Pamlico/Neuse – December 2022
Donald, of Custom Marine Fabrication, reports that speckled trout action has been good for anglers working areas out in the main river. This season has started off with a great class of 18-22” fish, with larger trout (to 27”) in the mix. As it continues to cool, look for these schools to start pushing more into the creeks. Winter fishing requires anglers fish slow to get a strike out of these sluggish fish. Suspending baits help do just that, with yearly favorites being MirrOlures, Rapala Shadow Rap Shads, and Yo-Zuri twitch baits. Lightly weighted Z-Man soft plastics can also garner some success.
Striped bass action has been fairly good in both the Trent and Neuse rivers.
Haylee Kinlaw, of Fuquay-Varina, caught this 19″ speckled trout using a Z-Man Trout Trick while fishing in Dawson Creek.
Joe, of Caps Fishing Charters, reports that speckled trout have mostly been staged out in the main river and in the creek mouths. As the water continues to cool, these fish will shift into the creeks, working their way farther back to hold over the winter. Anglers are having success casting MirrOlure MR-17s and Rapala BX Minnow jerk baits or Z-Man soft plastic minnows in lighter color patterns.
Striped bass are being caught out in the main river around docks and bridge pilings. Using larger paddle tail baits slowly retrieved from the bottom will help to trigger a strike. On the calmer mornings when you can see bait pushed to the surface, it can be a great opportunity to throw topwater plugs at these aggressively feeding fish.
Brad, of Gunny B Outdoors, reports that most of the speckled trout fishing is being found with Salty Bay baits and local MHC Lures. The trout are starting to bunch up in tighter schools as they move into their wintertime patterns.
The striped bass bite has been consistent throughout the area. Anglers are having success fishing any variety of topwater plugs, soft plastics, or suspending twitch baits around areas of structure.
Redfish have started to school up more. The cleaner water prevalent in the area has made these fish spooky, so anglers must be sure to have a quiet approach.
Mikael Lerma, of Mission, TX, hooked this speckled trout on a MirrOlure Lil John XL in the Neuse River. He was fishing with Capt. Dana Tabarrini of Reel2Reel Fishing.
Dana, of Reel2Reel Fishing, reports that anglers have still been able to find some scattered red drum hanging around the area. Most action has been on the warmer days, and anglers are finding fish while casting soft plastics on light jig heads up on the flats.
Plenty of striped bass are throughout the river, especially on the upper end. Look for the birds working bait, find nearby structure, and there’s a good chance the striped bass are there.
Early winter is the time for speckled trout fishing, and the recent run of consistent weather has really helped the bite be strong. Trout have been staged up in both the main river and offsetting creeks, and they’re hitting any of the classic fall choices. Both lightly weighted soft plastics or MirrOlure MR-17s and similar hard suspending baits have enticed strikes.
Anglers have done well starting their days off targeting the deeper sides of ledges throughout the river and back in the creeks. As the day moves on, you can move your casts more onto the ledges, and then onto the shallow side as the fish move to warm up.
Ken, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers are finding speckled trout just about everywhere right now. Main river ledges and creeks from Washington down to the Pamlico Sound (including the entire Pungo area) are producing strikes for anglers fishing a variety of hard twitch-style baits.
There are still a few scattered redfish, but with cooler water, most of the reds have moved out into the sound. Even the occasional flounder is still a part of the fishing action for those fishing closer to deep grass banks.
The striped bass fishing has continued on fairly well, with schools being found around the Washington area and a bit downriver. Suspending twitch baits have produced most of the action.
Eric Stockton landed this 4.85 lb. (24.8″) speckled trout on a MirrOlure 28MR fishing from his dock on the Pamlico River.
Mitchell, of FishIBX, reports that area anglers are seeing a phenomenal class of speckled trout throughout the area. It has been a special late fall so far, with quite a few 5-8 lb. trout and fish to 10+ lbs. being weighed. Target deeper ledges anywhere from the main river back into the creeks, and then slowly move your way further back in the creeks over the coming months.
Red drum fishing has been really strong going into early winter. Enough fish are around that anglers can strictly go targeting redfish if they please, and while some may still move out, many of these reds will be here into the deeper winter.
Some good striped bass action is mixed in with the trout and red drum, with ledges being the target area holding all of these species. All three of these late fall target species are being caught with swimbaits and soft plastics jigged off the bottom.
Moving into winter, also look for the striped bass action to really fire up on the Tar and Roanoke rivers.
Hugh, of Pungo Charters, reports that anglers have been finding some really good speckled trout action now that water temperatures have cooled into the mid-50s throughout the area. Most of the larger trout have been up in the creeks, with “eater”-sized fish (to 20”) anywhere from back in the creeks out to the bigger bodies of water.
The hard suspending lures have been working well, with both MirrOlure MR-17s in Mardi Gras color pattern and Rapala Twitchin’ Raps in chartreuse being productive options. Soft plastics are also getting strikes, and the trout have preferred bigger baits such as 5-inch Z-Man Flukes in a golden bream or golden fish color pattern.
The occasional slot-sized red drum is mixed in the action, but most anglers aren’t running across many as the trout have staged further off the banks than where the reds would be.
