Do Big Reds Hit OI?

[Tuck]

Wonderin' if the big reds ever stop off at Oregon Inlet for feedin' or makin' there way back into the sounds and bays or do they bypass OI on their way to the Chesapeake?
I catch plenty of pups there in October, but have never caught drum with any size to'em. Ya never get any kind of report, so I'm wonderin' if this is a secret or somethin'. Ya would think that the shoals off of Coquina would be a great place.

[Tuck]

anyone? DD?

[Wilber]

In MHO, the Big Red Drum pass by OI a little offshore for the surf angler to reach. You here about schools that Devin and Cato see when inshore boat fishing, but rarely here of one Caught from the beach. Some are caught from the piers, but again, they are caught by the "end of the Planks crew". Soooo, from what I've seen, not many from the beach. I have fished OI and Kitty Hawk surf for nearly 30 years and have never actually seen one caught from the beach, that doesn't mean that none have ever been landed, just I have never seen one caught.

[Tuck]

You think its cus the water temps never get right for them close to the beaches or ya think they would prefer to stay out and werk the shoals on either side. Ya know there are lots of food runnin the front slough and thru the inlet, you would think when the water temp and wind was right you would see some being beached.

[Bad Tater]

I am not sure what the difference is, but y'all are right... they never hit the beach like they do from rodanthe south. I have never heard of them being caught by the beach or pier crews up there.

However they are there. As cited, massive schools hold up in the channelof oregon inlet and feed on the shoals. They just don't hit the beach.

IMHO, oregon doesn't hold fish like it used to before they out in the jetty. 5-8 years ago it was really good. Now a days it seems like a high speed grass conveyer belt and that is about if from the surf.

[Wilber]

I'm not sure why. After all the North Beachs of Hatteras Island are a lot like the OI and Nags Head beachs and they catch them on the North Beach around Avon.

[Drumdum]

When you could access Pea Island,74 or 5 maybe?? You could catch some big drum in the spring,was yrs ago and where I caught my first surf drum.. They used to stack em up like cordwood,back then you could keep 4,I think,and folks were keepin them. :rolleyes: :mad: Don't begrudge someone of taking one for a meal,but 4??? Since that time all I have heard are rumors of fish being caught.. As Wilber said,not sure why.. I do know this there is a "resident school" that summers off OI,also HI.. Not all fish go north south,IMHO most go east west..

[Tuck]

Thanks Wilber, Tater, DD!
So with all of this in mind, right wind, right time, right location in da brine, could spell BIG TUG! :rolleyes: Cool
Ya know they got to sneak in onced and a while.

[Capt. Kim CG Ret]

I was watching them being caught off Nags Head Pier last year. If you think it looks crowded at the Point when the drum are in, you ain't seen nothing until you see the end of a pier when there are drum within casting distance.

[Bad Tater]

If you want to get on a boat and sight cast them, get in touch with Caine on Fine Line Charters. He got a bunch last spring and I know he's still got some days open. He'll put you on fish.

Sorry... i know it's not the boating board.

www.finelinecharters.com

[Drumdum]

It's the NC board and you're talking fishing here,that's all that really counts... ;)