Pamlico May 10, 2012
Capt. Gary Dubiel, of Spec Fever Guide Service, with a 30" striped bass he caught on a Rapala Skitterwalk while fishing the Neuse River near New Bern.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports some solid action with stout striped bass (many approaching 30”) in the Neuse and Trent Rivers near New Bern. Topwater plugs have been very effective on the stripers lately, and keying in on shoreline structure like docks and stump fields is the most effective strategy.
Some speckled trout and puppy drum are feeding in the same areas, and soft plastic baits have been more effective on them. D.O.A. CAL series jigheads and plastics or the Deadly Combo popping cork rigs are working very well.
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports westerly winds pushed much of the water out of the Neuse River last week, but a turn to the northeast has brought the water and the fishing back around.
Speckled trout are feeding along the river shorelines (with many smaller fish but some 18-20” mixed in). A few slot drum are showing up in the Neuse as well and feeding alongside the specks. Gulp baits and D.O.A. Deadly Combos with gold and glow shrimp have been the hottest baits lately.
The striped bass bite is still strong in New Bern (though anglers must release them as the season is closed). Storm Chug Bug and Rapala Skitterwalk topwater plugs are producing some exciting topwater action with the stripers, and the best bite has been around structure like the bridges and stumpy flats.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that the striped bass bite on the Roanoke River near Weldon has been outstanding over the past week (with most fish 19-23”). A variety of offerings have been fooling the fish including live baits, soft plastics, suspending hard baits, flies, and topwater plugs. Storm Chug Bugs are some of the best topwaters, and replacing the treble hooks with a single hook will facilitate easier releases with less damage to the fish. Using an O’Shaughnessy hook with a pair of split rings on the belly hook eye enables the hook gap to extend straight down from the bait and leads to hookup ratios nearly as good as the double treble setup.
Forest Duncan with his first striped bass on the fly. He hooked it while fishing the Roanoke River below Weldon on a club trip with the Cape Fear Flyfishers.
Donald, of Custom Marine, reports that speckled trout are feeding well in the creeks and along the shorelines of the Neuse River (with plenty of small fish but some keepers mixed in). Gulp baits and other soft plastics and suspending lures (like MirrOlure MR17’s) are the top trout producers.
The striped bass bite is still solid around New Bern and the Neuse and Trent Rivers, with structure like the area’s bridge pilings producing some of the best action. Topwater plugs and shallow-running lures like Rat-L-Traps are fooling most of the stripers.
Richie, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are finding good action with striped bass around the bridge pilings and other structure near Washington. There’s been a good topwater bite when the sun gets lower in the afternoons, and anglers are hooking the fish on bucktails and soft plastic baits when they’re reluctant to bite on top.
Speckled trout are still feeding from Goose Creek on down to the sound (with mostly smaller fish but some keepers). Gulp baits and suspending hard lures are excellent choices for the specks.
