We have continued to target Large Mouth Bass in our coastal rivers this month. The recent drop in temperature has made the fish more aggressive as they start to school up. We're seeing groups of fish hunting shad and other baitfish up and down the river. The low & clear water still has the fish very spooky. Smaller streamers and lighter tippets have been key to getting eats while sight fishing. The river has proved difficult to navigate in low water, and many sections still remain inaccessible. Currently the dam at Rocky Mount is running at 83.8 CFS, well below average, even for this time of year. Luckily we have a few days of rain in the forecast and with any luck it should raise the river back to normal levels.
Despite the low water and difficulty navigating we are still having productive days targeting Large Mouth Bass, Long Nose Gar, and Crappie. As river levels rise and temperatures drop the fishing will continue to improve. The leaves are beginning to change and the river is about as pretty as it gets. We have been the only boat running the upper river these past few weeks. This is an excellent time to experience our coastal rivers in Eastern North Carolina. You will more than likely be the only boat on the river and will have a shot at a number of warm water species. Give me a call to get your trip lined up for October/November.