# Our fall VA Drum Run, with pics and the JAC- and thanks to VCAN



## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

It's been the kind of drum fall we all love here in VA. While things are slowing down here, its good to know for those that still want to chase them, they should be available in Carolina for a while to come. 

Every year I try and pass along some of the stuff that Curtis and some of the other guys showed me years ago. The next generation of fishermen I guess in a society where less folks seem to hunt and fish every year. I've had some new guys who were lucky enough to catch a drum or two in their first year trying so was hopeful that my new pledges from the JAC (junior AC) would score this fall. They had been meeting with me since summer getting their casting down, going from just getting a heaver to now being able to send a bait out a pretty good ways. It's always nice seeing that moment of "oh ok, thats what you meant by push-pull" click in their minds...

Fall started off strong. The guys from VCAN (who can add to this if they want) were on fire. They all have plenty of fish under their belts. Me and the pledges went out a few times and blanked. Fish were all over, eating spot one night, and mullet the next. The pledges got an introduction to drum fishing in that 1/2 the time is spent netting bait, and the other actually fishing!

Terry aka Too-Tall was having a good fall as well. Actually come to think of it, the only guys that didn't do well are our Moderators.... lol

*Also another shout out to VCAN for not only providing a continual fight in access rights for us fishermen, but also for all the work they've done with the night fishing permits down at BBNWR. * They are a great organization and deserve our help in what ways we can. Thanks again guys.

Terry gave me a shout one morning and let me know he had done this in one of his spots in the am.








(btw, thats what a drum looks like from TooTall's perspective, thats what a seamonkey looks like when i take that kind of shot)

















needless to say, I was motivated to go fishing myself... Called the pledges and it was time to go. Got to the BBNWR office, got some permits, and decided that we'd catch some fish through attritition. At some point, Too Tall was gonna have to leave, and we'd get bowed up!

We got there, set up and Terry gets another run, bows up and puts the heat on'em. His heaver looked like an ugly stick.... SNAP! Unfortunately that fish didn't get landed. Then I got lucky.








and lucky again








Too Tall has to leave, and we adjust accordingly. The pledges of the the JAC get a few runs but don't hook up. Tenn has bad hearing and ****** can't seem to buy a bite... At this point, I am very hopeful one of them bows up. They've worked hard for it.
But apparently that night was my night to have the horsehoe up ----------------. I go to cast out and ZING! I blow up my reel. I am standing there in the surf thinking about how in the world I blew up my reel. They aren't supposed to do that. I'm standing there staring at it deciding if i should pick it out, or if I should just cut it, and bring it in by hand. Either way I gotta do something as my reel is locked up where the blow up is. THUNK! I'm thinking to myself, "damn, I think I just got picked up". I look at my line and the bow is straightening up..... I just got picked up. I'm thinking to myself what my options are, I could try and catch it, but I can't give him ANY drag since my reel is blown up, or I could try and...... pump, pump, pump. I decided to try and land it. I bow up, the fish is mad.... The only thing I have in my favor is 20lb line, and it's inside the bar. Time to put the heat on'em. Somehow I end up catching that fish, all the while telling my buddies "Ya'll ain't gonna believe this!" They just look at me like "yeah, yeah, great you're bowed up again". 
















Afterwards the 50+ is on the beach..... One of 2 or 3 for the night over 50.
The boys now understand after looking at my reel why this was a fish I'll always remember.
I get lucky 2 more times that night before we head in.

















****** and Tenn are sad. They've put more than their fair share of time in. They are FHB.... They go back out, but I don't go with, Deer season is in and my mind has gone from Red to Brown. But it pays off for them while all i saw was an irritating basket 4pt who didn't want to leave my stand area.









I tell him to come by the house after and there will be an FHB sticker waiting for him to put on his vehicle. I'm proud of my boys. Puttin the time in before season so they can reach the fish if they need to, and for the effort they put in trying to get one. Countless nights of driving from RVA, time spent getting bait, all forgotten with a fish. Great job Tenn, welcome to the AC. ******, better catch you a fish soon brother or you're gonna be a JAC for another year.

Good luck to everyone the rest of the fall.


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

Pretty work Neil! Especially that part with the blown up reel. That's happened to me a couple of times except *definitely not *with the result you had. You are the master!!!


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## Borthwick (Sep 4, 2011)

Great post! Loved the stories.


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

nice of you to share neil. I take it they have moved on to Carolina already? I'll be down there tomorrow and saturday with my wife but am assuming they are already gone. Please let me know if they are not.


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

Damn Asians, you mention you caught a fish and they show up in force and set up right next to ya! 

Yeah, this was a great year. The fish have pretty much moved on, but I heard Avalon popped over 30 fish last weekend. I fished the other side of the fence all last weekend without much of anything except for one small pickup, and I went to tighten up on it and felt the bait/hook pull from the fishes mouth. There were fish caught though, and I know of one that was caught up in VA. 

I got the fish Neil posted on a Thursday, then nailed two more Saturday and two more that Monday. The first two were 42, then a 45.5 and a yearling 38. Thanks Dr Bubba for picking out a good hole!

First 42...








Second 42, hooked while I was measuring the first...








The drum wanted to make funny faces...I obliged...









First fish on Monday morning, 45.5...








Yearling at 38...









Up until this year, I'd only ever caught one big drug, so to get 6 over the span of 6 days was stellar for me. Hate to see it end, but it was a blast while it lasted. I also broke off two other drum, one right in the wash and the other Neil mentioned above. Didn't meant to put the heat on it, but it seemed I couldn't loosen the drag fast enough before the line popped.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

basstardo said:


> Damn Asians, you mention you caught a fish and they show up in force and set up right next to ya!


yea, but we come bearing bait.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Awesome report Neil. Heck of a year, right?

BTW, love the Terminator/Cyclops shot!


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## jeff18 (Mar 27, 2010)

nice job thanks for sharing


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## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

Neil, this is true. I did get that last run on one of your spot heads. 

Flea, I thought that was a cool shot too.


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## stripperonmypole (Oct 24, 2009)

wuz worth it!!


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## Ed K (Mar 1, 2007)

basstardo said:


> Damn Asians, you mention you caught a fish and they show up in force and set up right next to ya!


Now He has invaded my hunt club trying to kill all my deer and I stress TRYING!!!!!!


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## westernny (Feb 18, 2006)

nice work


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## Islander80 (Mar 27, 2010)

Great work guys. Thanks for sharing.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Cool ******* Neil and Terry. Guess the secret that was BB and FC are well and truly out now, going to have to stake a claim next year
Neil came and set up in my back yard a year or so ago, looking for a deer. Needless to say, haven't seen hide nor hair of a deer since....but on the good side, haven't seen a pair of beady eyes looking around from up in a tree stand either. All the cats in the neighborhood took off running...


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

darin, i have no idea what your talking about. you must have me confused with some other korean.........


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Nope, haven't let any other Koreans in my backyard. You turned up with a jar of peanut butter, I have no idea what you were going to do with it and don't think I want to know either. Thought you had a girlfriend....


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## 10NKO (Aug 1, 2010)

Very nice, thanks for the pics


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Great read Neil. Awesome report.


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

It's been an awesome year for big drum this season. Thanks for posting.


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## chriscustom (Jun 17, 2006)

Nice post. Looks like you guys had a blast.


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