Pamlico – June 21, 2018
Donald, of Custom Marine Fabrication, reports that speckled trout season has put more anglers on the water searching for fish. Using 4” Z-Man or Gulp soft plastics underneath popping corks has been working well in finding fish.
Anglers topwater fishing the structure along the banks in the early mornings are finding some of the local striped bass as well as a couple of trout.
Good numbers of flounder have been pushing upriver since the weather has stabilized. A majority of the fish are in the main river. With all the rain runoffs in the creeks, ledges and drop-offs have been a great starting off point.
Doug Graham, of New Bern, with a striper that fell for a wobble head/eel combo on the Neuse River. He was fishing with Capt. D. Ashley King of Keep Castin’ Charters.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that good-sized speckled trout are being caught in the creek mouth drop-offs from New Bern to Oriental. Storm soft plastics and popping corks have been a great setup for anglers searching the banks for fish.
Slot-sized red drum action has been excellent in the same areas, with popping corks continuing to work great. The redfish have really loved an artificial shrimp fished underneath.
The local striped bass are hitting topwater baits around structure near New Bern early in the morning, with jerk shad soft plastics working great in the afternoon.
Flounder to 20” have continued to bite the soft plastics fished along ledges in the river.
James, of Neuse River Adventures, reports that the topwater striped bass bite around New Bern has been great. Anglers casting Heddon Spooks and other “walk the dog” style baits are finding the fish schooled up around docks and stump fields along the shorelines.
Trout season being open has put more anglers on the water, with successful hookups coming from creek mouths and structured banks in the main river. Z-Man MinnowZ under a popping cork has been doing well in enticing bites.
Red drum continue to push upstream after the bait. Working the grass flats has been a successful tactic for locating these slot-sized fish.
Todd, of Neuse River Bait and Tackle, reports that the spawning striped bass fishing has pushed downriver, but some larger fish have hung around to feed on baits along the shoreline. The topwater bite with Heddon Spooks is a local favorite, but anglers fishing 5” jerk shad soft plastics on 1/8 or 1/4 oz. jig heads have seen good numbers of strikes. “Walk the dog” style topwater baits are working early and on overcast mornings (before the winds pick up and ruin the baits action).
Trout have been reported all over the river, with soft plastics seeming to get bit the most. A good number of the fish reported are legal sized and coming off creek mouth drop-offs with bait concentrations.
Red drum are being caught along grass lines and flats, with Z-Man soft plastics underneath a popping cork as the best tactic for generating bites.
Flounder are well sought after in the summer and are being caught around ledges in the main river, but the rain seems to have slowed their progress upstream. Live mud minnows fished on Carolina rigs work well in holding the bottom and finding the flatfish.
Megan Dewar, of New Bern, with a striper she caught using a Rapala Skitterpop while fishing with her husband, Capt. Kevin Dewar of Three D Charters.
Richie, of Eastside Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been excited for the opening of speckled trout. The fish never left, and they’ve been hanging in the mid-water column feeding on baits hovering around structure. A Gulp mullet soft plastic under a popping cork is a great search bait.
The rockfish are working the stump fields on the banks, and anglers fishing topwater baits are finding great action.
A couple of flounder are being reported off the grass banks in the main river, but the weather has kept most anglers from being able to work these exposed shorelines. The anglers who keep their baits dragging the bottom are having the best success.
Mitchell, of FishIBX, reports that the striped bass bite continues to be awesome. The topwater bite is pushing into the late mornings with all the clouds the area’s been seeing. Most trips are catching 50+ fish while working structure along the shoreline.
Red drum are pushing upriver, and some fish have bit well on the early morning topwater bite. Anglers casting soft plastic jigs on drop-offs and around structure have had success hooking fish all day long.
Flounder continue to work upstream and are being caught around ledges off the grass banks.
