We have had a great month of fishing on the Neuse River near the spillway. I have caught many crappie close to the dam this December and some of the largest fish I have seen in years. The unfortunate thing is that many people are fishing near the dam and keeping the fish. I saw one individual keep 2 large buckets of crappie over 40 fish! This is overkill to say the least. To conserve a fishery and sustain it for future generations fisherman need to only keep what they will use and need. But anyway, I have been tying and fishing a variety of white zonkers and woolly buggers and catching crappie consistently. Gone are many of the larger fish to the people keeping fish but you can still find small crappie fishing the lesser known lies further downstream from the spillway. One trick that has produced well is adjusting the fly weight to achieve a good drift while bouncing bottom every once in a while. If you are not feeling bottom snags or rocks every 25- 30 casts add a small micro shot. In regards to snags be careful there are lures and lines littered everywhere near the dam right now. I found at least 10 jigs snagged in the reeds last week. With winter coming nymphs become the searching patterns make sure to have prince, copper john and hair's ear ready. Seasons Greetings!
Overlooked this time of year is the local neighborhood pond. I had the chance to take my friend's son fishing for the first time last week. We had a great 2 hours of fishing hot dogs in a pond and caught a catfish, 2 large largemouth bass, and many fat bluegill and shellcracker.
Fly Tackle: Mystic Au Sable 8' 3" 4 wt fly rods and Ross Fly Start # 2 reels, 9 ft tapered leader to 4x and 5x tippet.
Streamers: Olive Zonker Strip w/ Gold Bullet head, Clouser, Wooly Bugger in white Size 6- 10
Spin Tackle: Ultralight spinning rod and reel rigged with 6 lb test line.
Berkly Power Bait Pre Rigged Atomic Tubes in white, green and pearl.
1/32 oz Jigheads with realistic eyes white twister or paddle tail
Minnows!
Fish Species(caught today): crappie, white perch, redbreasted sunfish
Conditions: USGS Water data says the Neuse was flowing low at 115 cfs today at the spillway in Wakefield. It was sunny, high of 58 degrees the weather was very warm last week with 70s until rains came last Thursday. Chest waders needed be careful!
Wildlife: illegal poachers fishing and netting. If you see activity of people netting fish and keeping them say something and call NC Fish and Game that you are witnessing a violation.
