July was hot, August has been rough. That said, the bite in Hatteras is just getting good. I suspect this NE blow we are having now is going to send more fish this way and they’ll be fired up when they get here.
July was hot, August has been rough. That said, the bite in Hatteras is just getting good. I suspect this NE blow we are having now is going to send more fish this way and they’ll be fired up when they get here.
it was definitely tough for us. w/ the forecast for today, we went ahead and left yesterday afternoon. plenty of bait everywhere but the wind made it tough. no old drum for us. talked to several guides and there clients and didnt seem like anyone was having much luck w/ them
August full moon bite
We were there for the full moon in August when that system sat down on the coast all week with thunderstorms. Tons of bait, no markers. Finally Friday 16th an overnight storm broke around 10am and we ran out near Broad Creek and the wife threw it down the mouth of this shouldered moose. Only bite that week, and after talking to anyone we could and checking the posts here, he was the only one that came over the rail that week apparently. Bait everywhere, definitely blues cutting swim baits in half. Heading back this week, hoping to find some shop with mullet to buy so we can try some night soaking.
Where can you buy mullet near Oriental/Whortonsville?
Neuse River Bait and Tackle on hwy 55 in Grantsboro.Originally Posted by lunkerbandit
We were there for the full moon in August when that system sat down on the coast all week with thunderstorms. Tons of bait, no markers. Finally Friday 16th an overnight storm broke around 10am and we ran out near Broad Creek and the wife threw it down the mouth of this shouldered moose. Only bite that week, and after talking to anyone we could and checking the posts here, he was the only one that came over the rail that week apparently. Bait everywhere, definitely blues cutting swim baits in half. Heading back this week, hoping to find some shop with mullet to buy so we can try some night soaking.
Where can you buy mullet near Oriental/Whortonsville?
Nice little tackle shop.
Call ahead though. Sometimes it is all pre sold
They are super nice. That's who turned us on to Blabbermouth rigs. I spoke to them in August and he said they have a standing order for 500lbs every morning, BUT... their phone number is dead and emailing them through their website came back as a dead email. No way to reach them. I was hoping to pay for and reserve some mullet before it's all sold out again.
***Just called again and their phone line is back up. Got 50lbs reserved. That should be good for 3-5 people soaking 2-3 nights for a few hours each. Or daytime soaks if the chop is up.
When mullet is mentioned here, is that jumping mullet?
It "used" to be jumping mullet, now it's frozen mullet.
So what you are getting from Neuse is frozen?
I was being cheeky. Yes it is big 12 inch jumping mullet. Neuse River BnT still has not got any in this week but they turned us on to B & J Seafood market over the bridge in New Bern. They have plenty. Bought 50lbs from them. $2 per pound. Our 18 yo daughter landed a 44 inch female this morning on it!
What general area?
Neuse river B&T and B&J had none this weekend
“I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.
Why, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones.”William Shakespeare
In years past by now we've seen many posts of Old Drum landed in the Neuse, but not this year. We saw some great conditions in September the week of the full moon. Threw the blabber mouth rigs, caught a couple, threw tennis ball chunks of jumping mullet, caught one. Fished the full moon at night soaking the big cut mullet, fresh, zero nibbles from anything. Light wind, clear nights. We are noobies with only 6 week long trips down in 4 years, but this was the worst year, and we spent more hours on the water for 8 days with better mullet bait, more experience, and blabber rigs we know work. Bait all around us, blues working them for sure. Cut some swim baits on us. Broke off 3 Drum on the same Uni knots that we caught the others on with 50lb braid and 30lb flouro leaders (the braid snapped on top of the Blabbermouth rigs! Checked line constantly, no abrasions), incredibly frustrating. Lost confidence in the Uni Knot. I know everyone pops off some Old Drum but the Palomar has never broke on me. No one in the area was talking of a drum bite at the August full moon or September full moon week. Wondering if the hot weather and water pushed the spawn back? How's the bite in October so far? Anyone else have a better report of Old Drum in the Neuse this year? NCAngler is usually lit up with pics and reports by September. Tough year. So **** hot this year.
Guy at work said they went down October 2019 full moon and landed 20 in a single day over 40lbs. Said they were stacked up like cord wood. Makes sense with no major hurricanes and a super hot fall. They were not there in Aug. or Sept.
Fishing... great for the nerves right?
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote