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August 31, 2026

Steaks cut from fresh or frozen mullet are among the preferred baits to soak on the bottom for adult red drum in the Neuse River.

Bait for big-boy drum

Catching or buying bait big red drum cruising in the Neuse River is not difficult. They will eat any kind of fish cut into chunks or steaks and will strike small whole or live fish, including menhaden. […]

Lake Russell’s healthy population of spotted bass makes up 60 to 70 percent of all black bass in the lake.

Russell’s black bass

Terry Madewell

According to guide Wendell Wilson, Lake Russell has enough current flow to ensure good fishing during the summer. […]

Guide Jot Owens said the influx of baitfish into inshore waters from Wrightsville Beach to Snow’s Cut and through to the Cape Fear attracts flounders’ attention.

Don’t forget Snow’s Cut

Jeff Burleson

The Cape Fear River and the ICW between Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach are prime places to find doormat flounder during the summer. […]

Sit-on-top or sit-inside kayaks are good choices for exploring small waters for bream.

Kayak selection

L. Woodrow Ross

Kayak selection is a matter of choice. A good choice for bush-whacking into remote ponds would be a fairly light kayak in the 10- to 11-foot range. […]

Flounder appear to bite better on bright, sunny days when the water is extremely clear, if you know how to make a good presentation with a bright-colored lure.

Let conditions dictate presentation

Jeff Burleson

Flounder are ambush feeders, relying solely on the sense of sight to obtain their daily sustenance. […]

High-quality, UV-resistant sunglasses enable fishermen to see what’s beneath the surface and often spot cruising redfish without the problem of glare.

Cut the glare!

Jeff Burleson

Sight-fishing for both freshwater and saltwater fish takes on more of a hunting tact than fishing. Anglers must detect targets long before the fish realize they have been spotted. […]

Gavin Dibler of Kitty Hawk learned how to inflate a puffer fish while fishing on the Miss Oregon Inlet.

Outer Banks head boat tips

Walter Taylor

Check the weather before you go. Wind direction affects water clarity that can determine the fishing. […]

Flies that will draw strikes from tailing redfish run the gamut of colors, shapes and sizes, but most resemble something the fish are eating.

Tying one on

Jeff Burleson

Fishing for tailing reds on flooded flats is among the most-exciting angling opportunities available to South Carolina fishermen. […]

A sonic tag is inserted into the stomach of a Cape Fear River striper. It will allow the striper’s movements to be tracked by biologists.

Cape Fear striper spawn and migration

Jerry Dilsaver

Stripers have become a species of special interest in the Cape Fear River basin. Before the construction of three locks and dams between Wilmington and Fayetteville in the early 1900s, the Cape Fear was considered one of the top five striper rivers in the country. […]