Pasquotank area bluegill fishing?

[Timmy Bryant]

Been fishing upper pasquotank river and indian town area couple times a year for last 52 years and have always noted newbegun creek on river map and was wondering if anyone in the area knew how the bluegill fishing was there.Just ready for a change of scenery as this area is probably the most scenic area i have ever fished.Also live couple hours away and wanted to know if the boat ramp in weeksville is open to public,seen on google maps just off 343 i think?  THANKS

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Hey Timmy,

 Hope this finds you doing well.......I will try to answer your questions........Newbegun Creek does have good bluegill fishing at times....this creek is impacted NEGATIVELY by low water which happens when we have sustained Northeast/North wind on the Albemarle Sound......We are currently experiencing low water on area rivers/creeks and thus the fishing has dropped off over the last week.......Newbegun also has many boating hazards that should be understood prior to navigation.......one is a submerged bridge structure made out of cypress so it is preserved, marked only by a red and a green nav buoy, if you fail to split these two you are almost certainly going to have a problem. Next, there are vast shoals in this creek that have cypress stumps/logs that sit just below normal levels.......the first mile is protected with forest/swamp, the rest is very open and wind above ten makes fishing difficult.......it runs into Pasquotank which is totally different south of Elizabeth City......North of town where you have fished before is safe for boating 365, South of the Chantilly curve can be brutal and impossible for small fishing boats up through bass boats like I use.......If you've ever looked at my page you will see that I fish with a tipped jig almost the entire year but many traditional methods work.....the ramp is called "Sawmill" and it is a state ramp, thus it's public......Did you ever get to Garrington Island?  Remember you asking me about that ramp a few years back........if you have questions ask me......I know the Albemarle Sound region very well.......Jeff

 

[Timmy Bryant]

Yes sir made it to Garrington island once each last two years,didnt have any problems but a friends that fishes that area once a week thru the summer said it was starting to get worse(hole in the ramp if i remember right)also said more trees had fell across portions and it is a two hour ride for me to get there and not be able to get out.I can definitly understand your love for the area as the tank above Elizabeth City is the first place at 10 years old i ever fished out of a boat with my dad and his best friend(both deceased now)used to sleep in a truck camper on left side of 158 just across the bridge and then dads friend put a trailer at lambs and fished every week year round for approximately 60 years.He was 93  when he passed about 5 years ago and still went every week when he could find somebody to go.It is by far my favorite area to fish and a special place for me with the memories i have of there when i was a kid with dad and his friend and my wife and i even thought of moving there years ago.You are a lucky man to live in such a beautiful area.I am retired now and hope to make it down a few more times each year but also have a camper at topsail so i spend some time there.Thanks again for all the info as it is greatly appreciated

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

The memories are the greatest part of fishing......I lost my dad in 2016 and he visited me here 20 years in a row and I would take the month of June off......I always document the scenic rivers and creeks that I fish here........one better than the next.......cow creek is tough getting out at Garrington but duck hunters and anglers alike work hard to keep it clear.....the state talked about a public ramp but locals opposed so it has lost momentum in recent years......I go to Coinjock to put my bigger boat in but that's down by the big overpass on 168 heading for the Banks.......most people fish north of the intracoastal on North River but the fishing is also above average in the creeks heading toward the sound.......Alligator River is wonderful but way down near Manteo.......Chowan is vast and less friendly to smaller crafts often.......I have kept logs over twenty years and still get excited every time I hit the water.....I love the fishing here......we had a brief warm up early May and the bite was turning on, there was so much of a temperature drop in water temps over the last week, I went and caught a limit of crappie which aren't impacted as bad as bluegill are by weather......temps are still below 70 this week after being near 80 last Thursday when I located shallow coppernose....I don't take it for granted and appreciate every trip I make........If you need anything else let me know, please don't think I'm trying to steer you away from Newbegun, just one angler pointing out things that I'm aware of that impact fishing. Have a good evening ....Jeff