Charles E. Salter in Hall of Fame

Charles Salter inducted
into the National Freshwater
Fishing Hall of Fame

images and article by Bill Byrd

Since 1961 Charles E. Salter has been writing about fishing, "America's true national pastime." Beginning 1961 for six years Salter wrote about fishing for the Macon News. Then in 1967 he joined the Atlanta Journal staff. From then until his retirement, July 1st, 1998, for 24 years Charles Salter was a sports writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Charles case of "love at first bite" was brought on by a bluegill early in life, and turned into "an absolutely incurable case of fishing fever" which Charles still suffers from today.

I first ran into Charles (image above left) in March of 1995 after my hooking and landing an eight pound, nine ounce largemouth black bass on ultralight fly tackle with 3 pound tippet. Charles was tipped off about my catch by the owner of a local fly shop, and it wasn't long before I received a call from Charles.

He identified himself as sports writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and said that he was interested in writing an article about my catch, and wanted every detail about my experience. I was VERY reluctant to let the information out. I had already been ridiculed by fly shop personnel over my interest in 2 and 1 weight fly tackle. So I was quietly enjoying fishing by myself in total obscurity and didn't know whether I wanted that to change.

After further conversation, I decided to go forward with the interview. As you can see in the image right, Charles decided to go ahead with his first of 6 articles about my ultralight experiences. In te article right, Charles opened by writing "Catching an 8.6 pound largemouth bass on an extremely light fly rod is as unlikely as knocking down a grizzly with a .22 caliber rifle...". After fighting that surprise bass, that's about how it felt to me.

Over the following months, Charles wrote additional articles about the fact that my 8 pound nine ounce bass was certified as a world record for 6 pound tippet at the National Freshwater Hall of Fame. Charles had insisted that I apply for the record, and he was right -- I did and I received the certificate.

Then I caught an 8 pound 4 ounce bass on the Orvis Superfine 1 weight rod with 4 pound tippet, and that spawned more articles. As it turned out, Charles discovered that was the largest largemouth black bass caught on the Orvis 1 weight to date -- and as far as I know, it still is.

Being the fishing enthusiast that he is, Charles was really interested in how I could consistently catch big bass, and thousands of bluegills, shellcrackers, and redbreast sunfish on ultralight fly tackle. Truth is, Charles has always held these other SUNFISH in high esteem. After more hours of discussions on fly tying, fly fishing, and the search for giant bluegills, we became friends.

I was beginning to believe that I was onto something with some new flies and Charles encouraged me. I began to mention writing about some of my experiences, and some of the techniques that I was using very successfully. Thoughts turned to a book, and Charles made me aware of his last book -- Bent Poles and Tight Lines, a collection of his best articles over the years. It was just about gone, but I searched and found a copy. This actually helped me decide to write a book, which at this time has NOT been published.

Charles and I enjoyed many fishing trips and catching fat bluegills bass, and shellcrackers on light to ultralight fly tackle. The image right of this giant shellcracker was shot by Charles on a trip to one of my favorite lakes in central Georgia. We were both amazed by the size and strength of these fish on ultralight fly tackle. I have a large hand that makes most fish look small, but this giant redear sunfish looks big in the midday sun.

Charles took me to a quiet little pond (image left) in central Georgia on November 24th to meet and greet some of the big rowdy bass and bluegills at Sallye's pond -- the family watering hole. On one of those trips, we had a most unusual experience.

We arrived and hand launched the light aluminum jon boat about mid-morning. After filling the boat with rods, fly boxes, food, and supplies, we eased onto the lake and began to probe shoreline cover.

I was fishing my Orvis Superfine 7 1/2 foot 1 weight rod with 4 pound tippet and a small black beadhead nymph. As I recall Charles was fishing a Renoski minnow on light spin tackle. We cast into the woody cover and Charles caught a fat bluegill on top. I cast back into the cover, paused to let my nymph sink expecting a tick from a big bluegill sucking it in, and did feel a tick on the line. I raised the rod to set the hook, and felt like I'd hooked the Queen Mary! I said" Charles, this isn't a bluegill" and the huge fish began to move across our bow. "Is it a bass?" Charles asked from the front of the boat. "I don't know, Charles, but I do know this thing is huge!"

The fish cruised by the bow of the boat, then into open water. Charles and I changed positions so I could sit up front and run the trolling motor while I was fighting this fish.

Down by the dam it pulled us -- me with my 1 weight in a shallow arc and drag screaming. I decided to increase the pressure on this fish. I smoothly pulled my rod to the side and the mammoth fish exploded into the air, cut an arc, and splashed back down. Charles said "was that a bass? It didn't look like a bass." I RESPONDED, "I don't know. Do you have any carp in this pond?"

Charles pondered my question and said, "yes, we have several White amur, grass carp in this pond, and by now they could be getting BIG." I said" I think this could be a giant carp, but they don't jump do they?" We both decided that we'd NEVER caught a leaping carp before. The struggle continued. For an eternity we chased this leviathan around Sallye's pond. Finally, after 38 minutes, it just got tired enough to let me coax it to the surface by the boat.

It was one HUGE white amur, and we estimated 15 to 16 pounds easily. When I had cast my little beadhead nymph into the woody cover, it had sunk just behind the giant fish. When I began to strip retrieve it, it stuck in his huge dorsal fin! We decided that huge fish was as surprised as us, and he though something was trying to eat him from the rear forward. When I put more pressure on him, he had leaped from fear. It was such a big, slippery fish, that I just plucked my little nymph from his fin, and gently released the giant back to his pond.

Charles (image left on the dam at the family pond) has enjoyed hundreds of crazy adventures in his many years writing and fishing, and many of those experiences are documented in his book, and columns. He has touched the lives of countless sportsmen over the years, and it is very fitting that he should be inducted into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. Charles' induction into the Hall was announced in February of 2002, and he was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame August 24th, 2002. The clip (right) comes from The Splash the official publication of the Hall, in volume 26.

Hey Charlie -- keep a tight line and GO DAWGS! -- Bill Byrd.