.

There we go.

There we go, just tie it off and you're ready to go.

We're gonna then take our, a sharp fork and we're gonna prick the skin of the duck.

That way, when it starts to heat up, it won't puff.

You know, sometimes pastry does that if you don't get some air bubbles in there.

So then we're going to, whoops!

Sprinkle it with some salt and pepper.

(salt shaking) Pretty generously, and you can rub it in if you'd like.

And then it is pretty much ready to go.

We're gonna put this in the oven at 450 degrees for about 45 minutes.

This will give you a nice, crisp outer coating.

Your skin will get nice and crispy and lock in those juices of your duck.

And then once your 45 minutes is up, then we're gonna baste it with the marmalade glaze.

So while this is cooking the 45 minutes, we're gonna make our glaze.

So we have one cup of marmalade, orange marmalade in here.

(whisk scraping) You can see all these great little pieces of orange and rind in here, too, which is some great flavor.

We're going to add in one of my favorite things, molasses.

So you know it's gonna be good.

We're gonna get that... Let me turn this down just a little bit.

Then we're going to add another one of my favorite things, ginger.

Some dried ginger.

And then for a little heat, we're gonna add some red pepper flakes.

(whisk scraping) So we're just gonna give that a good stir.

We're also gonna add in some lemon to this and this is a great little gadget.

It just... You put your lemon in and then you close it up and press.

And it just juices all of your lemon for you.

No seeds or anything, awesome!

It's a new, quick little fun tool I found.

You can buy this at the grocery store, too.

So we're gonna do that again.

Good to go!

Then, we're gonna give that a stir and we're gonna let this boil.

Once it becomes a boil, then you're gonna let it simmer for about 15 minutes or so, until it reduces to about one cup.

So I'm gonna turn this down and let this reduce a little bit.

Then this is what it looks like when it's finished.

It's nice and thick.

And then we're gonna just brush, once this comes out and it's nice and golden brown, you're just gonna brush this onto your duck.

And then put it back in the oven at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes until your duck is completely cooked throughout, reaches about 165, 175 degrees with your temperature.

So this is what it looks like when it comes out.

You can see it's nice and beautiful, golden brown, and you can see a little bit of the pieces of orange on it, which is great.

It smells wonderful and it tastes amazing.

So I hope you enjoy the roasted duck and I look forward to seeing you next time, here on Simple Cooking.

- Thanks, Donna, another great recipe and recipes just like that are available in our cookbook.

Check us out online, you will enjoy it.

Joe, a lot of people just envy Davis because he's good.

- Well, he is good.

He's used that fly rod quite a bit over the last several years.

And has gotten real adapt at using it.

And 'course the guys had the, the bite was on.

They determined, Chuck had earlier, how deep the fish were and what he needed to do to get down to 'em and he gave, as you saw, some, a little early instruction to Davis about counting down.

The need to get that bait, that fly down to the fish and they would cooperate and they sure did.

We, I lost count how many fish they caught but they were in about 20-22 foot of water.

And if you can get the bait down to 'em, they were hungry.

- Plus, fishing on the Roanoke River, too.

That always adds to the excitement.

- Well, that's one of our better rivers here in North Carolina for striped bass.

And it has been for a number of years.

And that's the end of, these fish are staging, we think, that time of year, to move out into the sound.

They've just come back from the spawning grounds up at Weldon and that's an area that Chuck found several years ago that these fish were holding in.

And so, but we just had a lot of fun that day.

- Alright, Roanoke River, young angler, just another great day of fishing in North Carolina, right?

- Absolutely.

- For Joe Albea, I'm John Moore, we do thank you for joining us today on the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

- [Male Announcer]: Make sure to visit our website for more information.

The Carolina Outdoor Journal is brought to you by: - [Female Announcer]: "Wildlife in North Carolina" magazine.

- [Male Announcer]: And by EZ Bait & Tackle.

Family owned and operated.

We fish from fresh to saltwater.

We provide fishing supplies and advice to every type of angler.

For all your fishing needs, EZ Bait & Tackle.

And by contributions from PBS North Carolina viewers like you.

[light instrumental music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪