OBX largemouth

[rtwvumtneer6]

Optimistically planning a trip to the Outer Banks in August.  My buddy is going to introduce me to salt water fishing, and I want to try and get on some largemouth.

 

Aside from Google's results, does anyone have any personal experience with any bass fishing guides at OBX?

[basscrusher]

I fish the OBX a good amount, but have no experience with guides there.  In my opinion, the bass fishing there is not good enough to justify the money spent on a guide.  There are plenty of small waters that hold bass, but you don't need a guide for many of them (I'll get into that in a bit).  The biggest bass waters around that area are the freshwater parts of the rivers that branch off the Albemarle sound, the Currituck sound, Lake Phelps, and Lake Mattamuskeet.  I have no experience on Phelps and Mattamuskeet, but have read plenty to know I wouldn't spend guide money on either.  I have fished both of the 2 sounds aforementioned.  Currituck sound used to be one of the best bass fisheries in America (the Classic was there in the 70s or early 80s...can't remember which).  But salt intrusion killed the grass and now it's a shell of its formr self.  There are still bass there, but quite frankly the bass fishing is probably better in the rivers that feed into it from southern VA (like the Northwest river).  I fished the rivers off the albemarle sound (Pasquotank, Perquimans, Yeopim, Chowan, etc) about 15 years ago when my bud and I qualified for the Fishers of Men Regional there.  It was some of the worst bass fishing I'd ever experienced, but it was due to a bad drought summer that allowed slinity to creep so far up the rivers that guys were catching flounder off their docks way up into the creeks.  I have a friend who lives in Edenton NC that fishes those rivers a lot and does well, but he's a local ace around there.

 

My advice is to bass fish in the salt.  What I mean is, use bass gear to target seatrout and redfish in the eastern portions of the sounds.  A medium spinning rod and 3"-4" paddletails on 1/4 oz jigheads will catch you both of those species, plus the occasional flounder and stripers in spring and fall.  And there are plenty of places to do this without a boat.  The Melvin Daniels bridge in between Nags Head and Manteo is a well known spot, and there are others even better.  I don't know what part of OBX you're visiting, but if it is anywhere near Nags head, stop in Ocean's East tackle shop (just before the aforementioned Daniels bridge - called the little bridge by locals).  Explain your situation, buy a pack of Z man swimbaits, and they'll be glad to help.  And they're serious fishermen in there (at least the 2 guys I always talk to when I'm there).  Best of all, everything in saltwater fights better.  Reds are famous for the hard pulling ability, but specks (seattrout) do these awesome head shakes when hooked.  And stripers fight better than LMB too, in my opinion, once they get to a decent size.  To be honest, bass fishing is what I do to keep me occupied in between inshore trips.  Hopefully I'll be moving closer to the salt in the next few years, and that's when I plan to bass fish only during the times of year when inshore fishing is slow.  If you decide to do a charter for inshore, there are LOTS of good ones down there, and I haven't used any (yet) but I have had conversations at the dock with the guy who owns Rock-On charters and he seems cool.  Used to be a bass tournament guy, throws artificials, etc.  So he'd be into doing what you'd want to do tackle-wise.

 

Also consider pier fishing if you have stout enough gear.  It's different having to watch our for other people's lines (tide will send your line over someone else's real fast if you don't pay attention), but most pier fishermen are cool and will help you land a fish with those long pier nets if necessary.

 

Let me know if I can clarify any of the above.  If you know exactly what part of the OBX you'll be visiting, I might be able to give some more info.  I can also steer you in the direction of good tackle shops and restaurants from Nags head north to Corolla.

 

Oh, by the way -- if I personally was going to bass fish the OBX, I'd bring a kayak and fish the canals up around Southern Shores (the entrance to the OBX -- the place where rt 12 splits into North toward Duck and Corolla, and south toward Kitty Hawk, etc)

[flyfisher]

Good info as I am debating on a trip down there as well.  I have fished the sound and caught a couple reds before but don't really know what I am doing lol  

Next time I go I plan on doing more fishing on the inshore stuff rather than the surf stuff.  

[basscrusher]

1 hour ago, flyfisher said:

Good info as I am debating on a trip down there as well.  I have fished the sound and caught a couple reds before but don't really know what I am doing lol  

Next time I go I plan on doing more fishing on the inshore stuff rather than the surf stuff.  

Flyfisher I'm more than happy to expand on anything I already mentioned, or may have left out.  I also prefer the sound to the surf.  I do surf/pier fish some because my main saltwater buddy loves catching stuff like sea mullet, spot, croaker, etc for the fryer, but I'm not that good at it.  For me, the sound is second nature.  I noticed you are in Mechanicsville. I grew up in Chesterfield Co, and if I still lived there, I'd make the 3 hr drive to OBX several times a month, that's how much I love it there. Quite frankly, I'd move to the OBX area if I could, but as a teacher married to a teacher, the wife and I don't want to stop contributing to VRS.  Well, I guess that's what retirement is for.  Actually that's what my plan is -- move to tidewater area in the next few years (and concentrate on Chick and Northwest rivers for bass, and Rudee and Lynnhaven for salt) then eventually retire to OBX.

[flyfisher]

Its a little further drive than 3 hours though once you factor in traffic in the summer months.  We have talked about moving there eventually as well but with kids in schools we don't want to move them.  I am also a teacher and i am thinking that once i get my admin certification i might be able to start looking down there to see what is available and go from there....
 

 

[basscrusher]

4 hours ago, flyfisher said:

Its a little further drive than 3 hours though once you factor in traffic in the summer months.  We have talked about moving there eventually as well but with kids in schools we don't want to move them.  I am also a teacher and i am thinking that once i get my admin certification i might be able to start looking down there to see what is available and go from there....
 

 

I have researched teaching there ad nauseam.  I think I have some insight if you ever are interested.

Also, do 460 instead of 64...it can save lots of time in summer.  More scenic, too.  I go in summer with the famly, and in fall with just the guys (fishing and eating only trip)

[flyfisher]

2 minutes ago, basscrusher said:

I have researched teaching there ad nauseam.  I think I have some insight if you ever are interested.

Also, do 460 instead of 64...it can save lots of time in summer.  More scenic, too.  I go in summer with the famly, and in fall with just the guys (fishing and eating only trip)

i have gone every which way it seems and it seems like we always get stuck somewhere lol  I count it as part of the trip at this point.....

 

[rtwvumtneer6]

On 5/11/2020 at 12:42 PM, basscrusher said:

  If you know exactly what part of the OBX you'll be visiting, I might be able to give some more info.

The particular body of water that I am looking at is the North River.

[basscrusher]

I haven't fished the North river, but I've got to believe it is a lot like the Pasquotank, which is to the west of the North River.  Probably will be brackish, more on the salty side in the wider, southernmost portion of the river.  I do know that there are bass and other freshwater species when you get way up away from the sound.  Depending on what part of the river you fish, you might be as likely to catch specks, reds, or flounder as bass (which is what I'd rather catch anyway).  I mean, you can catch bass at home, go for something new (that fights better).  I do know that the North river (as well as the other rivers and bays, like Coinjock bay) hold a lot of brackish species like perch, catfish, and bowfin.  Most of the forums I used to frequent when researching the area indicated lots of perch and catfish anglers around there.  

 

Are you planning to stay up at the northern end of the OBX, toward Currituck?

2 hours ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

The particular body of water that I am looking at is the North River.

 

[rtwvumtneer6]

@basscrusher I believe our place is near Jennette's Pier.  I think it's pretty close to Nags Head.  Not 100% sure.  My buddy took care of all that.  He goes down annually but only fishes the salt water.

I get to take the lead on the bass.  I can't go to a new place without chasing a couple green ones lol.  

 

Looks like bass guides near the Outer Banks are a fraction of what my last guide in Texas cost.  To have access to the boat and have someone handle the mud fish for me is worth the price of admission!  Also makes travel easier not having an 8' rod bazuka with me.

 

 

[Brad Reams]

On 5/12/2020 at 5:33 PM, rtwvumtneer6 said:

The particular body of water that I am looking at is the North River.

North River down in Grandy is brackish.  Mainly I saw lots of Gar & Crabs down there.   

 

Saltwater I like fishing the along the walkway at Oregon Inlet bridge and the causeway from NH to Manteo, and behind Bodie Island Lighthouse.  

practice learning to throw a Cast net, took me a while to master that

 

[Brad Reams]

On 5/11/2020 at 12:42 PM, basscrusher said:

I fish the OBX a good amount, but have no experience with guides there.  In my opinion, the bass fishing there is not good enough to justify the money spent on a guide.  There are plenty of small waters that hold bass, but you don't need a guide for many of them (I'll get into that in a bit).  The biggest bass waters around that area are the freshwater parts of the rivers that branch off the Albemarle sound, the Currituck sound, Lake Phelps, and Lake Mattamuskeet.  I have no experience on Phelps and Mattamuskeet, but have read plenty to know I wouldn't spend guide money on either.  I have fished both of the 2 sounds aforementioned.  Currituck sound used to be one of the best bass fisheries in America (the Classic was there in the 70s or early 80s...can't remember which).  But salt intrusion killed the grass and now it's a shell of its formr self.  There are still bass there, but quite frankly the bass fishing is probably better in the rivers that feed into it from southern VA (like the Northwest river).  I fished the rivers off the albemarle sound (Pasquotank, Perquimans, Yeopim, Chowan, etc) about 15 years ago when my bud and I qualified for the Fishers of Men Regional there.  It was some of the worst bass fishing I'd ever experienced, but it was due to a bad drought summer that allowed slinity to creep so far up the rivers that guys were catching flounder off their docks way up into the creeks.  I have a friend who lives in Edenton NC that fishes those rivers a lot and does well, but he's a local ace around there.

 

My advice is to bass fish in the salt.  What I mean is, use bass gear to target seatrout and redfish in the eastern portions of the sounds.  A medium spinning rod and 3"-4" paddletails on 1/4 oz jigheads will catch you both of those species, plus the occasional flounder and stripers in spring and fall.  And there are plenty of places to do this without a boat.  The Melvin Daniels bridge in between Nags Head and Manteo is a well known spot, and there are others even better.  I don't know what part of OBX you're visiting, but if it is anywhere near Nags head, stop in Ocean's East tackle shop (just before the aforementioned Daniels bridge - called the little bridge by locals).  Explain your situation, buy a pack of Z man swimbaits, and they'll be glad to help.  And they're serious fishermen in there (at least the 2 guys I always talk to when I'm there).  Best of all, everything in saltwater fights better.  Reds are famous for the hard pulling ability, but specks (seattrout) do these awesome head shakes when hooked.  And stripers fight better than LMB too, in my opinion, once they get to a decent size.  To be honest, bass fishing is what I do to keep me occupied in between inshore trips.  Hopefully I'll be moving closer to the salt in the next few years, and that's when I plan to bass fish only during the times of year when inshore fishing is slow.  If you decide to do a charter for inshore, there are LOTS of good ones down there, and I haven't used any (yet) but I have had conversations at the dock with the guy who owns Rock-On charters and he seems cool.  Used to be a bass tournament guy, throws artificials, etc.  So he'd be into doing what you'd want to do tackle-wise.

 

Also consider pier fishing if you have stout enough gear.  It's different having to watch our for other people's lines (tide will send your line over someone else's real fast if you don't pay attention), but most pier fishermen are cool and will help you land a fish with those long pier nets if necessary.

 

Let me know if I can clarify any of the above.  If you know exactly what part of the OBX you'll be visiting, I might be able to give some more info.  I can also steer you in the direction of good tackle shops and restaurants from Nags head north to Corolla.

 

Oh, by the way -- if I personally was going to bass fish the OBX, I'd bring a kayak and fish the canals up around Southern Shores (the entrance to the OBX -- the place where rt 12 splits into North toward Duck and Corolla, and south toward Kitty Hawk, etc)

Yep! Currituck/BACK bay in VA was a powerful bass fishery also, I heard old timers said it was better than Florida in the 70's, hence the BASS Classic. 

Back Bay is connected to Currituck Sound, and BACK BAY is now mostly freshwater and making a comeback for bass fishery.  Not far by air from OBX, but far by road travel. 

[basscrusher]

Yes, Back Bay has made a great comeback.  I plan to get down there soon to try it out.  Based on all my intel, however, Currituck sound has not rebounded so nicely as of yet.

[Brad Reams]

4 minutes ago, basscrusher said:

Yes, Back Bay has made a great comeback.  I plan to get down there soon to try it out.  Based on all my intel, however, Currituck sound has not rebounded so nicely as of yet.

nope, I'd say the freshwater hasn't made it down that far yet. 

Will it rebound? IDK

I think in the 80's VaBeach started pumping water from the Ocean into Back Bay and that is where the whole fishery nosedived. not 100% sure, but pretty sure that was the root cause.   

[rtwvumtneer6]

Update: Fished the North River for 6 hours yesterday.  The fishing was better than I expected.  Our guide said it was picking up and he saw 2 largemouth 8#+ in late July/early August prior to the recent hurricane.   Put together about 25 bites between me and my buddy.  A few topwater bites early (wiffed on a big one that toilet bowled a frog ? my fault) and spent most of the day pitching and flipping wood.  There is A LOT of wood.

 

Overall is was a good experience.  I don't think it's full of giants, but I don't think a 20# bag is out of the question.  From what I gathered, it's a constant struggle of recover, hurricane, reset and repeat.

[OBXr]

I live in the area and happened on to the site.  I almost exclusively fish saltwater species in the area, though. 

 

It is true that Virginia Beach pumped saltwater into the Back Bay in the 80s.  Fishing for bass was said to be hot there in the 70s both in terms of numbers and citation-sized bass (over 8lbs).  What happened, as I understand it, is that a hurricane flooded Back Bay, and the salinity intrusion killed the grass and the fishery.  Virginia Beach officials then thought it would be a good idea to pump saltwater into Back Bay and make it a brackish fishery.  This bonehead idea and run-off issues from development curtailed the fishery.  The Northwest River fishing was always pretty solid.  It is essentially freshwater (it provides drinking water to Chesapeake) except during only the most extreme droughts when you might catch some flounder there.  There are lesser known creeks that flow into Back Bay that also always held bass.

 

The rivers flowing into the Albemarle Sound are said to be solid bass fisheries that are improving every year.  Having lived in Texas and fished waters like Lake Austin in its prime, I don't target the local LMB population.  

 

Currituck Sound is very shallow, modestly brackish with a wind-driven tide.  My buddy catches puppy drum there regularly.  Crabbing is popular also.  There are the other species like specks, stripers and LMB in the adjoining Coinjock Canal and North River.  Despite living extremely close to a Currituck Sound boat launch,  I prefer to fish elsewhere.  I might go out on the Currituck Sound this weekend in my kayak, however, after seeing some of my buddy's recent pics.

 

I have always wondered if the many small ponds in the OBX hold some true lunker bass.  This question and google is what led me to this forum.  Many of the ponds are salt ponds and couldn't hold bass.  I know, however, there are stocked freshwater ponds including one in Corolla.  The moderating effects of the gulfstream might even support Florida strain or hybrid strain action.