Pamlico – August 20, 2015
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that anglers are seeing improved action with large red drum in the lower Neuse River this week. Anglers are hooking some while working big D.O.A. soft plastics under popping corks, but the method works best around schools of bait and it’s been tough to find areas holding visible bait over the past week. More of the citation-class reds are taking an interest in cut mullet and other baits that anglers are fishing around deeper drop-offs, ledges, and the edges of shoals recently. Once more schools of menhaden move into the river, the popping cork action should take off.
Smaller puppy drum, speckled trout, and flounder are feeding along the river shorelines from Oriental and Minnesott Beach on down to the sound. Anglers can fool all three with D.O.A. CAL baits and shrimp fished on jigheads, weedless hooks, or under popping corks.
Striped bass are still very active around New Bern. Anglers are hooking most while working topwater plugs around shoreline structure early and late in the day. The fish are also feeding on schools of bait in open water, and anglers can look for working birds to find the feeding activity. Topwater plugs and subsurface lures like soft plastics will fool the fish under the bait schools.
Chris White, of Newport, NC, with a citation-class red drum he hooked on a D.O.A. soft plastic under a popping cork while kayak-fishing the lower Neuse River.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guise Service, reports that the area’s giant red drum bite is getting good. Anglers are hooking the fish in the lower rivers and western sound and fooling them with a variety of methods.
Fishing large cut baits around deeper structure, channel edges, and shoals is the classic method of targeting the big reds and has been productive.
Anglers are also finding the fish chasing bait schools in shallower water and hooking them on large soft plastic baits under popping corks. A few of the giant reds have even been falling for topwater plugs in recent days.
There’ also been a good flounder bite in the lower rivers, where anglers are tempting the flatfish to bite live baits and soft plastics like Z-Man lures on jigheads.
Rebecca Johnson, of Murphy, NC, with a citation red drum she hooked on a cut bait while fishing the lower Neuse River with Capt. Dave Stewart of Knee Deep Custom Charters.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that anglers are finding plenty of action with citation-class red drum while fishing the lower Neuse River out of Oriental. Finding schools of bait, slicks, or bird activity will help anglers locate the feeding fish. The traditional method of soaking large cut baits on the bottom can be effective on the reds, but anglers are finding exciting action with lighter gear while casting large soft plastic baits under popping corks to tempt the fish to bite near the surface. Fly casters have been getting in on the action as well using the captain’s custom Pop N Fly rigs (large streamer flies under modified corks that cast well on the fly rod).
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers continue to see some solid striped bass action while fishing around Washington. The stripers are feeding around the bridges and other structure in the area. Anglers can tempt them to bite topwater plugs early and late in the day and subsurface lures like Rattlin’ Rogues and bucktail jigs when the sun is high. Live baits like small menhaden can also be very effective when anglers find groups of the feeding fish.
The flounder bite remains good in the lower Pamlico and Pungo Rivers. Anglers are hooking most of the flatfish while bouncing soft baits like Gulp and Z-Man lures along the bottom near shorelines, points, and drop-offs. Live baits can also be effective. A few smaller speckled trout are mixed in with the flounder and falling for the same offerings.
The large red drum action in the lower river and sound is still going as well, and anglers are catching and releasing solid numbers of the big reds while soaking large cut baits around drop-offs and other bottom irregularities. A few are also falling for large soft plastic baits fished under popping corks, especially in shallower water.
