Pamilco – March 5, 2015
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that there’s been some solid striped bass action in the Pamlico and Roanoke rivers in recent weeks, and the bite will only improve as winter fades into spring. As the water warms a bit, the fish will be moving upriver to spawn, and anglers are already seeing good numbers moving into the Tar River as well. With the cold weather lately, most of the stripers are feeding deep, and anglers are hooking them while casting diving lures and soft plastic swimbaits around ledges and other deeper structure. Warmer water temperatures will get the fish feeding throughout the water column, when anglers should be able to hook up on topwater plugs and a variety of shallow-running lures.
Paula Wood, of Havelock, with her first speckled trout, a 17″ fish that bit a live shrimp in Slocum Creek.
Shad fishing has begun to turn on, and the bite will be in full swing later in the month. High water levels and plenty of current flow in the smaller creeks and rivers right now should be indicators of an excellent spring shad season this year.
Anglers are also connecting with traditionally freshwater species like crappie and raccoon perch in the blackwater creeks off the off the main rivers and creeks in the area (with some perch well over the 1 lb. state citation mark). Live minnows and small spinners are attracting attention from both the panfish.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that striped bass are on the feed in the lower Roanoke River (and some days are producing 75-100+). Keeper season started on the first of March, so anglers can now take a few of the tasty stripers home for dinner while releasing plenty more. Soft baits like Z-Man MinnowZ and StreakZ on 1/2 oz. Meat Hog jigheads have been the bait of choice lately.
The lower Roanoke bite should remain consistent through the pre-spawn period in March, with the fish moving upriver towards Weldon to spawn as the spring wears on.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers have seen some speckled trout kills along the Neuse River creeks due to the frigid weather in recent weeks, but they haven’t been as extreme as last winter. Last spring produced an excellent speckled trout bite, so hopefully anglers will see more of the same as the water warms up a bit. When it does, the fish should begin moving out of the creeks and feeding around their mouths and the river shorelines. Casting D.O.A. CAL soft plastics and suspending hardbaits around marshy banks is the way to tempt bites from the specks.
Striped bass action around New Bern will be kicking into gear as the weather warms up a bit as well, and anglers can find the stripers feeding around shoreline structure like stump fields in the area. Storm Chug Bug topwaters and D.O.A. Airhead baits rigged weedless are top choices for the fish feeding in the heavy cover.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that anglers are dealing with cold water temperatures (low-40’s) and slower fishing in the Neuse River area at present. Some fish are around and biting though, and the arrival of spring and warmer weather should improve the action.
Striped bass are looking for meals around deeper structure like bridge pilings and ledges near New Bern. Anglers are tempting the stripers to bite jig and soft plastic combinations along with deep-diving plugs.
Further up the river and creeks, there’s been some action with freshwater panfish like perch and crappie along with a few shad. Downsized artificials like grubs and spinners will attract attention from the smaller fish.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that the striped bass bite in the Pamlico River is cranking up, and anglers are finding the fish from Bath to well past Washington. Most are falling for Rattlin’ Rogue and Rebel diving plugs along with Zoom Fluke soft plastics.
As the water warms over the coming weeks, the fish will begin moving upriver to spawn and returning to the lower river area sometime in April.
