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Habu-MFFI 175
08-20-2014, 11:15
Monday....headed down to Dawson Creek to hook up with my fishing buddy for some running and gunning on the lower Neuse. We set up all our gear in the house and headed to the boat ramp...launched the boat and I took the truck back to the house while Bobby drove the boat over. Headed out and went to chasing something to stretch a string... Winds were howling but as it grew towards dark the winds died and a red committed suicide and was led to the net.....24 inches in the boat.

Tuesday.....man the river looked great and the winds were laid down. Decided to make a long run and check out some areas we had not fished before.

Heading into the sunrise.


Hit one spot and finally pulled in another 24 inch red. Good start.


Made a move and hit another area. Nothing going on and then at a corner we saw some major fish action. Reds and speckled trout mixed together gorging on finger mullet and menhaden. Turned out all the reds we caught were all over slot...18-27 inches is slot..keeper size, but such fun to catch.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z250/bshobbs/011_zps00be2967.jpg (http://s189.photobucket.com/user/bshobbs/media/011_zps00be2967.jpg.html)

Caught some really nice trout. This one was 24 inches, 4.5 pounds
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z250/bshobbs/016_zpsb4340b8b.jpg (http://s189.photobucket.com/user/bshobbs/media/016_zpsb4340b8b.jpg.html)

Ended up with a nice mess of fish for the day.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z250/bshobbs/015_zps171c1b9e.jpg (http://s189.photobucket.com/user/bshobbs/media/015_zps171c1b9e.jpg.html)

Wednesday....winds moved back in and made for some tough river conditions. We did manage a mess of speckled trout but we had to work hard for them.

Thursday......winds were down some, winds had shifted to the North. Fished hard at one spot and nothing. Made a drastic move and 1 trout to the boat only to pull off just before the net. Couple of hours later moved back to the original spot. I threw out my popping cork which had been pretty good on this trip for trout and reds. Cast way out and popped it hard twice. Cork disappears and drag starts to scream. FISH ON...
Light tackle red for sure.....47 inches.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z250/bshobbs/029_zps181df456.jpg (http://s189.photobucket.com/user/bshobbs/media/029_zps181df456.jpg.html)

When the fish stopped biting other lures they still hit on the cork rig, grub was a black/chartreuse. One time I cast out and the cork disappeared, set the hook and it was on, then the line went slack, cork came back up and fish just eating the cork. I would pull it up and try to get them to take the grub. Finally right at the boat there were 3 big reds just tearing the cork up. Come to find out one had ripped my jighead and grub off, they were get hammering the cork.


We caught fish on grubs, MR17's, Paul Browns Soft Dines, Mirrolure Catch 2000 in 808. Lots of fillets for the freezer and now time to rest and get ready to go back to work.

Team Sergeant
08-20-2014, 11:21
(That's it I'm moving!!!!!!!!!!!)

Nice fish!!!

BryanK
08-20-2014, 14:03
Is that rod on the left in the bottom picture what you caught them with? I can only imagine the fun of that fight! Nice fish!

mark46th
08-20-2014, 14:12
Nice work! Gotta get back there, never caught a redfish...

craigepo
08-20-2014, 17:41
I am soooooo wanting to catch redfish. I have heard they are a ball, especially when they are on top waters.

I've also heard they are great table fare. Any truth to that?

Habu-MFFI 175
08-20-2014, 19:28
That is the rod/reel I caught that bull red on. It is a Fenwick Eagle GT, medium action, med fast tip with 15 pound Power Pro Slick 8 Timber brown color braid and a Shimano Stradic 2500FJ. Awesome setup.

Red drum in the slot size of 18-27 inches are some great table fare. Lots of ways to cook them and doesn't matter which one you pic, it will turn out great.

The fishery on the lower Neuse River from New Bern all the way down past Oriental holds some great fishing. All that stretch is considered to be saltwater, except for a few creeks that enter the river. You will find loads of stripers, red drum, flounder and speckled trout. Lots of other fish that are saltwater oriented also fill the bag.

Box
08-21-2014, 00:20
Wow...

I have not been fishing in ten years and THAT is a nice motivation for cleaning the cobwebs from my fishing tackle and getting out on the water.

tunanut
08-26-2014, 05:50
That's a fat trout.

The Stradic / Fenwick is a killer combo.

Habu-MFFI 175
08-26-2014, 12:47
That's a Stradic 2500FJ model with 15 pond Power Pro braid, the rod is a Fenwick Eagle GT 7' Medium action. Love me some Fenwick Eagles's great rod at an affordable price.

Fenwick just recently redesigned the Eagle rods. It is now an olive colored rod. I use the 7ft, Medium light for casting light grubs and such for speckled trout.

I have 2 other Eagles 7' Med lt with Stradic CI4's on them with 15 pound Power Pro. You can cast these lite carbon infused (CI) outfits a long ways with a grub or Mirro lure.