East Central NC Archives - Page 74 of 112

Juvenile red drum, often referred to as ‘puppy drum’ are most often found in coastal rivers, sounds and marshes; the majority of reds found in the ocean are larger fish of spawning age.

What’s a “puppy” drum?

Along the North Carolina coast, extending north to Virginia Beach, Va. and south to Myrtle Beach, S.C., red drum that measure roughly between 16 and 32 inches are affectionately called “puppy drum.” […]

Puppy drum are a popular species for fishermen in the lower Neuse River.

Go oystering for fish

Jerry Dilsaver

With the lower Neuse River basically void of much fish-attracting structure, the Neuse River Oyster Reef is an oasis in a relative desert. […]

Andrew Tubbs of William Sasser Guide Service caught these two nice fish on a recent guide trip at Clarks Hill.

Guide has been ‘drumming up’ business for Clarks Hill striper, hybrid anglers

Mike Marsh

Fishing for striped bass and hybrids on Clarks Hill Lake has been on fire. My son, Justin Marsh, booked a trip with Andrew Tubbs of William Sasser Guide Service, and we really stuck it to the fish.

Tubbs was fishing in 60 to 70 feet of water near the dam. The lake has an aeration system that really helps boost the fishing potential of the lake by increasing the oxygen content of the water so stripers and hybrids not only survive, but thrive.
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Half-pound crappie can be found in the backs of the creeks at Lake Russell, but larger fish are coming from bridges in deeper water.

Crappie fishing has come around on Lake Russell

Matt Coffey

As temperatures drop around the state, the fishing is definitely heating up, and there’s no place that’s more true than on Lake Russell. […]

Buddy Bouknight shows off a nice brace of Lake Murray stripers caught this past week.

Lake Murray fall striper bite turning on

Terry Madewell

If you ask Lake Murray striper guide Buddy Bouknight he caught stripers in September, and he says, “Just about every way possible” you can take that to the bank. […]

Gary Dubiel shows off the kind of flounder he expects to catch this month in the Neuse and Trent rivers near New Bern.

Flounder with a side of reds

Mike Marsh

Now that fall has arrived, fishermen are swarming to saltwater. While some of the more expansive waters of the Neuse River downstream from New Bern receive all of the publicity during the summer when giant red drum and torpedoing tarpon are making the biggest splash, these bigger gamefish will be moving out of the river by September. […]

Fishermen are finding fall flounder in the bays and marsh creeks behind Bear and Brown’s islands, and fishing should be increasingly good through October.

Swansboro area is hot spot for flounder as October approaches

Craig Holt

Fall flounder fishermen usually look to inshore waters as flatfish migrate toward the ocean, following baitfish that head out, anticipating the first rush of cold weather that’s a harbinger of winter. […]

Lake Hartwell’s channel cats are feasting on stinkbait

Matt Coffey

Channel catfish are some of the best-eating fish on the table, especially cut in small chunks, fried golden brown and served with a side of cole slaw. If you have fresh catfish on your mind, Lake Hartwell is the place to catch them right now.

According to Bill Plumley of Capt. Bill’s Fishing Adventures, the channel cats have been tearing it up on Lake Hartwell lately.
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Drew Reeser (right) "guided" his 92-year-old grandfather, George Madewell (left) to this 35-pound Lake Wateree blue catfish.

Wateree catfish moving back into creeks, coves

Terry Madewell

The annual fall transition from the main-river channel to the shallow waters of creeks and large coves is “on” for the blue catfish in Lake Wateree. […]

Dwindling crowds and cooler temperatures are just the ticket for cashing in on some late summer striped bass action on Lake Hartwell.

Hartwell stripers, hybrids moving up as fall approachs and water cools

Phillip Gentry

Summer crowds are gone and Upstate lakes all but deserted, plus, the heat has broken and many outdoorsman and swapped out rods and reels for deer-hunting. […]