Pamlico – July 2, 2015
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers continue to see more shrimp, mullet, and menhaden showing up all the time in the lower Neuse River.
Flounder are following the bait in, and anglers are connecting with some along the shorelines in the area. Most are falling for the local live baits or mud minnows fished on light Carolina rigs, and anglers should give the flatfish time to eat the bait before setting the hook.
Some slot and over-slot red drum are feeding around deeper shorelines in the area, but the red action is still a bit off compared to previous years. The reds will bite the same live baits or D.O.A. CAL-series soft plastics, and anglers can tip the odds in their favor by tossing some chum out along the shore to get the fish in a feeding mood.
Anglers are reporting seeing some large red drum in the sound and lower river already, and they’re gearing up for the “old” drum season. The big reds will bite cut baits on the bottom or large soft plastics under popping corks when they arrive in full force.
The first tarpon of the season was caught this week by local anglers, and those on the water have seen quite a few more recently. Dead and cut baits on the bottom are also anglers’ best bets for connecting with the “silver kings.”
Striped bass continue to feed upriver around New Bern. They’re providing some exciting action for anglers working topwater plugs around stump fields and shoreline structure early and late in the day.
Stuart Crieghten with a 25″ striped bass that bit a Rapala Skitterwalk topwater in a stump field along the shore of the Neuse River while he was fishing with Capt. D. Ashley King of Keep Castin’ Charters.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that the hot and windy weather recently has often required anglers to put in some extra effort while searching for speckled trout, flounder, and puppy drum recently, but they’ve been finding a good bite on some days as well.
Cooler and calmer days are producing the best action, with a good speckled trout bite in marshy areas of the lower Neuse River on several recent trips.
Some slot-sized red drum and flounder are feeding in the same areas as the specks, and all three are biting D.O.A. soft plastics worked near the shorelines on jigheads. Cut baits have also been effective lately.
Tarpon and some large red drum have both moved into the lower Neuse River, and it won’t be long until fishing for both the area’s big-game headliners is in full swing.
Up near New Bern, anglers have been finding a good striped bass bite when the river water levels aren’t extremely low. Topwater plugs fished around stumpy shorelines and other structure in the morning and evening hours have been fooling the majority of the stripers.
Joe Powers, of Delaware, with a speckled trout that fell for a D.O.A. jig/soft plastic combo along a Neuse River shoreline while he was fishing with Capt. Gary Dubiel of Spec Fever Guide Service.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that anglers are still connecting with flounder and a few speckled trout and puppy drum while fishing the shorelines of the lower Pamlico River and western sound. Most are falling for Gulp baits worked slowly along the bottom, and anglers may have to cover some water before finding some active fish. Live baits can also be effective.
Citation-class red drum are making their way into the same areas and will only become more numerous as the summer wears on. Anglers can hook the big reds while working soft plastic baits beneath popping corks or on a variety of larger artificials.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that anglers have been hooking good numbers of flounder on the lower Pamlico River for several weeks, and clearer water recently has improved the bite further. Most of the flatfish are falling for Z-Man Minnowz soft baits or the company’s Trout EyeZ jigheads. A healthy addition of Pro-Cure scents to the baits is a good idea as well.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite in the area continues to improve, and anglers are hooking most of the fish on soft baits like Gulps. Live mud minnows have also been effective. Most of the flatfish action is taking place down near Bath and on towards the sound.
A few puppy drum are mixed in with the flatfish and falling for the same offerings.
Good numbers of large red drum are feeding on the eastern side of the sound now, and they should be making their way west to the river mouths and western shorelines over the coming weeks.
