Area fishing report

No one has gone out to fish for several weeks. No report available. Contact: Oregon Inlet Fishing Center 252-441-6301, www.oregon-inlet.com.

Puppy drums are biting shrimp and 6 ounce bait. Contact: Red Drum Tackle 252-995-5414, www.hatteras-island.com; offshore news, Oden’s Dock 252-986-2555, www.odensdock.com; or www.hatterasharbor.com.

No report given. Contact: Tradewinds Bait & Tackle 252-928-5491, www.fishtradewinds.com; Morris Marina 252-225-4261, www.portsmouthislandfishing.com.

Winter storm “Jonas” gave us lots of precipitation. The back waters of Bogue Sound have gotten as low as 38 degrees. There are still trout around, but again mostly undersized juveniles. The effect of the cold weather drove the bait fish, especially the mullets, up into the creeks in huge numbers. With the cold water, you really need to modify your techniques to cold water fishing. The cold blooded fish are sluggish and slow moving and often sitting in the slightly warmer deeper waters at the bottom of the creeks. For those who want to find some larger fish, the New River is still producing, and some of the catches in the Neuse Creeks are producing bigger winter fish. Contact: EJW Outdoors 252-247-4725; Portside Marina 252-726-7678; www.ncoif.com.

Pufferfish and black drum are being caught off of the piers. Speckled trout and a few red drum are biting on the soundside, and black drum are being caught in the surf. Contact: East Coast Discount Tackle 910-328-1887, www.eastcoastsports.com.

It is that time of the year when it starts to slow down. However, trout, black drum and red drum are being caught in the surf. Contact: Tex’s Tackle 910-791-1763, www.texstackle.com.

Trout and red drum are being caught in the back waters, and kingfish are being caught offshore. No fish are being caught in the surf. Contact: Dutchman Creek Bait & Tackle 910-457-1221; www.yeahrightcharters.com; or www.oifishingcenter.com.

Cold water is pouring in, causing the lake temperature to drop to 43 degrees. As a result of the snow and ice, it is really slow for fishing. Catfish are biting on cut bait. It’s slow for crappies, but they are biting 15 feet to 20 feet deep on minnows. It is also slow for bass, but there are a few biting on jerkbait and jig. Water level: Wednesday 251.92, full pool 264.8. Contact Outhouse Tackle Company 919-847-1222.; www.outhousetackle.com.

There hasn’t been any fishing because of the snowy nights. Water level: Wednesday 216.93, full pool 240. Contact: Wilsonville General Store 919-362-7101; Crosswinds Marina 919-387-7011.

No report available as a result of the lake being closed due to the weather. Water level: Wednesday 298.6, full pool 320. Contact: Bobcat’s Bait & Tackle 434-374-8381; www.kerrlake.com.

No report available.

Crappies are biting 20 feet to 30 feet deep on live minnows. Contact: The Tackle Box 919-557-8255; www.wmi.org.

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Area fishing report."