Pamlico March 8, 2012
Robbie Mehring with an 11.5 lb. striped bass that bit a Rapala minnow while he was fishing the Neuse River near New Bern with Capt. Mark Watson.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that there’s been plenty of action with speckled trout lately in the creeks off the Neuse River between New Bern and Oriental. Most of the fish have been on the small side, but there are some keepers (and even a few citation-class fish) in the mix. Decent numbers of puppy drum are feeding in some of the same creeks. Both fish are taking an interest in lightly weighted soft plastics and suspending or diving plugs (with more natural colors most effective). Fly fishermen have also had success with the specks and reds lately.
The striped bass bite is still on around New Bern, with excellent topwater action many days around shoreline structure. Casting soft plastics around the bridges and deeper shorelines has also been effective lately.
Good numbers of larger fish are in the mix, but they’re heading upriver to spawn, so releasing the big females quickly after a photo is a good idea to ensure the future health of the fishery.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers have found some decent speckled trout action all winter long off the lower Neuse, and the signs are only getting better that it should be a good spring bite. There are still big numbers of smaller specks in the area, but enough legal fish on up to the 5 lb. mark to keep anglers entertained.
The trout action has primarily been up the creeks off the main river. Anglers are hooking the fish using suspending hard baits like MirrOlure MR17’s and soft plastics like D.O.A. paddletails. A few puppy drum have been feeding alongside the trout.
There are still decent numbers of striped bass feeding near New Bern, but many of the fish have moved upriver to spawn near Goldsboro. Anglers can still target the fish around New Bern by working soft plastic baits around deeper ledges and Rock-N-Wobble eels around the bridge pilings and other structure in the area, and the bite will get even better as the spawning stripers move back downriver.
Donald, of Custom Marine, reports that the striped bass bite around New Bern has been excellent lately (with anglers seeing some bigger fish to 30”+). Casting bucktail jigs, soft plastic baits, and wobblehead lures around the bridges has been producing most of the striper action, but anglers are also starting to see a topwater bite in the shallower areas.
The speckled trout bite is picking up (with decent numbers of 20” class fish) in the creeks off the Neuse between New Bern and Oriental. Suspending lures like the new Yo-Zuri 3D Shrimp and MirrOlure MR17’s are producing the lion’s share of the action with the trout.
Richie, of East Side Tackle, reports that anglers are catching a few striped bass around the Washington Bridge (including some large 10+ lb. fish), but many of the area’s stripers have moved upriver towards Greenville to spawn. Live eels have been more productive than artificials with the stripers so far this season.
Anglers are starting to see more speckled trout in the area, with most of the action reported on the south side of the river around Campbell Creek. Soft plastic baits and suspending hard lures like MirrOlure MR17’s are attracting attention from the specks.
Brent Solomons, of Raleigh, with a 30" striped bass that bit a Storm Chug Bug topwater in the Neuse River near New Bern while he was fishing with Capt. Gary Dubiel of Spec Fever Guide Service.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the striped bass bite in the lower Roanoke River has been a bit up and down with the warmer-than-usual winter forcing anglers to change their tactics a bit. Instead of jigging for the fish on deep ledges, casting topwaters and working soft plastics and casting or trolling Rat-L-Traps, Crystal Minnows, Rattlin’ Rogues, or other hardbaits in shallower stumpy areas and along shorelines will help anglers take advantage of the fish feeding actively in shallower water.
There’s also been some solid striper action on the Pamlico River when water levels are higher (on days of east winds). When the conditions are right, the topwater action in the Pamlico can be excellent with lures like Zara Spooks and Chug Bugs provoking explosive surface strikes.
Speckled trout have been feeding consistently on the Pamlico River all winter long (a mixture of throwbacks and keeper fish to 22”). The upper Pamlico River near Washington and the nearby creeks have been producing the best action with the specks. Most anglers are hooking them on smaller soft plastics, but MirrOlure and Yo-Zuri hardbaits or small live minnows will get the specks’ attention as well.
