Mild winter

Winter has been mild in the Raleigh area this year.   The Neuse River has been easy to wade and float for months and is warming daily with the great weather.   Nymph fishing has taken center stage and producing most effectively.  Low water and water clarity make fishing slow and small the most effective tactic.  The generally consistent winter white bass bite has been off.  The majority of fish being caught have been crappie.  It seems there are less and smaller fish in the river this year.  I have witnessed hundreds of fish being kept from the river for peoples table perhaps that is a factor.  As with most fishing, you will get more and bigger fish to take if you are fishing the less pressured areas, lighter tippets, and smaller flies.  My advice would be to slow it down and get your nymph or nymphs near the bottom. The two most effective techniques have been dead drift and micro strip tease/ jigging.  In addition to crappie, bluegill and white perch are around with an occasional largemouth bass, carp, yellow perch, chub, or redbreasted sunfish which will all take nymphs.  Fishing is somewhat slow but dont let it discourage you be persistent and watch your line, indicator, and flashes for strikes.  I have learned to set on anything when nymphing and it does me well

  

Soon the white bass will run out of Falls Lake into the Eno River.  If you are tying or buying flies, white and chartreuse clousers and wooly buggers will produce.  I have always had better success with a silver bullet head as opposed to gold for white bass.  Below the Milburnie Dam on the Neuse the Gizzard Shad are starting to show that means the American and Hickory Shad will follow.  As of now there is not enough water for good runs.  Hopefully we get some rain and it kickstarts both of these runs for a great March.  I will be running float and wading trips on the Neuse and Eno Rivers.  Im adding the Tar River once I learn how and where to fish it a bit more.

I am now the proud owner of a Flycraft Stealth  what a great experience so far with their customer service and product.  Please contact me if you want to float the river!  I also have private water access to fish in Rolesville.

Fly Tackle: Orvis 4 weight Recon 8' 6" Rod, Hydros SLII Reel, Orvis Axis Rod 8'6" 7 ft tapered leader to 5x.  Mystic Au Sable 8' 3" 4 wt fly rods .

Dry Fly: small flies on long leaders

18-22 like Adams Parachute, Midge, Olives.

Streamers: Dumbell or bead chain eyed wooly buggers, zonkers, and muddlers in white, chartreuse and olive with flash. 

Nymphs:  Midge Pupa, Caddis Pupa, Prince nymph, Copper John, Hare's Ear

Spin Tackle: Medium light spinning rod and reel rigged with 6 or 8 lb test flourocarbon line. Berkley Power Bait Pre Rigged Atomic Tubes in white, green and pearl.1/16- 1/32 oz Jigheads with realistic eyes white twister or paddle tail.  VMC Paddletails.  Minnows will do well under a float!

Conditions: Cold water but spring will arrive sooner this year.  River temp is warming daily and is 53 degrees.   

Wildlife:   Kingfisher, Great Blue Heron, Turtles