Pamlico July 18, 2013
Caroline Pelletier, of Greenville, NC, and Kelly Gibbons, of Wilson, with a speckled trout and a slot puppy drum that bit live finger mullet in the lower Neuse River while they were fishing with Capt. Josh Pelletier and Walt Gibbons.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers are getting some relief from relentless southwest winds and storms, and the fishing seems to be improving as a result.
Speckled trout are feeding along the river shorelines and around deeper structure in the lower Neuse River. There’s been a decent topwater bite in the early morning hours when anglers can find shorelines with bait present and not too much wind.
Casting D.O.A. soft plastics and live finger mullet and mud minnows is fooling the specks when they’re not biting topwater plugs. Fishing the plastics on rattle floats or slowly working them along the bottom has been the best bet for the artificial anglers.
Some slot and smaller red drum and flounder are mixed in with the specks and falling for the same presentations.
Bait is thick in the Neuse, and it’s time for anglers to start seeing more of the citation-class red drum showing up. Fishing cut baits around bottom irregularities or casting D.O.A. Deadly Combo rigs to fish that anglers spot in the shallows or on the surface will tempt bites from the big reds.
Striped bass are still feeding around New Bern, with good topwater action along shorelines and structure in the early morning hours. Casting soft plastics on jigheads around bridge pilings and other deeper structure is fooling the stripers later in the day.
J.E. Winborne with a 6.96 lb. speckled trout that bit a live bait in the Neuse River near Oriental. Weighed in at Minnesott Beach Bait and Tackle.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that anglers are connecting with good numbers of speckled trout along the shorelines of the Neuse River from Oriental down to the sound. Soft plastic baits fished under popping corks or on jigheads are producing the majority of the action with both fish.
An increasing number of flounder (with an increasing number of keepers) are mixed in with the trout and reds, and they’re falling for the soft plastics as well.
Anglers are still seeing some morning and evening topwater action around New Bern. Striped bass and a few red drum are falling for the surface plugs around shoreline stump fields and other structure.
There are huge number of large and small mullet in the Neuse right now, and large red drum should be showing up to feed on them any day now. Anglers can tempt the big reds to bite cut baits on the bottom, but casting soft plastics to fish chasing bait on the surface is more exciting and often equally effective early in the season.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that anglers have seen the first push of tarpon move into the area, and they were feeding well but have spread out following the wind and rain last week. More of the giant fish should be on the way. Anglers can hook the tarpon while fishing dead and cut baits on the bottom around the mouths of the local river systems.
Melissa Whiting, of Raleigh, with a 30″ red drum that bit a D.O.A. Deadly Combo popping cork rig while fishing the Neuse River near Oriental with Capt. Gary Dubiel of Spec Fever Guide Service.
Speckled trout action has been better towards the sound lately, as fresh water has pushed the fish down the rivers. Topwater plugs have been effective on the specks, and anglers are hooking up while working soft plastic baits when they’re not biting on top.
The fresh water doesn’t seem to have hurt the flounder action, and anglers are hooking good numbers of flatfish on live baits. Covering areas thoroughly is important for the flounder, as they seem to be stacked up in very specific spots right now.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that fishing is improving in the area. Anglers are finding big numbers of trout in the Pamlico River right now. There’s still plenty of fresh water in the river, and it seems the larger fish are feeding closer to the sound. Swan Quarter and Rose Bay have both been producing some quality specks recently. Good numbers of flounder are mixed in, and both are taking an interest in Gulp baits and other soft plastics.
Lots of smaller striped bass are feeding around the bridges and other structure near Washington. They’ll bite topwater plugs early in the day and subsurface jigs and eel-imitations when the sun gets high.
Some black drum are also looking for meals around structure in the area, and they’ll take an interest in fresh shrimp on bottom rigs.
