Pamlico July 19, 2012
Michelle Lily, of Oriental, NC, with a citation "old drum" she caught and released while sight-casting to a school of fish on a shoal near the mouth of the Neuse River. She was fishing with Capt. Gary Dubiel of Spec Fever Guide Service.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that the speckled trout bite remains solid in the lower Neuse River, especially on days of light west winds. Soft plastic baits like D.O.A. shrimp and CAL series lures are producing much of the action, and anglers are also doing well on Gulps and other soft baits fished under popping corks.
Puppy drum are in many of the same areas (many small 10-12” fish but some slot fish most days as well) and biting the same lures.
The story is much the same on flounder (big numbers of undersized fish but some keepers in the mix) and soft plastics will get attention from the flatfish, too.
The river shorelines from Minnesott Beach on down to the sound are producing most of the action with the specks, flounder, and pups.
The big “old drum” have shown up in the sound and around the mouth of the Neuse. Anglers have caught a few on large cut baits fished on the bottom, but the fish have also been offering some exciting sight casting opportunities on shoals in the area for anglers casting artificial lures.
Tarpon have been seen as far upriver as New Bern, and large cut and dead baits fished on the bottom around depth changes offer anglers the best bet of a hookup with the “silver kings.”
Striped bass are still chasing bait around New Bern, especially in the early mornings. Working topwater plugs around shoreline structure in the first hours of daylight is producing plenty of hookups with the stripers, and anglers can also tempt them to bite soft plastic baits around deeper structure later in the days.
Tatum Biggs (age 6), of Washington, NC, with an 18" speckled trout that bit a live finger mullet in North Creek while she was fishing with her father.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that that the big drum have arrived in the Pamlico Sound and Neuse River early this summer, and the numbers are increasing all the time. Fishing large cut baits on the bottom is the traditional way to hook up with them, but anglers who find them busting bait on the surface can also cast large D.O.A. soft plastics or topwater plugs for exciting surface action. The bite should only get better in the coming weeks. Anglers should remember to use heavy enough tackle to keep fights with the brutes fairly short so they can be released in good condition.
Speckled trout, puppy drum, and flounder are feeding on the river shorelines, and anglers can hook all three while casting D.O.A. shrimp, other soft plastics, or live mud minnows. Plenty of the fish are undersized, but anglers who stay on the move should be able to put some legal fish in the boat as well.
Black drum are feeding around docks and other structure along the shorelines and will take an interest in fresh shrimp fished on the bottom.
Donald, of Custom Marine, reports that tarpon have moved all the way upriver to New Bern. Anglers can hook them on large cut baits fished on the bottom.
Large red drum have also shown up, with most of the action thus far in the lower river and on out to the sound. Large cut baits will also tempt bites from the reds.
Striped bass are still feeding around the bridges at New Bern, and anglers can tempt them to bite topwater plugs and soft plastic baits.
Speckled trout are scattered through the creeks from New Bern on down to the sound. Soft plastics or suspending hard baits like MirrOlure MR17’s are top choices for the specks.
Justin Rose, of Washington, NC, caught this 19" flounder near the Belhaven boat ramp on a green Saltwater Assassin grub.
Richie, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are still catching a few speckled trout in the creeks and along the river shorelines in the area. Soft plastics or MR17 MirrOlures will tempt bites from the specks.
Flounder are still feeding around Bath, though many of the fish are on the small side. Live mud minnows seem to be producing the best action with the keepers.
Tarpon have shown up for the summer, with several hooked around the mouth of the Pamlico and Pungo Rivers. Large cut baits fished on the bottom are tempting bites from the tarpon.
Big red drum are also making their yearly appearance in the area. The fishing isn’t hot and heavy yet, but anglers are hooking a few, mostly while soaking cut baits at night.
Spadefish are feeding around the wrecks in the sound and will take an interest in cut shrimp.
