Pamlico July 25, 2013
Capt. Mitchell Blake, of FishIBX.com, with a 52″ red drum he caught and released in the Pamlico Sound.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that strong west winds have made fishing a bit tough recently, but anglers are still finding some action in the lower Neuse River. Puppy drum are feeding along the river shorelines, and a few are looking for meals in the creeks as well. Some speckled trout are in the same areas, but the bite’s been a bit off, likely due to the wind and full moon.
Both scented and unscented soft plastics are fooling the specks and reds, with popping cork rigs and jigheads both effective. The pups have also been quite fond of chunks of mullet under floats and on downsized Owen Lupton-style drum rigs.
A few flounder are feeding alongside the drum and trout (with keepers mixed with short fish) and also taking an interest in soft plastics.
The wind has led to low water conditions and tough fishing in the Neuse around New Bern as well. When there’s enough water, there’s been a solid topwater striped bass bite around shoreline stump fields and other structure, with the morning and evening hours offering the best action.
Puppy drum are in many of the same spots and along grassy shorelines. Casting gold spoons or spinnerbaits has been tempting bites from the pups when the water levels are high enough.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers are catching big numbers of small flounder along the river shorelines (with a few keepers). Most are falling for live mud minnows on Carolina rigs fished next to structure and drop-offs.
Puppy drum are also feeding along the river banks and falling for live and dead baits as well as soft plastics. Circle hooks are a good idea for anglers fishing natural baits to ensure the fish aren’t hooked deeply.
David Johnson, of Jacksonville, with a slot red drum that bit a topwater plug near New Bern while he was fishing with Capt. D. Ashley King of Keep Castin’ Charters.
The speckled trout bite is fair, with fish feeding along the shorelines and around deeper structure. Live bait and plastics are also fooling the trout.
The upcoming NE winds should get the topwater striped bass bite around New Bern back on track.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that some tarpon have begun to make their way from the Pamlico Sound into the mouths of some of the river systems in the area. They’ve been in small pods recently, and searching for fish rolling on the surface, maneuvering into their path, and setting out baits is the way to hook up with one. It’s not an easy task, and the test of skill transfers to the angler if it all works out.
Some large red drum are also moving into the sound and rivers. Anglers who spot the reds may be able to hook them on larger, sight-cast artificials. Large cut baits fished on the bottom in likely locations can also be productive.
Flounder fishing around the mouths of the rivers has been productive lately, and anglers are hooking them on both live baits and soft plastics.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are still seeing the best flounder, speckled trout, and puppy drum action to the east as the fish are holding towards the mouths of the rivers and the sound. Good numbers of fish are coming from spots a bit closer to home, like North and South Creeks, but most have been on the smaller side. Areas around Swan Quarter and Rose Bay have boasted a better average size class over the past few weeks.
Gulp baits still seem to be the go-to offerings for anglers casting artificials at the inshore predators.
Black drum are feeding around structure further up the rivers, and they will pounce on fresh shrimp fished on the bottom.
Some smaller striped bass are looking for meals around the bridges and other structure near Washington. They’ll bite topwater plugs early and late in the day and subsurface lures like Rattlin’ Rogues and bucktail jigs when the sun is high.
