Back Bay

Bob’s Fishing Hole spokesman James Waters notes spring bass fishing on the Northwest River has been the best he’s seen in years.
In the May 21 tournament there were three 20-pound plus limits weighed! Joe Glazebrook and Mike Evans were first with 26.22 pounds with the event big fish at 7.73 pounds.
Sterling Woolridge and David Chavelier were second with 20.79 pounds and their big fish was another mule at seven pounds. Jeremy Gatewood and Charlie Reed were third with 20.65 pounds.
Anglers were using various topwater baits and enjoying steady action. As the water hits 80+ degrees, it’s time to start using weighted stickbaits, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits and creaturebaits/worms around cypress and tupelo trees.
An old time lure that still catches fish here is the Johnson Silver Minnow with a split tail eel trailer. You can also use a hollowbelly swimbait on a weedless hook to fish the same weedy areas as you do with the spoon.
For a June visit Waters says to stop in and he’ll give you some tips on where to try fishing. This is mostly a shallow water fishery so don’t make it too complicated. He says to enjoy the early summer feeding frenzy and cover a lot of water from Bob’s on down to Tull’s Creek in the Northwest or target bass on weedy “ponds” and creeks in Back Bay.
The North Landing River also offers good bass fishing. Anglers will want to explore and fish Pocaty Creek, Milldam, Blackwater and West Neck Creeks. You can launch into the North Landing River out of the Pungo Ferry Park ramp.
North Landing Beach RV Resort & Cottages is a great place to use as headquarters for a visit to fish the Northwest, North and middle Back Bay region. There are one bedroom and two bedroom cottages available and anglers are welcomed.
North Bay Shore Campground is headquarters for North Bay or the upper portion of Back Back behind Sandbridge. North Bay Shore Campground welcomes anglers and has cabins and a bath house for overnight stays. A canal runs right behind the cabins, so you can keep your boat in the water and you are 10 minutes from Sandbridge!
Backwater Adventures guide David Ward says water temperatures in the North River, Kitty Hawk Bay and northeastern North Carolina rivers he guides on should be starting in the 80’s this month. Ward says morning topwater bite will be in full swing with buzzbaits, ploppers and toads working along with poppers. Later in the day the soft plastics will take over with Texas rigged worms and craws, stickbaits rigged weightless or wacky. He says to fish the plastics around wood and shade.
“One bait I find that works on those slower calm days is a trick worm Texas rigged with a 1/32 weight or a light split shot weight worked slow around cover.”
Light tackle trips really start to produce fish all day now for anglers using Beetle Spins and small spinners.e stationary topwaters. As the water warms the soft plastic bite will start to take over after the sun gets up. Soft stick baits fished Texas-rigged, weightless, and wacky produce.