Pamlico April 12, 2012
Capt. Richard Andrews, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, and Carter Hodl with a striped bass that bit a topwater plug in the Pamlico River.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that striped bass are still feeding heavily in the Neuse River near New Bern. The fish have been very willing to bite topwater plugs for most of the morning hours recently, with the Storm Chug Bug and Rapala Skitterwalk producing the most action. When they won’t bite on top, suspending hard lures and D.O.A. soft plastics rigged weedless have been effective.
Some healthy speckled trout are also feeding upriver towards New Bern and taking an interest in D.O.A. soft plastics and shrimp imitations under popping corks.
Down toward Oriental, there’s still a good trout bite in the creeks (with plenty of smaller fish but keepers mixed in) and along the river shorelines.
Gray trout and bluefish are feeding under bait balls in 4-6’ of water in the river. Both trout and the blues will take an interest in D.O.A. CAL series soft baits on jigheads.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that the topwater striped bass bite is the best thing going in the area right now. Most of the action has been around the stump fields and bridges up and down the Neuse River. Early and late in the day are the best times to throw the topwaters, with D.O.A. soft plastics and Rockin’ Wobbles producing most of the action when the sun is high.
Speckled and gray trout are feeding along the Neuse River shorelines and taking an interest in Yo-Zuri and MirrOlure suspending hard baits, along with D.O.A. soft plastics. There have also been some trout and a few scattered puppy drum feeding in the creeks off the Neuse and biting the same lures.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that there’s been an outstanding topwater striped bass bite in the Pamlico River over recent weeks. Zara Spooks and Storm Chug Bugs have been the hottest baits. Per usual, the action’s been best during the early morning and late afternoon hours, but anglers have been able to tempt the bass to bite topwaters even in the middle of sunny days lately.
When the fish don’t want to bite on top, suspending hard baits like Smithwick Rattlin’ Rogues and MirrOlure MR17’s and 27’s, or soft plastics like Z-Man MinnowZ, are getting the job done.
Ben and Zac Bruno and Mikey Jordan with a trio of speckled trout they hooked on Z-Man soft plastics while casting from a dock in Oriental.
Speckled trout fishing has also been excellent lately in the Pamlico (with plenty of small fish but more keepers than last year).
The striped bass bite in the Roanoke River around Weldon is also off and running. Live shad minnows are the best baits early in the year and have been producing some double-digit catches.
The water is hovering around 60 degrees now, and as it warms into the upper-60’s anglers can anticipate the peak of the spawning run and some excellent action on topwater plugs and flies in addition to the live baits.
Richie, of East Side Tackle, reports solid striped bass fishing around Washington, with most of the fish falling for Rattlin’ Rogues and Fin-S soft plastics.
The speckled trout bite is getting better, with good action around the mouths of local creeks and out in the river (and fish ranging from sublegal to 4+ lbs.). Gulp baits and MirrOlures have been tops for the trout lately.
Donald, of Custom Marine, reports that the striped bass bite is still on around New Bern, with anglers fooling the fish on both topwater plugs and subsurface lures.
The local creeks are holding plenty of speckled trout. MirrOlure MR17s remain the hottest baits for the trout.
