Pamlico May 24, 2012
Hoot Gibson with a striped bass that bit a topwater plug in the Pamlico River while he was fishing with Capt. Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that the striped bass bite is still solid around New Bern. Anglers are hooking good numbers while working topwater plugs around stump fields on the river shorelines and the local bridges. Working soft plastic baits around the bridges has also been a good strategy lately.
Speckled trout are feeding along the river shorelines and points from New Bern down to the mouth of the Neuse River. Gulps and other soft plastics are tempting the trout to bite, both beneath popping corks or fished on jigheads.
Puppy drum are also on the feed in the area, and anglers found some hungry concentrations of fish near New Bern last week. Soft plastic baits are also the way to go for the pups, although cut and live baits will produce better results when the fish are finicky.
Some flounder are starting to show up in the Neuse, and they will bite soft plastic lures as well.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that recent northeast winds have pushed some clean water into the Neuse River and has been producing a solid speckled trout bite along the river shorelines. There’s a mix of legal and short fish. There are also good indications that the small fish that have been around all winter will be growing into keepers as the summer moves on. The D.O.A. Deadly Combo popping cork rig has been particularly effective on the specks recently.
Some puppy drum are also feeding in the Neuse, and anglers have been running into slot-sized fish from New Bern all the way down to the sound over the past week. Live mud minnows or a variety of soft plastic baits will tempt bites from the drum.
The puppy drum and speckled trout bite is also decent in the Bay River.
Christie Seiler, of Morehead City, with a 26" red drum that bit a topwater plug near Beaufort while she was fishing with Josh Fulcher.
Isiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports anglers are still catching some striped bass on topwater plugs and bucktail/soft plastic combos around Washington. The bridge pilings and other hard structure in the area are producing most of the action.
Speckled trout continue to feed in the creeks, where anglers are hooking them on suspending lures like MirrOlure MR17’s, Gulp baits, and other soft plastics.
Flounder fishing is getting better, with anglers reporting decent action from Bath on down to the sound (with both legal and short fish in the mix). Gulp baits on Flounder Fanatic jigheads are tempting bites from the flatfish.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the striped bass action on the upper Pamlico and lower Tar Rivers has been exceptional lately, and topwater plugs are producing most of the fish (many of them 25-30”). On overcast days, the topwaters have been effective all day long, with Storm Chug Bugs and Zara Spooks as the hot plugs. When the fish hesitate to bite on top, soft plastic baits like Z-Man Minnowz will tempt strikes. The striper bite should remain consistent through the late spring and into early summer.
Speckled trout fishing downriver has also been solid lately (with a mix of keeper and short fish). The smaller fish are an excellent sign that the area’s fall trout season should be a good one.
