Pamlico – July 9, 2015
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with decent numbers of flounder while fishing the shorelines of the lower Neuse River. Most are falling for live baits like peanut menhaden and finger mullet, but anglers may be able to hook up while working artificials as well.
Some puppy drum are mixed in with the flatfish, and anglers are catching some larger yearling reds downriver near the sound. More and large drum should be showing up directly and spurring the cut bait and popping cork/soft plastic for them into high gear.
There’s still a good topwater striped bass bite around New Bern at present. The most productive offerings lately have been Storm Chug Bugs fished near shoreline structure early and late in the day.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that west winds have made fishing the Neuse River a bit tough recently, but anglers are getting out and finding some action.
Speckled trout, puppy drum, and flounder are looking for meals along the shorelines of the lower Neuse River but not in great numbers. Working soft plastics along the banks is the way to connect with them, and anglers should cover plenty of ground in order to find the scattered fish.
Several citation-class red drum have already been landed on large soft plastics fished under popping corks in the lower Neuse. A tarpon has also been caught on a cut bait, so anglers should see the big-game action in area turn on if the wind will slow down or change directions.
Striped and largemouth bass are providing plenty of topwater action upriver around New Bern despite low water levels. Calm shorelines with structure like stumps are the best spots, and both generally bite the surface lures best early and late in the day.
Capt. Dave Stewart, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, with a pair of 16″ flounder he hooked on live baits along a lower Neuse River shoreline.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that anglers are seeing the flounder bite continue to improve in the western sound and river mouths in the region. Anglers are hooking some on cut baits, but live and Gulp baits fished on heavy jigheads are fooling most of the fish.
Anglers are hooking some topwater striped bass near Washington in the Pamlico River, but there’s a narrow bite window. Working walk-the-dog topwaters at first and last light will offer anglers their best odds at hooking up. The water is hot right now, so anglers should be prepared to get stripers back in the water in a hurry after catching in order to ensure they survive.
Some citation-class red drum are showing up in the sound and lower rivers. Anglers have also seen tarpon in the area, so some big-fish opportunities are around right now if the wind lays down enough to chase the fish. Live and fresh cut baits will attract attention from both of the trophy fish.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that anglers are connecting with good numbers of flounder in the lower Pamlico River and fooling them on live and soft plastic baits.
There’s also been some striped bass action further upriver, but the bite can be tough to find.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are still finding some decent flounder action around Bath, Bayview, Swan Quarter, and Lower Dowry. Most of the fish are falling for Gulp baits worked slowly along the bottom.
Some citation-class red drum have shown up around Englehard and Swan Quarter, and it shouldn’t be long until the big drum bite cranks up for the season.
Tarpon have also made an appearance in the sound, so anglers have several large targets to chase when the winds are calm.
