Pamlico July 14, 2011
Barney Kane, of Greencille, NC, with a keeper flounder that fell for a soft plastic bait in the Pamlico River while he was fishing with Capt. Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that anglers are still catching good numbers of flounder in the Pamlico River on Gulp pogies and shrimp, or on live baits like finger mullet.
A few speckled trout are mixed in with the flatfish, and anglers are catching a few more while targeting them in the very early mornings with live and artificial baits.
Puppy drum are starting to make a showing in the eastern part of the Pamlico River, and some large schools are feeding on the shallow flats near creekmouths in the area. Soft plastic shrimp and paddle tail baits and Johnson spoons are top artificials for the pups. When the water’s too dirty to look for the schools of fish, fishing cut mullet or menhaden along sandy banks and points with stumps or other woody structure will draw bites from the drum.
Tarpon have moved into the sound and the lower river, and anglers have been finding them in most of the traditional spots lately. Fresh cut and whole baits are the way to go for the tarpon.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that the striped bass bite around New Bern is still on fire, both in the Neuse and Trent Rivers. Anglers looking for action can find big numbers of smaller stripers busting bait in open water in the mornings and hook up while casting topwater plugs or soft plastics to them.
Larger fish (some to 30” last week) are orienting to harder structure and shallow stump fields in the same areas, and popping or walking topwaters, soft plastics, and fly rod poppers and streamers will tempt them to bite.
Flounder fishing has been solid (with increasing numbers of keepers) along the river shorelines from New Bern to Oriental. Soft plastics and small live baits will both tempt bites from the flatfish.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that the flounder bite has been the biggest news in the area lately. The best action has been along the shorelines, especially around docks and rocky areas, and the fish are taking an interest in soft plastic lures and live and cut baits. A few puppy drum are mixed in.
Big numbers of smaller speckled trout are feeding in the area (most 10-13” with a few keepers). They’re feeding along the shorelines and in the creeks. Gulp and D.O.A. soft baits are fooling most of the specks.
The striped bass bite around New Bern has been nothing short of phenomenal recently, with plenty of action in the early mornings on topwater plugs. Soft plastics and other subsurface lures are producing action later in the days. Targeting the bridges, drop-offs, and stump fields is the most effective strategy, but fish have been feeding on the surface in open water as well.
Some large red drum action was reported last week near the mouth of the Neuse River, and the big reds should be moving in in greater numbers over the coming weeks. Large cut baits fished on the bottom are the way to hook up with them.
Wes Cook, of Raleigh, NC, with a red drum that fell for a pearl white Gulp shrimp in the mouth of Greens Creek near Oriental.
Richie, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are seeing some tarpon and a few citation-class red drum in the sound, but the fish seem to have backed off in the river.
Anglers are finding scattered action with flounder around Swan Quarter and into the Pungo River. Live baits and Gulp shrimp are attracting attention from the flatfish.
Some speckled trout are mixed in (but most are undersized).
Spanish mackerel trolling in the river and sound has been producing some action, but the bite isn’t on fire. Trolling #00 Clarkspoons behind cigar weights and planers is the way to hook up with the mackerel.
