Pamlico May 9, 2013
Matt Mehl, of Houston, TX, with a striped bass he hooked in the Neuse River near New Bern while fishing with Capt. Gary Dubiel of Spec Fever Guide Service. The striper fell for a D.O.A. Deadly Combo.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that the recent northeast winds pushed a lot of water into the Neuse River, creating some excellent fishing opportunities in the flooded stump fields near New Bern lately. Striped bass along with some speckled trout are feeding in the woody areas, and all three are taking an interest in D.O.A. Deadly Combo popping cork rigs and topwater plugs.
That bite’s been best in the early hours of the day, and targeting deeper marsh edges when the sun’s high will keep anglers on top of the fish.
Those three species along with some flounder are feeding in the creeks off the Neuse between New Bern and Minnesott Beach. Soft plastics on jigheads and under popping corks have been producing most of the fish in the creeks.
There are also good reports of trout action coming from the creeks around Oriental, and the southwest winds forecast for the next week will make that area easier to fish.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that the Neuse River has been hosting some excellent fishing lately. Anglers are finding speckled trout, puppy drum, flounder, and striped bass in the creeks between Oriental and New Bern and along the river shorelines. More fish are staging in the creeks to hit the main river, so the shorelines are a good bet in the near future.
Topwater plugs, D.O.A. soft palstics, and live baits are producing action with all the inshore predators.
Robert Martin with a healthy speckled trout that bit a D.O.A. Shrimp in a creek off the Neuse River while he was fishing with Capt. Dave Stewart of Knee Deep Custom Charters.
The bite should continue to improve over the coming weeks, with particularly good potential for topwater action with the specks and stripers upriver around New Bern.
Isiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that the wind and rain have slowed down much of the angling effort in the area, but anglers are still connecting with some fish.
The speckled trout action has been best around Bath, where many anglers are hooking up while fishing from the bridges. Gulp baits and MR17 MirrOlures have been top choices for the specks lately.
Not many anglers have been striped bass fishing, but there should be some stripers feeding around the bridge and other structure near Washington. Topwater plugs and subsurface soft plastics are the way to fool the stripers.
The action should improve over the coming week as the weather moderates.
Robert McNeal, of Wilmington, with a striped bass that bit a Z-Man Swimmerz soft plastic in the Roanoke River while he was fishing with Capt. Richard Andrews of Tar-Pam Guide Service.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the striped bass action on the Roanoke River has been solid lately, with double digit catches even on half-day trips. Big numbers of fish are in the river but have yet to spawn, meaning the fishing hasn’t yet reached its peak and should stay solid through the end of May.
The warmer water is leading to more action for anglers tossing topwater plugs, jigs, flies, and other artificials. Anglers can also hook up while baiting up with live shad or other small live baits.
Mitchell, of FishIBX.com, reports that April’s cooler water temperatures led to a slightly slower striped bass bite in the Roanoke River during the month, but May should produce some stellar fishing as the fish complete their spawn and turn their full attention to feeding.
Anglers are also connecting with stripers on the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers, and the topwater bite is getting better by the week. The action should get even better as fish return to the estuaries after spawning upriver.
Red drum are feeding around structure and creek mouths in the rivers, and anglers are hooking them on popping cork rigs and paddle-tail soft plastic baits.
