Pamlico March 28, 2013
Mark Nichols, owner of D.O.A. Lures, with a speckled trout that fell for a new D.O.A. Airhead soft plastic in a creek near Oriental while he was fishing with Capts. Gary Dubiel and Dave Stewart.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that anglers are finding plenty of speckled trout in the creeks off the Neuse River from New Bern up past Oriental. With the inconsistent temperatures and winds recently, the bite is a bit slow, so working light jighead and soft plastic combos has been the best bet for the lethargic fish. Curly and shad-tail plastics from D.O.A. have been some of the best baits lately.
As the weather enters a more consistent spring pattern, the speck bite should get hotter and hotter. Some puppy drum and a few flounder are feeding alongside the specks, and they’re falling for the same baits.
The up-and-down weather seems to have the Neuse River’s striped bass a bit confused about when to head upriver and spawn, and anglers are still connecting with fish around shoreline stump fields, bridges, and in creeks in the New Bern area. Suspending hard lures have been some of the best producers on the stripers lately.
Mark Ramsdell, of Emerald Isle, NC, with a 25″ speckled trout that attacked an XR08 Rapala while he was kayak-fishing a creek off the New River.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite has been solid in the lower Neuse River over the past few weeks. Anglers are hooking most of the fish in creeks off the main river, with action from New Bern down to Oriental. Soft plastic baits on jigheads and weedless hooks are producing most of the fish, with D.O.A. shrimp and the new D.O.A. Airhead lures some of the most effective recently.
Striped bass are still feeding in the Neuse around New Bern. Anglers can find them around deeper ledges or along shoreline structure, and soft plastic baits have also been responsible for the lion’s share of the stripers recently.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the Pamlico River speckled trout bite is going strong. Anglers are easily putting together limits on many days (with most fish 15-20”). Some puppy drum are mixed in with the specks, with greater concentrations feeding downriver towards the sound. With such good action already, anglers can expect the spring trout and drum bite to be excellent this year. Both the specks and reds are taking an interest in Gulp shrimp fished under popping corks and Z-Man MinnowZ soft plastics on 1/8 oz. jigheads.
The pre-spawn striped bass bite in the river isn’t as hot as it was last year, and anglers are still catching good numbers of stripers. Most are feeding around deeper ledges and drop-offs at present.
Juliet O’Quin with a healthy speckeld trout that struck a Z-Man Minnowz soft plastic while she was fishing the Pamlico River with Capt. Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service.
Richie, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that speckled trout fishing has been excellent in the area lately, with some of the best action in Goose, Broad, and Blounts creeks. Many anglers have been hooking the fish on curlytail grubs lately, with Christmas tree/firetail and black/chartreuse particularly hot colors. MirrOlure MR17’s have also been getting the job done with the specks, particularly the new C-Eye series. A few puppy drum and flounder are in the same areas and also taking an interest in the grubs and plugs.
Striped bass are feeding around the bridge and other structure at Washington. Anglers have started to hook a few on topwater plugs, but most fish are falling for trolled lures like Rattlin’ Rogues and Rat-L-Traps.
Donald, of Custom Marine, reports that the spring speckled trout action is going strong, with anglers finding fish in most of their usual haunts and particularly good action in Slocum Creek. MirrOlure MR17’s are tempting most of the bites from the specks, and color patterns with some pink in them have been the best bets lately.
Striped bass are feeding in the Trent and Neuse Rivers near New Bern and also in the local creeks. Anglers are hooking most of the stripers on soft plastics.
