Banging on the Drum

[HarryG]

(Title of thread credited to RiverJim, all rights reserved)

I was fortunate enough to be invited to do some drum fishing with an old salt in the area, this to me is priceless. So I got picked up at 3 pm yesterday afternoon and we headed down to Buxton, NC to "The Point". It's about an hour or so south of me. Surf casting for drum is a distance game, the beaches provide little structure compared to up north. They use big 13' conventional rods called "heavers" or " 8 and Baits" so you can throw up to an 8 oz weight and bait. My conventional experience with surf rods was limited but my guide gave me some pointers and after a few practice casts and a few birds nests I was ready.

Here are some pictures of the point, my guides rig, and people fishing.




I was told by folks before I moved down here that after I caught my first yearling or citation drum that I would forget all around striped bass, a bold statement in my book. Around 8:00 pm I knew I had something going on. I gave it a second or two and then tightened my connection to the other end of the line in order to set the circle hook in place. It was bendo time. 10 mins later I had my first yearling drum on the beach just under 30".


This is considered a yearling drum because it is between 28"-40". Anything under 28" is called a puppy drum, anything over 40" is considered a citation drum (with measurements and a witness you can get a citation from the state that you caught a big drum). These guys love these fish more then we love our striped bass. They are tightly regulate and the fishery is close to being that of before it was over harvested in the 50's, 60's, 70's. You may only keep a drum from 18"-28" and you may only pursue them with certain rigs to diminish release mortality.

These drum pull. This "little guy" felt better than my PB striper and they don't have an ounce of quit in them.

So have I Forgotten about stripers? NO. I would say it's like comparing apples and oranges. Is it equally enjoyable? Hell Yes!!

BTW they do get big bass down here. But Some years are better than other hopefully I can show you guys what they are doing over the winter.

Below are some other photos from last night/this morning.

Sun Rise on the point, people started showing up again. For a while we were all alone.