Pamlico – July 30, 2015
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that anglers are connecting with striped bass and some red drum while working stump fields and other shoreline structure near New Bern. Topwater plugs, popping cork rigs, and D.O.A. soft plastics are all producing action with both fish.
Anglers working the shorelines of the lower Neuse near Oriental are connecting with more puppy drum, flounder, and speckled trout on popping corks and soft plastics. The bite’s been a bit scattered, though, and persistent winds have made the fishing even tougher over the past week.
Solid reports are coming in from anglers releasing citation-class red drum on cut baits near the mouth of the river. Once the wind lays down a bit, anglers can expect to see some of the first artificial action with the big reds of the season while working popping cork rigs around bait schools, slicks, and other signs of life in the river.
Jon Whitehurst, of Bridgeton, NC, with an 18.5″ flounder that bit a live bait in the Neuse River while he was fishing with Capt. Dave Stewart of Knee Deep Custom Charters.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that tarpon have shown up in the sound and lower rivers in numbers large enough to target with reasonable expectations of a bite.
Most are traveling singly, with a few small pods of multiple fish, but they’ve been spread out across a large area.
Anglers’ chances of connecting with the “silver kings” are best around brackish water edges that move around with the wind, so keeping an eye on the weather and water conditions is key to tempting one of the big fish to bite.
Cut and live baits are the best bets baitwise, and the type of bait doesn’t matter as much as how fresh it is. Anglers trying to hook up with the tarpon should use a minimum of 30 lb. tackle with 100 lb. leaders along with secure knots to ensure they won’t waste all the effort involved in getting a bite on a break-off.
Ted Garrett, of Hetford, NC, with a 5 lb., 25″ speckled trout that bit a Z-Man soft plastic while he was fishing with Capt. Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that anglers are still connecting with big numbers of flounder in the lower Pamlico River area (with plenty of shorts but plenty of fish to 20” hitting the coolers as well). Most are falling for soft plastic baits like Z-Man StreakZ on light jigheads.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers are starting to see the first big red drum action of the season in the lower Neuse River and Pamlico Sound, with most of the fish reported so far biting cut baits like mullet around shell reefs and drop-offs.
As the bite kicks into full gear, anglers can also target the citation-class drum on large D.O.A. soft plastics worked under popping corks.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that the flounder bite in the lower Pamlico and Pungo Rivers remains steady, with anglers landing good numbers of fish on Gulps and other soft baits along with live baits like mud minnows.
The large red drum action has been picking up in the Pungo and down towards the sound. Anglers are hooking increasing numbers of the big reds while soaking cut and dead baits around shoals and ledges as well as hooking a few while working popping corks and large soft plastic baits.
Tarpon are also feeding in the lower river around Pamlico Point. Soaking dead and cut baits is also the way to connect with the acrobatic “silver kings.”
The striped bass bite remains decent around Washington. Most anglers are connecting with the stripers while working topwater plugs early and late in the day.
