Pamlico – May 7, 2015
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that the puppy drum bite is picking up in the lower Neuse region, particularly near Oriental (with both slot and under-slot fish). Most of the pups are falling for D.O.A. soft plastics fished on jigheads, weedless hooks, or beneath popping corks.
Capt. Gary Dubiel, of Spec Fever Guide Service, with a puppy drum that struck a D.O.A. CAL soft plastic in the Neuse River near Oriental.
Speckled trout are scattered in the same areas, and anglers are hooking a few (but the few they’re catching have been solid fish to 5 lbs.). The river shorelines have been holding both the specks and drum.
There’s been a good topwater striped bass bite near New Bern over the past week (but the fish are running a bit on the small side—most 16-18”). Warm weather and the passing of the full moon should combine to push many of the spawning stripers back downriver and improve the action with larger fish.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with some fat speckled trout in the lower Neuse River, but the bite has been scattered and some searching is in order to find the fish. Puppy drum are also showing up along the shorelines in the same area, and both are falling for D.O.A. CAL soft plastics on jigheads and weedless hooks.
John and Zoey Bowling with a 20″ striped bass that fell for a Gulp minnow in the Tar River near Washington.
The striped bass action around New Bern is a bit slower than normal, but anglers are still finding a few fish. Casting topwater plugs around shoreline structure early and late in the day has been the most productive approach. Anglers can also work the same soft plastics they’re fishing for specks and reds in the same areas to hook up.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that anglers are still hooking big numbers of striped bass in the Roanoke River, with solid action upriver to Weldon and down to Williamston. The Weldon bite has been best on soft plastics, flies, and while drifting live baits (which are also fooling some catfish).
Down at Williamston, the fish have been biting topwater plugs well and also falling for soft plastics fished deeper (particularly after cooler nights).
The Pamlico River striper action has been a bit slower, as many of the large fish have likely headed up the Tar River to spawn. Anglers are still connecting with some smaller stripers around structure like the railroad trestle and bridges near Washington. A variety of artificials have been fooling the fish that are there, from topwater plugs to jigs bumped along the bottom.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that anglers are still finding fast striped bass action on the Roanoke River near Weldon (with even slow days producing limits of fish and plenty catch-and release). Soft plastics like Z-Man StreakZ o1/2 oz. jigheads are producing the majority of the fish.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers continue to connect with some striped bass around the bridges and other structure near Washington. There’s also been a decent bite around the breakwater at Belhaven. Topwater plugs are starting to produce results with the stripers, and anglers are also hooking up while working subsurface lures like Rattlin’ Rogues, bucktail jigs, and soft plastics.
Speckled trout and some flounder have been feeding around Bath and in Pungo Creek. Both will pounce on Gulp baits pinned to jigheads, and suspending lures like MirrOlure MR17’s will also attract attention from the specks.
