Pamlico – April 9, 2015
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that Neuse River water temperatures are finally in the 60’s and should reach 70 by the end of the week. The warmer water has more bait showing in the area and some healthy speckled trout showing up downriver around Oriental. The specks will fall for a variety of baits and lures, but D.O.A. Deadly Combo popping cork/shrimp rigs have been the most productive offerings recently.
Curtis Pelt and Billy Suggs with four of fifty striped bass they caught on a recent trip to the Cashie River. Gulp Jerk Shads fooled most of their stripers.
A few puppy drum are mixed in with the trout and also falling for the popping corks.
Striped bass action has been a bit sporadic upriver near New Bern, but anglers are hooking a few on topwater plugs around the bridges. The increasing bait presence in the river should trigger some wide-open topwater action with the stripers in the near future.
Elaine Anderson, of Charlottesville, VA, with a 21″ speckled trout that struck a D.O.A. Deadly Combo rig while she was fishing the Neuse River near Oriental on her 31st wedding anniversary with Capt. Dave Stewart of Knee Deep Custom Charters.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the striped bass bite remains solid on the lower Roanoke River, and anglers will also see some excellent action around Weldon over the month as the fish move upriver to spawn. Jigheads tipped with Z-Man soft plastics are fooling the majority of the stripers, but anglers can also hook up on live baits or a variety of other artificials, often including topwater lures.
American and hickory shad are also following the same pattern as the stripers, but feeding further up the creeks and blackwater swamps off the Roanoke. Small spoons and grubs are top choices for anglers looking to have some fun with the feisty shad.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that anglers are starting to see some topwater action with striped bass on the Roanoke and Pamlico rivers, and the fish should only become more eager to bite on the surface as the water temperatures warm over the coming month. Anglers are hooking bigger numbers of the Roanoke fish on live baits, but artificials like the topwaters and subsurface swimbaits should begin to produce just as well in the next few weeks.
Shad are on the feed in the upper reaches of the Roanoke and responding to a variety of diminutive lures.
Anglers are also seeing good numbers of white perch in the same areas and fooling the tasty panfish with artificials as well.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers continue to see some solid striped bass fishing in the Tar and Pamlico rivers upstream from Washington. Most are falling for soft plastic jerkbaits pinned to jigheads or diving lures like Smithwick Rattlin’ Rogues.
The speckled trout bite continues to improve downriver, with good action reported near Bath recently. Gulp baits and MR17 MirrOlures are fooling most of the specks. Anglers are also starting to hook a few on popping cork rigs, and warming temperatures should have the topwater bite just around the corner.
Flounder fishing is also turning on near Bath, and Gulp baits have been tempting bites from the flatfish.
