Pamlico/Neuse River – October 2024
Bobby, of Custom Marine Fabrication, reports that anglers continue to have success catching slot-sized red drum out on the main river shorelines. The best tactic has been targeting points and flats with both cut natural baits and artificials such as Redfish Magic spinnerbaits.
Striped bass fishing upriver towards New Bern has been good as fall conditions start to arrive. Topwater anglers are basically finding all the action they want when focusing on structured areas that are holding bait.
A lot of angers are still targeting the old red drum bite. Most of the action so far has been down in the sound, but that doesn’t mean completely avoiding the river. The bait is in the Neuse, and fish have been caught up to Broad Creek. This year has been all about using natural baits, with the popping cork method being fairly quiet on results. Anglers are having the most success with Lupton rigs and fresh cut baits fished on the shoal ledges.
Brad, of Gunny B Outdoors, reports that with a few weeks of north winds, anglers have started to shift their focus to speckled trout. Trout anglers are already finding a good class of 16-20”+ fish on the upper Neuse. Topwater plugs are having a lot of success early and until the sun moves up over the trees. At that point in the day, fishing jerk shads on lighter jig heads (1/8 or 1/16 oz.) and casting MirrOlures will entice strikes.
A ton of big bluefish (to 8+ lbs.) are in the river. The blues tear up tackle, but they are a lot of fun on light setups.
Some anglers are still looking for the opportunity to catch an old drum before the season finishes. It has been a more difficult year for all, with most of these fish seeming to stay out in the sound or lower river. The popping cork bite was basically non-existent this year, with most of the drum staying deep and feeding only on fresh natural baits.
Danielle Johnson, of Dunn, caught this red drum at the mouth of the Pamlico River using cut bait. She was fishing with Capt. Grey Davis of Hyde Guides.
Dave, of Pamlico Pirate Charters, reports that this has been a different year for the citation red drum, with a lot of these fish staying out in the middle of the sound, if not closer to the inlets and along the beachfronts.
When finding big red drum, anglers are having the most success targeting deeper points (6-12’ depth range) with Lupton rigs and cut bait. For the opportunity to catch these drum on artificials in the Neuse River, focus on areas around birds and under the feeding bluefish.
With temperatures starting to cool down, the area has seen some big trout caught. These trout are coming from the same deeper ledges the trophy drum are on.
Kent, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that speckled trout have taken over as the main action in the area. Anglers are having a lot of success fishing topwater plugs in the early and late hours. Artificials such as soft plastics, MirrOlures, and similar jerk baits are also getting strikes.
Some puppy drum are mixed in all throughout the river, and they’re staged up around the same points and ledges as the trout.
Flounder continue to be everywhere.
Anglers looking for that citation-class drum have done best by basically avoiding the Pamlico River this year. The big reds mostly seem to be hanging out in the sound, with action focused on fishing cut baits on the deeper ledges.
Hugh, of Pungo Charters, reports that the speckled trout action has been really good. Sizes have been varied, but most of the fish are in the 18-20” range. The best tactic has been targeting the mouths of creeks, as these fish continue to move in from the sound in preparation of their fall run. Topwater plugs (such as Spook Jrs.) are having a lot of success, as well as popping cork setups.
Area anglers are finding a bunch of slot-sized red drum mixed in around these same creek mouths.
Anglers looking to target the citation-class red drum are mostly looking further out in the sound and catching a few at night with bait.
Micheal Goins, of Wilmington, landed this 44″ red drum in the Pamlico Sound using a Lupton rig with fresh cut mullet. He was fishing with Capt. Greg Voliva of Four Seasons Guide Service.
Zach, of UFO Fishing Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite has started to pick up, with action firing off around the creek mouths and in the bigger feeder creeks.
Anglers fishing along the banks are finding a bunch of flounder and red drum around. Both of these species are particularly honed in on areas that are holding bait.
The big drum action has been a “bait and wait” game all season.
When getting the opportunity to push out into the sound, anglers should expect to find black drum hanging out over structure.
Grey, of Hyde Guides, reports that while the old drum bite is still going on, with fish to 40”+ around, this fishery just didn’t seem to pick up for anyone. For those that caught some fish, soaking bait was the tactic that worked best.
Red drum of various sizes (under-slot, slot, and over-slot) have been really active, especially when throwing topwaters in the mornings. Then as the day warms up, anglers would do best by fishing live shrimp around deeper shell beds or rocks.
Anglers using live shrimp over deeper structure are catching black drum, flounder, and bluefish.
A lot of nice-sized speckled trout are showing up (to 28.5”). As water temperatures continue to cool, the trout bite will be firing off, and both topwater plugs and corks with live shrimp will have a lot of success.
