Pamlico July 7, 2011
Stewart, of Albemarle, NC, with a keeper flounder he hooked on a soft plastic bait in the Pamlico River while fishing with Capt. Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that the topwater striper bite is red hot in the Neuse River around New Bern right now. The fish are busting bait on the surface in the early mornings and biting a variety of topwater plugs. Blind casting around points and hard structure has also been effective.
The flounder bite along the Neuse River shorelines has been consistent as well, and anglers are fooling most of the fish with live minnows, Gulp baits, and D.O.A. soft plastics. A few puppy drum are mixed in with the flatfish and will fall for the same baits.
Richie, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that there’s been good flounder fishing from the mouth of the Pungo River east to Swan Quarter lately. Gulp baits and cut baits have been tempting bites from the flatfish, as well as decent numbers of smaller speckled trout in the same areas.
Tarpon have shown up in the sound and the river, with the best chances of seeing/hooking one still in the sound. Fresh cut and dead baits on the bottom will tempt bites from the tarpon.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that the fish in the river are a bit scattered right now. Anglers are still connecting with some flounder, speckled trout, and red and black drum along the river shorelines. Most of the action has been on live shrimp that anglers are cast-netting in the river.
Tarpon are beginning to show up and should only become more numerous as the summer wears on. Large cut and dead baits are top choices for the tarpon.
Striped bass are feeding heavily in the Neuse and Trent Rivers near New Bern, and casting topwater plugs around stump beds in the early mornings is producing plenty of action with them.
Richie Walker (age 3), of Newport, NC, with spanish mackerel that attacked Hopkins spoons off Emerald Isle.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that flounder fishing on the Pamlico and Pungo Rivers is going strong. Anglers are catching the majority of the flatfish on hard sand bottom near the mouths of creeks and on flats with submerged stumps.
Gulp shrimp and pogies on 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jigheads are producing most of the action. Paddletail baits like the Z-Man Z-Minnow rigged on weedless hooks are better choices around the stumps. Anglers can also hook up while casting live finger mullet or menhaden and strip baits on Carolina or float rigs.
Some speckled trout (most smaller) are feeding in the same areas, and anglers are hooking them on soft plastics while flounder fishing or targeting the trout specifically in the early morning hours.
Tarpon have shown up in the Pamlico River, and anglers have already hooked a few. Fishing fresh cut baits on the bottom with plenty of fresh chum is the best way to target the tarpon, and boats should be mindful not to run through another boat’s chum slick or too close to vessels anchored up and fishing, since the fish can be very spooky.
