Neuse River vs Cape Fear River

[b8nw8]

Hi all...new member.... I'm an old freshwater striper fisherman,( Claytor Lake and Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia) and am thinking of relocating...in 'bout a year...to Coastal area of NC. Considering New Bern...or Wilmington area. Any opinions / information on the striper fishing in these areas would be appreciated...as this is an important factor of where I move....Don't tell my wife please....She thinks I wanna relax

Thanks

[jellybear]

The Neuse has more Stripers than the Cape Fear,And they are more easier to catch there Ive heard,but in Wimington you are close to Snows Cut and they catch Flounder up to twenty lbs.!I **** you not.The fishing is generaly better near Wilmington

[b8nw8]

JellyBear...I just got back last Saturday from a week at Topsail with the family. Used to go there every year when kids were little...they are know grown and this is the second year of a new tradition. Loved it !! Would move there in a heartbeat...but...I'm a sales manager in the car business and my wife's an RN...she could find work easy...I don't know about me...I like Sneads Ferry area....GREAT shrimp !! ..Thanks

[jellybear]

And you couldnt get me away from this place.Give me a shout next time you are down!I have some land for sale on busy 17 that would make a good car lot!

[b8nw8]

hmmmmm....nah...too old to start workin' tooo hard again !! I'll be down that way before too long tho...prob'ly Wilmington....or maybe even Myrtle Beach area...Need a place with a big hospital and bunches of people to buy cars. I've been a sales / finance manager here in SW Va. for the last 26 yrs...at a LARGE dealership group. Want a little slower lifestyle and more time to fish !!

[Mudd]

Forget Stripers!

There's one answer for you. NEUSE RIVER!

Year 'round Trout, Puppy Drum, Flounder. (smallish stripers too)

Summertime = 75-200 lb TARPOON

Late Summer thru Fall = Giant Red Drum

[crashq]

Mud, don't forget Stripers in the winter.

This should get you interested.

[b8nw8]

That looks like fun!! Stripers in winter & spring tho...Red Drum all summer and fall ?? and a mixed bag all year !! GREAT pic...got my interest up!!
Thanks

[Mudd]

Nice Drum! Crash, that looks like a surf caught fish. I was generally talking about boat fish. The Summer Tarpoon fishery in the Pamlico Sound and Nuese River is one of the best kept "secrets" around.

[Drumdum]

Originally Posted by Mudd

Nice Drum! Crash, that looks like a surf caught fish. I was generally talking about boat fish. The Summer Tarpoon fishery in the Pamlico Sound and Nuese River is one of the best kept "secrets" around.

I will add,it can be very frustrating when you have over 50 of those rascals rolling and belching air all around ya and ya can't even get a sniff from one of em....

[HawkNC]

This is one that Baitwaster caught (36" FL) during the Tarpon Tournament over the weekend.
There were 2 other drum (larger) even further up the Neuse caught as well.

[Ocracokeobx]

I fish alot up around the very begining of the Neuse, the dam at Falls Lake. I can say if you head up far enough to hit freshwater there's some nice flathead catfish in there. Although the world record shovelnose was from Cape Fear... Oh well, I just like the Neuse more. Cape Fear has always seemed kind of muddy to me in most places. Maybe one of these days I'll send you guys a message downriver

[JoeB]

Originally Posted by Mudd

Forget Stripers!

There's one answer for you. NEUSE RIVER!

Year 'round Trout, Puppy Drum, Flounder. (smallish stripers too)

Summertime = 75-200 lb TARPOON

Late Summer thru Fall = Giant Red Drum

Yeah, I've been in Jacksonville, NC for almost two years (and may be spending another two years depending on my next set of orders) and I have NEVER explored or fished the Neuse River. Guess that was a bad move on my part, huh?

Mudd-
Without giving away any super-secret spots, how is the access for those of use that fish almost exclusively from a kayak? I'd appreciate any information you could pass along....my PM box has more than enough room.

[capt_gordon]

The fishing for everything is much better around the Neus R than the Cape Fear, and a lot fewer people too. Wilmington waters are crushed with people. From New Bern you can run the Neuse out to the Pamlico and often find all the solitude and all the fish you want. Not enough water around Wilmington.

[underdog]

I still have dozens of secret spots on the Cape Fear. What a river! I've caught tons of flatties over 5 and many over 10lbs on that river. My buddy called me and told me he got a 16lber this summer. I lived there 9 years, before moving to NJ. What a great area to be as well. good family area.