Added on Thursday, March 29, 2012  Fish Post

Pamlico March 29, 2012

Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that the speckled trout bite has been phenomenal lately throughout the lower Neuse River, with 50-100 fish days over the past week. Many of the fish are just shy of legal, but anglers have been able to put together limits or near-limits of keepers on most days, with a mixed bag of other species thrown in.

Huge amounts of bait are moving along the river shorelines, and casting around the working baitfish is producing action with the specks along with some bluefish (to 2-3 lbs.) and gray trout. There are also big numbers of specks feeding in the area’s creekmouths, where anglers are also connecting with some flounder.

A variety of lures have proven effective on the specks lately, with D.O.A. soft plastics and suspending hard lures like MirrOlure MR17’s and Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows putting up some of the best numbers.

The striped bass action has slowed a bit around New Bern, as the warm weather has pushed many of the fish upriver to spawn. Anglers are still connecting with a few of the fish while working topwater plugs in the early mornings, and then working soft plastics around deeper structure when the sun’s high. The good news is that the fish should be back downriver much earlier than in most years.

 

Dave, of Minnesott Beach Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking big numbers of speckled trout in the area right now (with plenty of smaller fish, but some 3-6 lbs. weighed in recently). The area is riddled with baitfish, and trout grow quickly when they’re feeding heavily, so anglers can expect an excellent class of keeper fish this summer and fall.

The fish are moving out of the creeks as the water warms, and the main river shorelines have been more productive than the creeks lately.

Suspending lures like Yo-Zuri 3D Minnows and MirrOlure MR17’s are attracting plenty of attention from the specks, and anglers can also hook up while casting soft plastic baits on jigheads.

Good numbers of gray trout and some flounder are feeding alongside the specks and falling for the same lures.

 

Donald, of Custom Marine, reports that the speckled trout are schooling around the mouths of the area creeks and providing plenty of action for local anglers. The trout have been mixed in size, with plenty of shorts but also fish to 7.5 lbs. reported in recent weeks. Suspending lures like the new Yo-Zuri 3D Shrimp and standby MirrOlure MR17’s are producing most of the action.

Anglers looking for striped bass around New Bern are still connecting with some fish while casting topwater plugs around the bridges and other structure in the area.

 

Richie, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that there’s been a decent trout bite lately. The fish have been feeding in the creeks, but last week’s heavy rains likely pushed a lot of them out into the river. Gulps and other soft baits, as well as MirrOlures, have been the hot baits with the specks lately.

Some striped bass are still on the feed around Washington, and anglers should be able to catch and release them even after the keeper season ends. Bucktails with soft plastic trailers will tempt bites from the rockfish.

 

Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the striped bass bite on the Pamlico River near Washington has been excellent lately, with some stout fish in the mix (some to 10+ lbs.).

There’s been a consistent bite on topwater plugs in the early mornings and under overcast skies, and anglers are hooking the fish on soft plastics and suspending hardbaits when the sun’s up.

Some speckled trout and a few early season flounder are rounding out the mixed bag action on the Pamlico.

With the unseasonably mild winter and early spring, the striped bass spawning run at Weldon will likely go off a bit early this year, and anglers should be seeing solid numbers around the first week of April.