I can count on one hand the number of black drum I have caught.

Would like to target them in the Port A/Rockport areas....anyone willing to help me out?

Locations? Baits? Tactics?

Thanks.

sb

Can/Would you eat those things?

On purpose?

During the winter we find them on oyster shell reefs, mostly puppy drum, which is what we are after, but occasionally one over 20#. Dead shrimp with a split shot pitched in the reef cuts where there is current.

Under 5# they are as good, if not better a table fare as redfish,

I have found shrimp to be the best bait for them. Try and find a shelf off of the intracoastal canal in 8 to 10 feet of water. If you can find a channel coming into the intracoastal that is a good place to start. Stay at a spot for 30 minutes and if you aren't catching anything move. If you can find the small ones you can usually catch a lot of them. There are some big ones out there, but they are usually not good to eat so release them. Small ones are great to eat. Your biggest problem in the winter may be fighting off all of the gafftopsail catfish lol.

Shrimp is the best bait for the smaller ones, under 5 lbs. Over 5 lbs, we find cracked crab to be the best bait. Whatever the bait, always on the bottom.

Oyster reefs are a great location for drum of all sizes. Rock jetties are a good choice for smaller drum. For big drum, the "drum hole" at the end of the jetties in the Gulf is always a good bet. See the pic. Soaking cracked crab on the bottom in this spot is as close to a sure thing as there is. If conditions don't permit getting to that spot, your next best best is to soak crab in a hole in the bayou that runs from the bay to the pass. Bull drum wait in these holes to ambush food that falls into the hole from the current above. If you can't find fresh crab, fresh crawfish is next best. Shrimp or mullet after that.

If you fish Reds you most of time will also find Black Drum. Structure vertical or of rock jetty variety, oyster reefs, and depth changes from moving water. Shrimp live or dead, crab cut or fiddler, oysters in mesh bag. It is excellent eating fish in 14 to 26 inch range the larger fish will have to many worms. If you have eaten Red Fish in Texas or Louisiana seafood restaurant you have most likely eaten black drum as they can sell either fish under others name.
My preferred method these days is cut crab or dead shrimp on a Bottom Sweeper Jig. Fish it vertical around pilings, docks, jetty, very slowly down a muddy drop from water way outlet. 1/0 to 3/0 hook on that bottom sweeper jig with M to MH rod, 15 to 20 lb braid with 20 to 30 pound mono or floro leader about 24 inches long with loop knot for jighead. Key is to fish it very very slow. When you do find them smaller fish are usually in schools keep the bait coming and they will stay with you.

Freaking GOLD MINE of information!!

Thanks a lot. I will definitely try this during my next outing!

sb

If you're fishing with live bait yes. Not so much with artificials. I've caught black drum on artificial but not very often. Also drum tend to move in schools more times than not. Reds can certainly be schooled up but will also scatter more than black drum. I definitely agree on the bait you mentioned. Great eating. I like the 15" to 19" range. This size is better than red to me.

They can fight too! If you find a mid 20's black drum it'll take a few minutes to land him.

Here's a recent trip.

Jerry713 - That is a nice stringer of fish.

Big Ugly's will be migrating real soon thru March. Slot limit is 14"-30"....The smaller ones are the best as far as table fare goes.
When it comes to bait, crab is best as stated above. BTW, if you do not know how to VENT one (if needed), please research before you CPR.
30# mainline with 40# leader line, the appropriate weight, and rigged Carolina style. In Fast currents you may need Spider weights. Most people don't
know this but in order to break the Tx State Record, the fish has to be over 52".

Tx State Record
81#....Length 51.18"...June 19,1988 ....G of M ....Wally Escobar,Jr.
Bag Limit..5 daily
No more than one Black Drum over 52" may be retained per person per day and counts as part of the daily bag limit and possession limit.