Pamlico August 9, 2012
Xan Pate, of Goldsboro, NC, with a 48" red drum he caught and released in the Neuse River while fishing with Capt. Gary Dubiel of Spec Fever Guide Service. The big red fell for a 3" Gulp shrimp under a popping cork on 10 lb. mono.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that citation-class red drum have been busting bait on the surface in the lower Neuse River and Pamlico Sound consistently over the past week. Much of the action has been taking place along the edges of shoals in the area. Large soft plastics fished on leadhead jigs or beneath big popping corks are fooling the reds. Working birds will clue anglers into the presence of the schools. They’re very sensitive to motor noise, though, so anglers should approach quietly (with the trolling motor if possible) to avoid spooking the fish.
Anglers are also hooking a few big reds while blind casting along the shorelines and 3-8’ drop-offs, where the popping cork rigs have been working well.
The speckled trout, puppy drum, and flounder action is still going strong along the shorelines of the lower Neuse River, and Gulp or D.O.A. soft plastics under smaller popping corks will fool all three.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that the speckled trout action is still going strong in the lower Neuse River, but anglers may have to move around a bit to find the hungry fish. Most of the specks are on the small side still, but they’re getting bigger. It hasn’t been too hard to find some keepers amidst the shorts lately (and there are some big fish to 24” around as well). D.O.A. and other soft plastic lures are fooling most of the fish, but anglers are catching some of the larger specks on live mud minnows.
Anglers are finally starting to see a bait bite for the large red drum in the lower Neuse and Pamlico Sound. Most of the action is around drop-offs and other bottom changes, and cut mullet or menhaden are top choices baitwise.
Crystal Carawan with a 24" speckled trout that bit a live mud minnow near Oriental while she was fishing with Capt. Dave Stewart of Knee Deep Custom Charters.
Donald, of Custom Marine Fabrication, reports that tarpon have shown up in the Neuse River, but they’ve been a bit elusive for anglers trying to hook them. One day, anglers will spot big numbers of the fish rolling, but the next day they seem to be nonexistent. Fishing large cut and dead baits around bottom contour changes is the way to target the fish, particularly in areas where anglers have sighted them rolling.
Large red drum are feeding around the mouth of the river, and anglers are hooking a few using the same tactics they would for tarpon.
Some spanish mackerel have shown up around the mouth of the Neuse River, and anglers are reporting them jumping off South River and nearby areas.
Anglers are connecting with some speckled trout, primarily in the local creeks. Soft plastics or suspending hard lures like MirrOlure MR17’s are fooling the specks.
Striped bass are still feeding around the bridges and other structure near New Bern. Anglers are hooking them on topwater plugs (most effective early in the day) and soft plastic baits.
