Pamlico October 24, 2013
Buck Jones with a 27″ red drum he hooked while casting soft plastic baits along a Neuse River shoreline near Oriental with Capt. Dave Stewart of Knee Deep Custom Charters.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that fall fishing is in full swing in the lower Neuse River. Anglers are seeing some excellent topwater action for speckled trout and striped bass around New Bern in both the Neuse and Trent rivers and the local creeks. Morning and evening hours typically offer the best topwater action, but anglers may be able to coax the fish to bite on the surface all day. Storm Chug Bugs and Rapala Skitterwalks have been the go-to plugs in recent days.
Downriver, there’s some solid speckled trout and red drum action around Oriental, with
D.O.A. CAL soft plastics on 1/8 and 1/4 oz. jigheads producing most of the action. A few of the reds and specks are also taking an interest in topwater plugs. The downriver bite has been best along the river shorelines with a few fish feeding in the creeks, but the creek bite should take off as the water continues to cool.
Some flounder are falling for soft plastics on jigheads both around New Bern and further downriver.
David Madigan, of Greenville, NC, with a 20″ red drum he hooked on a peanut menhaden while fishing the Swan Quarter boat canal.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers are connecting with solid numbers of speckled trout and puppy drum in the lower Neuse River around Oriental (with some trout to 7 lbs. and slot to over-slot puppies). Most are feeding in the river, but they’ll be moving into the creeks as the water temperatures drop. Topwater plugs, suspending lures, and soft plastics on light jigheads are all fooling the specks and reds.
Striped bass are feeding from Dawson’s Creek to past New Bern, and anglers can hook them on topwaters near shoreline structure as well, or while working soft plastics on jigheads or wobbleheads around deeper ledges and bridge pilings.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that there’s some excellent striped bass and speckled trout action in the Pamlico and Pungo rivers right now (with most stripers keepers but lots of undersized trout). Topwater plugs, suspending hard lures, and jighead/soft plastic combos are fooling both fish. The striped bass bite should only get better as the water cools off, and anglers can also expect colder temperatures to produce action with some larger trout.
Some puppy drum, gray trout, and a few flounder are mixed in with the specks and stripers, and they’re falling for the same lures.
John Cashwell, of Raleigh, with a slot red drum he hooked on a popping cork rig while fishing the Neuse River near Oriental with Capt. Gary Dubiel of Spec Fever Guide Service.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that anglers are seeing some phenomenal striped bass action while working topwater plugs in the lower Pamlico and Pungo rivers (with most keepers but some fish to 30”). Rapala Skitterwalks have been the plug of choice recently.
Isaiah, of East Side Tackle, reports that anglers are hooking big numbers of speckled trout in the Pamlico and Pungo rivers (with fish to nearly 7 lbs. as well). Most are falling for Gulp baits and other soft plastics, but anglers are also hooking up while working MR17 MirrOlures and other suspending baits. They’re catching a few on topwater plugs, too.
Striped bass are feeding around structure like bridges near Washington. Anglers can fool the stripers on topwater plugs or while working subsurface lures like Rattlin’ Rogues or bucktail jigs.
Both the striped bass and speckled trout action should only get better as the water temperatures cool and fall progresses.
