Pamlico – November 12, 2015
Dave, of Knee Deep Custom Charters, reports that warmer weather and water in the area means that the local speckled trout populations have yet to make their winter move far up into the creeks. The Neuse River shorelines and downriver creek mouths are producing plenty of action with the specks at present (most smaller fish but some schools of keepers in the same areas). Most of the specks are falling for D.O.A. CAL baits and Deadly Combo rigs, but anglers are hooking some of the larger fish on subsurface hard baits like the old style Rapala Twitchin’ Rap.
A few striped bass are feeding downriver amongst the specks, and anglers can expect the striper bite up around New Bern to hold up into the winter. Casting topwater plugs in the early morning hours is the most exciting way to target the stripers, with shoreline structure like stump fields producing the best action. When the fish don’t want to feed on top, working soft plastic/jighead combinations around deeper structure like ledges and bridges will tempt the stripers to bite.
Curtis Pelt, of Rocky Mount, NC, with a pair of speckled trout that bit Vudu Shrimp under popping corks while he was fishing a creek off the Neuse River.
Gary, of Spec Fever Guide Service, reports that anglers are hooking excellent numbers of speckled trout while working the shorelines and creeks along the lower Neuse River (with many undersized fish but some solid keepers in the mix). Good numbers of undersized and slot puppy drum are feeding in the same areas, and both fish are biting soft plastics fished on jigheads, weedless hooks, and under popping corks.
Henry Frazer, of Oriental, NC, with the 6.10 lb. speckled trout that anchored his second place weight in the Pamlico County Shrine Club Trout Tournament.
Mitch, of FishIBX.com, reports that anglers are seeing some stupendous speckled trout action in the area’s lower river systems. Rough weather has been keeping anglers from getting to the best of the bite on some days, but they’re still connecting with some fish even when the wind is howling. Plenty of short and legal puppy drum are mixed in with the specks, and both will pounce on soft baits like Z-Man lures fished on light jigheads.
Chris Lane, of Ft. Barnwell, NC, with the 13.94 lb., three-fish stringer that earned him first place in the Pamlico Shrine Club Speckled Trout tournament. Lane hooked the fish in a lower Neuse River creek while fishing from his Ocean Kayak.
Richard, of Tar-Pam Guide Service, reports that anglers are hooking huge numbers of speckled trout, white perch, some striped bass, a few flounder, and red and black drum while working artificial lures in the Pamlico River basin. Z-Man soft plastic baits are fooling many of the fish, with smaller lures a solid choice for the perch.
Isaiah, of East Side Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers have been seeing a solid speckled trout bite in the Neuse and Pungo rivers in recent weeks. Some small fish are around, but local anglers are also connecting with good numbers of keepers (and some fish to 4-5 lbs.). MirrOlure MR17’s and other slow-sinking plugs have been fooling the best numbers of the larger trout lately.
There are still some white perch on the feed in the same areas, but the perch action seems to be slowing down.
Striped bass are on the feed around the bridge pilings and other structure near Washington. Anglers are hooking good numbers of the stripers on hard baits like Rat-L-Traps and Rattlin’ Rogues.
