Fisherman's body recovered from Lake Wheeler

The search for Larry Alton Gore's body began shortly after 9 a.m. after a couple driving across the Penny Road bridge reported an overturned boat. 

Police found a hat, fishing rods and coolers floating in the water near the 14-foot jon boat, which was about 75 yards from the bridge. They said there was no visible damage to the craft.

Members of the N.C. Canine Emergency Response team recovered the body of Gore, 67, of Raleigh, just after 3 p.m. They said he was fishing by himself. 

Raleigh police said from eyewitness accounts it appears Gore was standing on the boat when he fell out.

Gore's body was sent to the medical examiner's office to determine the cause of death. 

Gore's long-time girlfriend, Lonnie Walker, said he was an avid fisherman who knew how to swim. He bought his boat two months ago. 

"I really don't know what happened. They were saying a bystander saw the boat and when they saw him come under the bridge, it was capsized," Walker said. 

Walker said Gore went fishing early for a cook out he and his neighbors were having at Lake Wheeler.

"He was a real good guy. We've been together 30 years. That's my long love. I'm going to sure miss him," Walker said. 

Gore's family said they take solace in knowing that he died in a place where he found so much peace. His niece, Sherry Rogers, said Gore taught her sons to fish. 

"He loved to fish," Rogers said. "Even my oldest grandson went fishing with him." 

The search marked the second time in a week that a fisherman went missing on Lake Wheeler and in relatively the same area. 

Authorities found a boat adrift on the lake between Penny and Lake Wheeler roads on Saturday and a pair of shoes along the shore. Searchers found the body of Darryl Raynard Kimble, 49, early Sunday.

Police haven't determined whether Kimble fell in the lake or had an accident that caused him to drown.

Raleigh police and firefighters, Wake County deputies, paramedics from Wake County EMS and Apex EMS and Fairview Fire Department firefighters were searching the lake Thursday. A state Highway Patrol helicopter aided the effort.