Want Pullage - Big Red Drum

[tufnik]

This article from Kayak Angler Magazine spurred my interest. It's about catching big drum off the shoals at Fisherman's Island north of the CBBT.

"Redfish Rodeo" See page 31
http://kayakanglermag.com/kayakanglermag_spring11/

With the warm weather we're having, maybe the drums will come in earlier. Maybe March? I think April is the usual time for these big ones.

Anyway, I'm thinking about targeting redfish next month, but the waves on the shoals look like scary stuff. Is there a calmer place to fish for them?

Maybe I should try the shoals. Who knows? Maybe it'll be a growing addiction as mentioned in the article. Or maybe it'll scare the pants off me.

[chex]

Go with buddies and very little gear on the yak (so you dont lose it when you get flipped by a wave). I'm in!

[ictalurus]

Kayak Kevin had some informative posts on his website back in April of 2011 or 2010, and I think Rob Choi did, too. I think it would be awesome to check out.

[DOGFISH]

There are back bays along the Outer Banks. I have seen pictures of Drum caught near the bay bridge tunnels.

[Shady]

I think Pinch caught a good sized Red over one of the bay bridge tunnels in the TKAA...
Im hoping to check Redfish off my list this year, whether its in Virgina or South Carolina...

[PotomacTide]

What a great article! I think I'm going to read that one a couple of times. Not a place for the novices (which includes me). Play it safe!

[mmanolis2001]

That area is a mecca for large drum but is also gets nasty. Don't go by your self. Form what i read and seen from Kevin its a dicey situation out there. Some of the fishing requires you to anchor up very close to the shoals and the danger involved with that. I would love to try it out on time though. Best chance in this area to land a big bull drum.

[Memory Maker]

Kayak Kevin had some informative posts on his website back in April of 2011 or 2010, and I think Rob Choi did, too. I think it would be awesome to check out.

........ yeah .... they said don't do it ..........

If you wait just a little, the bigguns are in the shallows between the breakers and the land in schools ........ check out their posts last year and Kevins video ....... they stalk them .......... I thing Rob's biggun was after the spring run ......

[J.A. Veil]

I have been to the Outer Banks several times in Nov. Large (~50 lb) red drum can be found in the surf in sufficient numbers that the locals hold red drum tournaments then. I have seen them caught in the surf and by pier anglers in the Avon area at that time of year.

If the fish can be caught by a surf caster, then a kayak angler should be able to cast back in to them if you can get out through the surf. However, the fishing tends to be better on rough days, because the wave action churns up the bottom, exposing the prey organisms that the big reds are looking for. Just getting out through big breakers is a challenge in a kayak.

If you are willing to settle for smaller reds, they do show up in the Lynhaven area in mid-summer. I caught my first ever redfish about a mile upstream from Lynhaven Inlet in late July 2008. That day, I caught 6 redfish up to 27" in four hours. I had one that was considerably stronger than the 27" fish -- it actually dragged me a ways toward a pier, wrapped the line around an oyster-encrusted piling, and broke off. They are a great fight on med-light rods from a kayak.

[tufnik]

Do you want to get one now?

[Shady]

I like the one in the second picture.

The fish is pretty nice too!

[tufnik]

More nice fish to inspire you.

[ronaultmtd]

Tuf- The annual Red Drum run on Hatteras is something to behold- it usually peaks around the 5th of November each year- for decades it was my annual pilgrimage- I would take off a week and stay at Rodanthe, NC- it was nothing to see 60 fish a day caught (most were released) over 40 pounds on the fishing pier at Rodanthe- I never killed any of the big reds I caught- released every one- I fished with an Abu 9000 conventional reel with 300 yards of 25 # Ande mono on a custom lamiglas 1367 blank cut to a 32 tip at ten foot- I built all my rods-terminal rig was a 10/0 English style drum hook snelled on 100# mono leader (fish finder) with an 8 oz. wingtip pyramid sinker tossed 100 yards off the end of the pier. During the run there would be 50-60 anglers fishing off the end (the Tee) with rods just inches apart. It took skill to cast an eight oz. sinker and a pound of bait 100 yards off the end of the pier to a precise spot without crossing any of the other fifty or sixty lines. During the late 70's early 80's I bought a season pier pass to the Rodanthe pier- back then it was $125.00 for a season fishing pass. I paid for my fishing by selling mullet I caught in my 12' radius "Frank the Net" Whelton hand tied cast net that I would throw around the docks at Teach's Lair marina at night- I would fill a 151 qt Igloo cooler and sell the mullet to the piers for bait- during the drum run I got 25 cents a pound for fresh mullet-

[kevinfry]

TUF!!...Sun, fish, bikinis.......in a February post?? You are a cruel dude. CRUEL.

[chimo]

TUF!!...Sun, fish, bikinis.......in a February post?? You are a cruel dude. CRUEL.

X2!

Chimo