Pamlico – June 19, 2014
Stu Creighton, of Sanford, NC, with a citation 40″ red drum that bit a D.O.A. Airhead Deadly Combo rig in the lower Neuse River while he was fishing with Capt. Gary Dubiel of Spec Fever Guide Service.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that anglers are connecting with some mid to over-slot puppy drum while casting to the grassy shorelines in the lower Neuse River. Topwater plugs, D.O.A. shrimp under popping corks, and D.O.A. CAL series soft plastics have been producing most of the action.
The large citation-class reds continue to move into the lower Neuse, and anglers are hooking the big reds on D.O.A. plastics beneath popping corks as well.
Speckled trout are feeding in the same areas as the reds (with both good numbers and some large fish recently), although they’re often looking for meals further off the bank than the grass-loving drum. Topwater plugs and the same soft plastics are tough for the specks to turn down.
Striped bass action remains solid around New Bern, as water levels have stayed up recently. Working topwater plugs around shoreline structure like stump fields is producing the majority of the action with the stripers right now.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that speckled trout season has opened, and plenty of anglers are out on the water looking for the specks. They’re finding good numbers, but many are on the smaller side right now, as the big females seem to be spawning. Casting D.O.A. soft plastics on jigheads or under popping corks is producing most of the action with the trout, and the shorelines of the open river have been the place to find them.
Megan Gerrell with a 28″ red drum she caught and released in Broad Creek off the Neuse River while fishing with shrimp.
Good numbers of slot to over-slot red drum are mixed in with the specks and falling for the same lures, and anglers are also picking up a few flounder (with some keepers).
Large “old” red drum are around the same areas as well, and anglers can expect more to move into the lower Neuse River by the week as they prepare to spawn. Larger soft plastics like D.O.A. Airheads under popping corks are the way to go for the big reds.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that anglers are seeing more bait showing up in the Pamlico River this week, and the fishing is improving a bit as a result.
Speckled trout and flounder are both feeding in the lower Pamlico, and anglers are hooking both on soft plastics and live baits (with live baits producing the largest fish right now).
Red drum are feeding in the eastern portion of the Pamlico along with the Pungo River, and anglers are hooking them on topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live baits as well.
The recent rain has made for dirty water around Washington, so anglers looking for the inshore predators would do well to fish locations to the east until the water cleans up.
Michael Carawan with a speckled trout that bit a D.O.A. CAL soft plastic off the Lower Neuse River while he was fishing with his father-in-law, Capt. Dave Stewart of Knee Deep Custom Charters.
Anglers are connecting with some striped bass on topwater plugs and soft plastic baits around Washington, but the action isn’t quite as good as the typical post-spawn bite in the area.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are still connecting with some speckled trout and flounder in the creeks off the Pamlico River around Bath. Most are falling for Gulp and Z-Man soft plastics, but anglers are hooking some specks on MR17 MirrOlures and other baits as well.
There’s still not much talk of striped bass around Washington (likely due to the opening of trout season), but anglers should be able to find some action while working topwater plugs or bucktail jigs and soft plastics around the bridges and other structure in the area.
