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Catfish seasons and locations around Havelock. Help a newb!!

4K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  RouseD 
#1 ·
Im stationed at cherry point. My buddy and i just got a 14 ft john boat, dont really know where to go. I heard sombody at work got some monster catfish already this year. Trying to find out more but nothing yet. Willing to drive up to an hour or so. Got the gear, just need to know where to go. Thanks!!
 
#3 ·
Can you be more specific? If I launch from Maple, what would be the next step? Like up/down stream? what kind of bait? Where Do I throw my line? Its a pretty small boat with an electric trolling motor and a fish finder. I grew up in Alaska slaying salmon. So Im not new to fishing, but new to catfishing.
 
#4 ·
I'm not sure that I would try it with an electric motor.

Go up or down stream doesn't matter they are in that whole stretch of river. Eels, bream, and Shad make good baits either cut into chunks or used alive and whole. Look for log jams (they are everywhere). Find sand flats, steep banks, current breaks, creek mouths etc.
with your setup I think you'd be better off fishing somewhere like swift creek. You can launch your boat at the bridge off of hwy 43 and again up or down stream your choice. If it were me I would go up in case my trolling motor battery died I wouldn't have to paddle against the current.
 
#5 ·
This time of year cut shad is the best bait and you will will catch striped bass or catfish. I would wait for the river to go down tho. I'm not sure what is the best bet this time of year location wise but in the summer find a logjam in the water preferably not far from deeper water and anchor upcurrent of the jam and cast your bottom rig as close as possible to the jam without snagging. If you fish in the day fish in deeper water. At night you are fine in shallower water. Guys probably aren't going to help you with specific holes on an internet forum until they know you. You may want to consider some slower water than the neuse if you only have a trolling motor.. Maybe consider going up the trent river and fishing shrimp on the bottom for channel catfish. Hopefully some guys that no more than me will chime in.
 
#7 ·
be wary as many of the rivers down east are often moving to fast for a trolling motor and you will get swept downriver like it or not. With a trolling motor I would stick to side creeks that I can launch into to avoid current and lakes.
 
#8 ·
I would not put jon in that area in the spring time with just an electric.....in the summertime when there is low water say below 1000 cfm you should be ok but not 2000 to 7000 cfm.......

Right now it is running over 13000 cfm.

I used to catch some of my biggest cats using only an electric motor but that was on a canoe and I could paddle it to aid it and a jon doesnt paddle good.

The picture below i was in an OT 158 with an electric but it was summertime with really low water and the big boats dont run there much when it is low. you can see the motor mount in the pic....usually in that area i run a bigger square canoe with a gas motor....I know it looks like i am drunk but i was TIRED....stayed out all night to catch that fish.

Fisherman Fish Fishing Recreational fishing Ray-finned fish
 
#11 ·
take a Sabiki rig and drop it around the shoreline and structure on a bobber. You will load up on small baitfish quickly. frozen stuff works some but doesn't stay on the hook well. Fresh is always best.
 
#13 ·
gotta get away from that fresh / salt thinking especially in brackish waters. A Sabiki is just like a bunch of little hooks tipped with red wigglers, or anything else you'd use to catch small bream etc. Sabiki is just already made for you.
 
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#14 ·
white perch will hit those sabiki rigs as well....for the neuse i just get there early with crickets and catch bream for bait......then catfish...have as much fun catching the bream as catching the cats.
 
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#15 ·
I saw a guy who had been catfishing on the Trent, near River Bend that had caught some fairly nice catfish. I've only fished for bream in Brices Creek off the Trent at New Bern, but there should be catfish there also. Very deep water in that creek, and running your trolling motor should not be very bad either, but if you're using a trolling motor only, I'd still go up stream.
 
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