We are finally back to fishing after a rough couple weeks of high water pushing us off almost every river system. As of today both the Tar and Neuse rivers are back in good shape and are starting to fish well again. Scouting trips this week have been very productive and we are looking forward to getting clients back on the water this weekend.
The Neuse River has been fishing great this week now that it is back down to its normal 106 CFS. Largemouth Bass and White Bass have been keyed in on small baitfish (1.5”-3”). Clouser minnows, mini game changers, and gummy minnows have been our go-to. The key to locating these fish is to find moving water with some sort of structure close by for the game fish to hide and wait to ambush bait. Often times you can see the fish actively feeding on the surface. The Bowfin has been very aggressive lately, look carefully for fish in flooded vegetation and shallow log jams. Fly selection isn’t super critical for these fish, just make sure whatever you tie on has a strong hook!
The Tar River is dropping down to its normal summer levels and the sight fishing game is back on. Small streamers, topwater bugs, and frogs are still the name of the game. Low light days still are your best bet to coax a large fish to the boat. The annual cicadas are in full swing and bug fishing is rolling. Find trees that hang over the river and fish shade lines during the heat of the day for the best results. Dark color topwater bugs (poppers, hoppers, etc) worked very slowly is the key to success when the fish want cicadas. If the fish aren‘t coming to the surface, swinging small baitfish in front of rocks and log jams should produce a few fish.
The baitfish bite is getting rolling now and is going to continue through the fall. This time of year we really rely on the Scientific Anglers Tropic Intermediate Clear Tip fly line. The 15’ clear 1.5 IPS sink rate tip helps keep baitfish flies in The right water column. This line is also key for fishing the Wiggle Minnow, one of the best search patterns for bass. The slow sinking line helps give the fly action while still allowing you to lift the rod tip to work the fly around any structure.
We have decided to extend our End of Summer Special through September due to losing most of August to high water. We hope you will join us for a great trip on the river. (detail on the End of Summer Special can be found at the end of the post).
Tar River Co. is also happy to announce that we have added another guide on staff, Nic Hogan. Nic recently graduated from Furman University in Greenville, SC, and has moved back home to the Triangle. Nic is an accomplished Trout angler and has taken to the Warm Water game very quickly. When he’s not on the water with us you can find him at our partner company, Neuse River Outfitters, running kayaking trips on the Neuse River. Nic will be guiding both float & wade trips on the Tar and Neuse River systems. We are excited to have Nic aboard and we are looking forward to y’all getting on the water with him.
The high water kept us off the rivers for a few weeks but gave us a lot of time to get some awesome new programs planned. We will be announcing some new multi-day trip offerings, new Spring programs, and our first annual Shad Schools for 2021. Be on the lookout for these announcements and more by signing up for our mailing list here.
END OF SUMMER SPECIAL
We are running a special on trips now through September 30th. All trips booked are $50 off the original price. This brings down the price of a Tar River Float to $300/1 Angler and $350/2 Anglers.
See you on the water!
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