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Lower Neuse Old Drum report anyone?

3K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  BRITGUY 
#1 ·
Lots of bait balls in the lower Neuse at sunrise with the flattest water we've seen down here in 4 trips so far. Thought it was perfect for the blabbermouth bite like last year, but no luck. 3 of us worked for a few hours with bait being worked for 200 yards in every direction, thinking we were in the zone for Old Drum. Started near Broad Creek and moved east a few miles closer to Maw Point, zero bait marking out there. No big fish marking around the bait balls earlier either though, maybe Spanish or trout working the bait?
Tried some cut menhadden for a while also. Nada. Working the break lines around the shoals, only saw maybe 5 other boats all day.
What's this week's report local NCAnglers?

We also have white gulp shrimp on 1/4 ounce jigs that landed a couple of puppy drum in the shallows bays, but how can we score some flounder or trout?
 
#10 ·
Fished around Saturday between, ... and in.... some storms. Fished in Saturday night and got a little more fishing in Sunday morning. Managed some trout and blues. Fished garbacon and reefs near oriental with similar results to gofish. Lots of bait moving but not much activity otherwise.

Fished with popping corks/jogs and cut mullet on lumpton. Talked to guides and the fish market with reports of people landing fish in the area all week, I think the major rain events impaired the fishing possibly.


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#13 ·
My experience with catching slot red drum is that when the water temp is at it highest the catch is extremely lethargic and takes a long time to revive. I wonder if they are able to survive the stress of catch and release. Fishing for bull drum has become a thing for a lot of anglers and a money maker for guides/captains. If the captured fish are going through what I have observed then I suspect that many of them don’t live to fight again. Managed gear and limits have helped revive the red drum fishery in n.c., and to continue that, I wonder if a short season for bull drum may be in order.
 
#15 ·
They are here in the Neuse! Took my buddy out last night - he had never caught an over slot Drum before. Had a few pick ups without hook sets, but this one manged to hang. When we got back to the ramp a couple of guys had also just got back in. They were Trout fishing and boated a 41" Red using a light action and 2500 series spinning outfit........that must have been a fight!!
 

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#17 ·
Early evening - usually get set up around 5pm and hang out til the bait runs out. Dependent on how active the bait stealers are dictates what time I get back to the ramp. Always have a pole set up with blabber mouth and airhead in case they are hitting bait nearby. Have caught fish soaking and popping in the same 1/2 hour prior to dusk. No secrets here!!
 
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