Pamlico/Neuse River – June 2026
Bobby, of Custom Marine Fabrication, reports that speckled trout action has been picking up. Most of the fish are stacked up around the mouths of creeks and sprinkled down the main river shorelines. Hard lures such as MirrOlures and Rat-L-Traps are having a bunch of success.
The striped bass fishing has been excellent, with anglers seeing great numbers and quality of fish while throwing topwater plugs in the early morning or again in the late evening. Through the afternoon, mid-water column lures such as Rat-L-Traps can help stay on the action.
A few red drum are being caught, but the area hasn’t seen that main push of fish from the ocean yet. Some mullet are around and menhaden are arriving and that should start to bring the drum in.
Good-sized bluefish are hanging around the ferry lines.
Tom, of Carolina Bay Outfitters, reports that a few red drum are starting to move in. Most are those puppy and slot-sized fish, with the largest up to 35”. Cut bait has been the best option.
The speckled trout are scattered. It can take a bunch of moving around before being able to lock onto small pockets of 4-5 fish. The better baits are those that can effectively cover water well, such as MirrOlures or Rapala Skitter Walks.
Some sheepshead are starting to move in, but most of these fish are small.
A bunch of big bluefish (to 15 lbs.) are in the river all the way up to New Bern. Metal jigs or Gotcha plugs rigged with wire make a good setup for that action.
Johnny Fields, of Elm City, landed this red drum on a MirrOlure in the Pungo River. He was fishing with Capt. Zach Bland of UFO Charters.
Brad, of Gunny B Outdoors, reports that the red drum are moving down the banks looking for any bait. Most are the resident fish, with that big push of slot red drum still moving in from the ocean.
Speckled trout are all over the place, from the backs of creeks out into the creek mouths and down the river shorelines. Trying to lock down any sort of pattern is all but impossible as these fish continue to transition to the spawning run.
Bluefish are starting to show up, but there’s been no major blitzes or many of the bigger choppers.
Dave, of Pamlico Pirate Charters, reports that the striped bass bite around structure in New Bern has been on fire. Using D.O.A. Sna-Koil soft plastics has been key in finding success.
On the upper end of the Neuse, bluefish are around, but there’s only been spotty action on slot red drum.
The speckled trout action is scattered as these fish work their way through the spawning period.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that upriver trips are having success with slot red drum while fishing points along the shoreline.
Some speckled trout are in these same spots, though the trout are very scattered.
Structure upriver is holding some striped bass action for anglers fishing with both topwater plugs and paddle tails.
Downriver, good numbers of bluefish and some red drum are around.
John Dombalis, of Wilmington, landed this 40” red drum in the Washington area using cut mullet on a Carolina rig.
Kent, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that red drum are moving into the rivers. Anglers targeting them should be working the shoreline banks and stump fields with any variety of gold spoons, topwater plugs, popping cork setups, or cut bait.
The speckled trout bite is sporadic. Anglers are having some varied success with topwater plugs, popping corks, and soft plastics.
Bluefish are all over the place.
Josh, of Pamlico Point Guide Service, reports that the numbers of bluefish have really picked up.
Red drum continue to work in from the ocean and sound, but the area is still waiting on that big push of bait to fire up the action. For now, most success is coming from throwing artificials around shoreline flats, points, and structure. Topwater plugs are a great option in the early morning or on calmer, overcast days, with a variety of Z-Man soft plastics also working well.
Some speckled trout can be caught with these same tactics, especially if around creek mouths.
The striped bass bite has been good up around New Bern.
Hugh, of Pungo Charters, reports that anglers are continuing to pick away at trout while working down grass banks and on flats off the rivers into the sound. Topwater plugs and soft plastic paddle tails are having the most success.
Another nice bonus to trips are the 4-6 lb. bluefish that are moving onto the flats in the lower Pungo. It doesn’t matter what kind of lure you throw as these blues are aggressive.
Zach, of UFO Fishing Charters, reports that speckled trout patterns seem a couple weeks behind. Typically by this time of year, anglers are chasing these fish out into the sound, though this year seems the creeks are still producing best.
Some big “chopper” blues are near creek mouths and along points up in the river.
Some slot red drum are mixed in the creeks, with most of the reds being winter holdovers that stay in the area.
A few black drum are around, with most hitting some sort of crab rigged on a bottom rig.
Down in the sound, anglers fishing cut baits have been finding some quality red drum (upper-slots to 40”+).
Grey, of Hyde Guide, reports that anglers have had some success targeting the bigger red drum (to 50”) as they move in from the ocean. The best tactic has been focusing on flats and points with cut bait (such as crabs), as there aren’t enough fish around yet to break out the artificials.
The big push of slot-sized fish hasn’t happened yet either, but it’s expected with the increasing bait presence in the area.
Some big (32”+ range) chopper bluefish have already arrived, though.
Gray trout fishing has been hit or miss on the deeper structure. Some days you quickly are into double digits, and on other days you have to grind it out.
Speckled trout fishing continues to be off.
