Pamlico – July 7, 2016
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that Neuse River anglers have plenty to choose from lately with action from trout, redfish, flounder, and stripers. The reds are being caught near river shorelines where they can be spotted patrolling grass banks, cut banks, and oyster beds looking for an easy meal. The DOA Deadly Combo has been especially effective recently at getting the attention of the reds.
The trout in the area are a smaller class of fish than what was around earlier in the summer, but there are still a few large 3-5 lb. fish in the mix. Soft plastics on weedless hooks or jigheads fished near docks and other structure will fool both trout and any striped bass that may be hanging around.
Anglers looking for big game have been finding plenty of action sight casting to large sharks in the Neuse River. Large blacktips and spinners are being caught in 15-40’ of water where anglers are tempting them using live baits like menhaden, bluefish, or pinfish, as well as bucktails tipped with curly tail grubs.
Kevin Dewar with a 22” redfish caught on a weedless soft plastic. He was fishing the shoreline near New Bern with Capt. D. Ashley King of Keep Castin’ Charters.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that flounder fishing in the Pamlico River has been excellent recently. Many of the fish are too small to keep, but there are plenty of keepers mixed in. Carolina rigs baited with mud minnows or mullet fished near docks, bridges, and other structure is the best way to target the flatfish, but anglers are also finding success on Gulp shrimp, especially in white and new penny colors.
Plenty of redfish are also being caught on the lower Pamlico River. These mid-to-upper slot reds are being caught on a variety of soft plastics fished on weedless, weighted hooks and jigheads, as well as live and cut bait on Carolina rigs. Mixed in with the reds are plenty of throwback trout and the occasional keeper.
Carter Jaskins with a 24″ trout he caught in the Pamlico Sound using cut bait on a Carolina rig.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers are still finding steady action with red drum in the Neuse River, and the bite has only been improving. Creeks on the lower Neuse are holding the majority of the fish where they are feasting on the large amount of bait in the area. DOA C.A.L. shad tails have been effective at putting reds in the boat, but anglers should also keep some live or cut bait on hand if the fish seem finicky or reluctant to feed on the artificial offerings.
Small trout and flounder are also being caught in the lower Neuse. These species can be caught right alongside the reds using the same baits, but for more consistent action anglers should focus their efforts further away from the grass banks and oyster beds where the trout and flounder are more frequently found looking for a meal.
Although the striped bass season is over and it’s strictly a catch and release only fishery this time of year, anglers are still finding plenty of fish throughout the Neuse river. Soft plastics and suspending twitch baits fished near heavy structure such as docks, bridges, and stump beds should get plenty of fish in the boat.
Mitchell, of FishIBX, reports that anglers are finding increasing action with small trout in the Pamlico and Neuse rivers. Fishing artificial baits and live mullet or mud minnows near oyster beds and marsh points are producing plenty of throwback specs with large numbers of keeper trout mixed in.
Mixed in with the trout are some keeper flounder, but expect to hook plenty of undersized fish as well.
Shark fishing has been excellent, with many citation class fish being released recently. Sight casting in 15-30’ of water has been move productive, and anglers are having the most success with 1-3 oz. Spro bucktails tipped with Gulp shad and curly tail grubs.
Richie, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are finding steady action with over-slot red drum in the Pamlico Sound. Most of these old drum are being caught between Swanquarter and Engelhard by anglers fishing both live and dead menhaden, croakers, and spots on Carolina rigs with large circle hooks.
