Pamlico June 9, 2011
Jamie Orr with a speckled trout he caught and released on a 4" Saltwater Assassin soft plastic while fishing the Pungo River with Capt. Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the Pamlico and Pungo River speckled trout and flounder bite has been excellent lately, with solid numbers of fish coming from the Bath area west to Blount’s Bay and east of Willow Point near Swan Quarter. Many of the flounder are keepers, and the trout will be once the season opens June 15.
A few larger flounder (5 lb. class) have been coming from around Bath.
Gulp shrimp are getting the job done on the flatfish, and Saltwater Assassin paddletails have been producing the action with the specks, both on 1/4 to 1/8 oz. jigheads.
Red drum have been somewhat elusive lately, but more and more of them should be working their way into the rivers as spring turns to summer.
Richie, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are catching decent numbers of flounder in the local rivers lately. Gulp baits on light jigheads have been producing most of the action with the flatfish.
Some spanish mackerel have worked their way into the Neuse River, but they’ve been a little hit-or-miss over the past week. Trolling small spoons will put the spaniards in the boat when anglers can find them.
Striped bass are still biting around the bridges, and anglers can tempt them to bite topwater plugs early and late in the day and soft plastics on jig or wobbleheads when the sun is higher.
Out in the ocean, anglers are seeing big numbers of cobia, but it’s been difficult to tempt them to bite anything lately.
Donald, of Custom Marine and Tackle, reports that striped bass fishing around New Bern is still excellent. The best action is coming for anglers working topwater plugs in the shallows very early and late in the day.
The river shorelines and creeks are producing some action with speckled trout, especially between Oriental and the sound, but not many anglers are fishing for them. There should be decent numbers available when the season opens up on June 15.
George Acfalle, of Havelock, NC, with a chopper bluefish that fell for a piece of cut bait off Sheraton Pier.
Spanish mackerel are still on the feed around Cape Lookout and Beaufort Inlet, and anglers can hook up with them while trolling small spoons behind planers and trolling weights.
Some king mackerel appear to be active closer to the beaches, and a few were reported around the Dead Tree Hole last week.
Dolphin continue to move inshore of the Stream, and anglers caught decent numbers around the 14 Buoy last week.
Bottom fishermen have been filling coolers with sea bass, groupers, and snappers at offshore structure recently.
Dave, of Minnesott Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that the puppy drum bite has improved markedly in the river over the past week. Anglers are catching good numbers of slot-sized puppies along the river shorelines lately, mostly on live mud minnows or cut baits on small circle hooks (to ensure the smaller fish survive after release).
Flounder fishing has been excellent lately, with anglers catching solid numbers around docks, rocks, sea walls, and other structure. Live mud minnows and Deep Creek and Gulp soft plastics are attracting attention from the flatfish. Anglers will likely have to weed through some short fish, but there are good numbers of keepers out there.
Speckled trout season opens June 15, and there have been decent numbers around in the river and the sound. Soft plastics and suspending lures like MR17’s will tempt the trout to bite.
