# Lost the best T on the OBX



## Garboman

Looks like another fine T has bit the dust.

Only 2 remaining besides Sharkman's pier.

I first set foot on Avalon in 1966. Seen a lot of grand fish come up on its decks. Seen a lot of changes over the years and most of them were not good.

Glad Romeo and Joe Mullet did not live to see it.

Guess I will be crowding the rail at that public pier that shuts down right in the middle of prime time and has the light poles dead in my way. May use a pendulum cast if I can clear the railing safely on the forward drop portion of the cast.


*1987 Avalon Pier Summer*, Avalon had 15 feet of water off the end at high tide and Nags Head Pier had 12 feet. Avalon had been decking around 5 to 7 kings every day for a week and Nags Head had had but one or two, so I decided to Traitor Fish on a weekend......

I put anchor line out on the South Side of Avalon T and went to the surf to jig for bait.

Came back with a bait and when I got to the end my anchor line was cut off at the rod tip, burned by a cigarette actually.

Re-tied and put another anchor out.

Bait died, so I went to the surf to get another bait.

Came back out and anchor line again burned off at the rod tip. Romeo and the others were looking away out to sea, pretending not to notice.....

Fellas who gripe these days out being assigned a spot in a lottery, have no idea what it was like when the decks were smeared with blood and swirls of silver.......seemingly all summer long.....


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## obxchap

My son just moved to Kitty Hawk in May and this was his go to pier whenever there was a north, east or northeast wind chasing Spanish. Great pier, so many guys willing to help and show a newby to the pier on how things work and what he needed to be successful. Spent several weekends with him fishing there and what a blast it was,Fridays and saturday nights were very interesting out on the T. The last night we fished the pier was the Sunday night before the storm and there was some gentlemen out there talking to him about riding out the storm in the pier house with them like they did for the other cat 2 storms. He decided to not take chance in went inshore, i can tell you after listening to those gentlemen talk I wanted to stay! Great pier, good guys and cold beer doesnt get much better. Hopefully they rebuild


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## Garboman

The secret Drum Hotline has been quiet, I bet they bite tonight at the Pier near 7 11 that has nice chocolate donuts in the AM. Normally Kyle or his running buddy Travis text me some tales of off the hook bites and ask if I am fishing tonight.....Facebook could be blowing up.....

I tossed my big net this afternoon, all I got with a full pancake was leaves.

I reckon that I have a decent shot if I show up when the fish are around.

For all the fellas who had better bait than me this spring and laughed when I was using hard bloody fatback from Rodanthe......the worm turns and I have the secret FALL spot off Island that maybe only Joker could get into.......Off limits....Big Mullet.....Off limits......XX.stay out of my cooler.XX... maybe Nick can hook you up maybe Nick retired and you can get something frozen out of the back

What goes around comes around or something to that effect, or put it this way....put a nice bloody hard body section of Roe Mullet out in the impact zone and you will meet up with large things that pull drag.

If you find yourself getting out cast by 65 year old and he has better bait....there is always Monday Night Football If I find myself getting out cast by 30 year old with better bait.......I have no one to blame but myself........


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## Garboman

Big Surf takes its toll.

Nags Head Pier is no more..........
Avalon is no more.................
Now Avon is out of action likely for Fall Drum season..................

Tourist pier remains viable up until water temps drop which is inevitable come late November. Tourist Pier is now America's Pier as I have switched allegiances due to unforeseen events.

The best place for late November action is now gone.....gone...... unless they get to work on it tomorrow, which is unlikely.

My strategy is now either ............. or ...................... or else one just trip to Northern OBX and forget about Veterans Day and the PBR.

Avon John's Strategy just got changed too along with DD and Pat and the rest of them.......my misspent Youth and its memories are fading fast....

How the Mighty have fallen.


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## Drumdum

Garboman said:


> Big Surf takes its toll.
> 
> Nags Head Pier is no more..........
> Avalon is no more.................
> Now Avon is out of action likely for Fall Drum season..................
> 
> Tourist pier remains viable up until water temps drop which is inevitable come late November. Tourist Pier is now America's Pier as I have switched allegiances due to unforeseen events.
> 
> The best place for late November action is now gone.....gone...... unless they get to work on it tomorrow, which is unlikely.
> 
> My strategy is now either ............. or ...................... or else one just trip to Northern OBX and forget about Veterans Day and the PBR.
> 
> Avon John's Strategy just got changed too along with DD and Pat and the rest of them.......my misspent Youth and its memories are fading fast....
> 
> How the Mighty have fallen.


 It hurts to the quick Garbo,but we be making do with what we have,and still getting them.. I have to throw lefty now,but can still gettem.  Your name has been brought up many times,and believe it or not you are missed.. Obtw,I'm throwing your old 1509 now,fits perfect to my lefty style and now it actually catches some fish without a breakoff............ hahahahah Hope to see ya in new PBR tourney or "Wooden Pier Tourney" on Rodanthe to benefit the two wooden piers on Hatteras Island......


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## Jollymon

Drumdum said:


> It hurts to the quick Garbo,but we be making do with what we have,and still getting them.. I have to throw lefty now,but can still gettem.  Your name has been brought up many times,and believe it or not you are missed.. Obtw,I'm throwing your old 1509 now,fits perfect to my lefty style and now it actually catches some fish without a breakoff............ hahahahah Hope to see ya in new PBR tourney or "Wooden Pier Tourney" on Rodanthe to benefit the two wooden piers on Hatteras Island......


DD glad to see that your back and still getting it done.


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## Garboman

Drumdum said:


> It hurts to the quick Garbo,but we be making do with what we have,and still getting them.. I have to throw lefty now,but can still gettem.  Your name has been brought up many times,and believe it or not you are missed.. Obtw,I'm throwing your old 1509 now,fits perfect to my lefty style and now it actually catches some fish without a breakoff............ hahahahah Hope to see ya in new PBR tourney or "Wooden Pier Tourney" on Rodanthe to benefit the two wooden piers on Hatteras Island......


Glad I got rid of that 1509, caught a bunch of Drum on that rod but it was mighty unreliable in my paws, prone to both breakoffs and Smoker Sharks...both of which happened with a regularity.

I keep getting delayed for one reason or another, but will be down soon. At least on Rodanthe if I pendulum and have to smash a few things I do not have to worry as much about repercussions.


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## Indy2954

Garboman said:


> Big Surf takes its toll.
> 
> Nags Head Pier is no more..........
> Avalon is no more.................
> Now Avon is out of action likely for Fall Drum season..................
> 
> Tourist pier remains viable up until water temps drop which is inevitable come late November. Tourist Pier is now America's Pier as I have switched allegiances due to unforeseen events.
> 
> The best place for late November action is now gone.....gone...... unless they get to work on it tomorrow, which is unlikely.
> 
> My strategy is now either ............. or ...................... or else one just trip to Northern OBX and forget about Veterans Day and the PBR.
> 
> Avon John's Strategy just got changed too along with DD and Pat and the rest of them.......my misspent Youth and its memories are fading fast....
> 
> How the Mighty have fallen.


Frisco was my pier, until it succumbed to the briny blue.....

I loved that wooden lass, she was full of memories and tales. I remember the VaBch Sharkers coming out and fishing all night with tuna heads catching things that made a young boy gasp in awe.....

Now I fish the tourist pier with the other masses.......


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## Drumdum

Indy2954 said:


> Frisco was my pier, until it succumbed to the briny blue.....
> 
> I loved that wooden lass, she was full of memories and tales. I remember the VaBch Sharkers coming out and fishing all night with tuna heads catching things that made a young boy gasp in awe.....
> 
> Now I fish the tourist pier with the other masses.......


I remember throwing out big heads on 12/0s and landing hammers that were well over 9',bullsharks,lemons, and duskys that were way over 200,as well as the kings that got stacked like cordwood on a good day. Also remember the cantankerous manager Ellis that ran that pier the way they all should be ran today... Minus that ice tea colored coke that was rum flavored... All the fishing friends I made back then,as well as all the lessons I learned about how to tie a knot and rig,and how to work a fish into a net or gaff.. Yes,she was my favorite.. Shame mother nature is taking them down one by one..


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## Benji

Has the end of avon been repaired yet?


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## Drumdum

Benji said:


> Has the end of avon been repaired yet?


 No... It may not get fixed for some time.. NPS is going to contribute funds for rebuild... Very complicated on how it all works.. Hate to look a gift horse in the mouth,but this is the same group of folks that regulates our beaches.. I hope it all woks out..


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## Guest

Benji said:


> Has the end of avon been repaired yet?


How much of the pier was damaged?


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## Benji

PierRat4Life said:


> Benji said:
> 
> 
> 
> Has the end of avon been repaired yet?
> 
> 
> 
> How much of the pier was damaged?
Click to expand...

it buckled about 30 foot from the end


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## Drumdum

Benji said:


> it buckled about 30 foot from the end


 Also another buckle near surf... They are fishing off it now,but only about a 1/4 of it is being fished...


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## Benji

Drumdum said:


> Benji said:
> 
> 
> 
> it buckled about 30 foot from the end
> 
> 
> 
> Also another buckle near surf... They are fishing off it now,but only about a 1/4 of it is being fished...
Click to expand...

I want to make a run down for a day on the 16th hoping for avon. whats my better bet rodanthe? or the point?


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## Drumdum

If you are after drum,probably the point if weather turns and chills water too much.. If pattern holds with water temps at 58plus Rodanthe stands a chance.. On avon with end still there,no way you could navigate to catch one without it being in a piling.. Not saying you couldn't catch with a stiff current one way or the other,but odds wouldn't be in your favor..........


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## Benji

Thanks Drumdum. With avon being out was leaning toward the point. Planks make things easier on a quick trip though. Less to clean.


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## Garboman

Drumdum said:


> Also another buckle near surf... They are fishing off it now,but only about a 1/4 of it is being fished...


Not sure if I am coming down this weekend or not to Rodanthe, do not feel a great deal of love for being crowded, got waylaid by work matters and had to put off heading South when it was better weather. 

One thing I am sure of is that every time I click on a page on this website now no matter if it is Internet Explorer or Google Chrome I am being screwed over by a pop-up box asking me if I really want to leave this page. Yes I want to leave the page, that's why I clicked on another link. A couple more days of this and I will be done, like Skunk King and Dave and some fellas who passed on...............not trying to elicit responses about my absence, but was wondering if others had the same issue I am having with navigating this site.


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## jef400dread

Garbo - sometimes I'll have trouble staying signed in, as I go back and forth from into a thread, then clicking back to What's New at the top. Being signed in prevents the ads between the posts on any thread. There was a period a couple weeks ago that even after I'd sign in, and I saw my username at the top right of the page, once I clicked into a post - I'd get signed out. I only use this site from Chrome on a desktop - the mobile experience (even when viewing in Desktop mode) was always clunky for me.


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## Garboman

jef400dread said:


> Garbo - sometimes I'll have trouble staying signed in, as I go back and forth from into a thread, then clicking back to What's New at the top. Being signed in prevents the ads between the posts on any thread. There was a period a couple weeks ago that even after I'd sign in, and I saw my username at the top right of the page, once I clicked into a post - I'd get signed out. I only use this site from Chrome on a desktop - the mobile experience (even when viewing in Desktop mode) was always clunky for me.


Thank you

For some reason site is not asking me if I really want to leave the page right now.

Cold Front coming in tomorrow. could push more fish South from Virginia, if there are any left up there.

Trout fishermen are Traitors unless they are polite and wait until January to start chucking Gulp, I heard that a lot of Trout fishermen are Girly Men.

DD will probably be on the end of Rodanthe sometime this week and perhaps Clyde. Clyde is smoking me this Fall...................he has four or five according to the RedHead. 87 years old or so and still chucking it out there with a heaver. I first met Clyde thirty years ago on the end of Rodanthe when it was real long and was 100 feet wide at the T. A Skate had eaten my Drum bait and then swam down into Clyde's gear tangling it up to the max. Clyde was cussing as he untangled us something about a damned Yankee tangling up his rig, I was standing right there, could not leave of course being a damned Yankee that was still tangled up in his rig. There is a Fenwick Surf Stick with a mint Abu Red 9000 hanging up over Clyde's mantel at his house on the Pier Road. At one time it belonged to me.......had to sell it to another friend one time when I needed funds because the Nags Head Police Department and I had some kind of miss understanding anyway my Friend sold it to Clyde.............I think Clyde has it just for the memories of an Damned Yankee from North of the Bonner Bridge who showed up and never left.......

I just finished rewrapping another SurfStick, if I epoxy before I leave I will bring it and put it on one more Drum if I can, hopefully with Clyde and Readhead and DD telling me what to do........


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## Drumdum

Yep,Redhead told me you were coming down... Weather ain't looking good today,but sat and sunday are looking better..........


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## Garboman

Drumdum said:


> Yep,Redhead told me you were coming down... Weather ain't looking good today,but sat and sunday are looking better..........


They were only biting within 100 Feet of a certain place, spotty bite, around 25 or 30 paper fish yesterday before the Front came in, perhaps more, most all of them beached before I got in line.

My trip was zero for zero, not counting 2 schoolie Stripers that I caught in my cast net at my secret spot.

Funny thing about a major cold front hitting November, it draws people together

The top DrumPro's were all out in that 200 foot cordoned off area yesterday. They all said hi to me and I was glad to see them. I was given the 2019 totals and it looks like a former MAN winner who is always near the top is out in front by 10 fish. At least these DrumPro's remembered my name and seemed happy to see me. I mean if you are part of a big crowd and say the only 10 guys you know happen to be the best casters in North America and they are all there getting soaked by a hard rain along with the newer fellas and fellas who want to be DrumPro's but cannot convince the Spouse that quitting gainful employment in exchange for a life of being able to put a bait out further then the rest and with regularity night after night.

Funny thing about Darkness, yesterday morning I started fishing a 3:30 AM 200 yards South of secret spot. 

At 5:00 AM the bite started with Kyle showing the way. Kyle had 3 burned off and beached 4 and then left right when I gave up and joined the crowd. It is not easy fishing a crowd, and I avoided it too long just feeding Sea Mullets and safe from a Drum Bite a scant 200 yards down the beach. At the time I was not in a mood to spend predawn with strangers and tangled lines, in retrospect I took the easy way out, and like most things in life, the rewards come from the exact opposite. If it were easy why would the same 10 guys dominate every single year, it would be 10 different guys every year, luck of the draw, well luck has nothing to do with it. I could not see this happening because it is Dark and I am 200 yards away and no one including God was yelling hey Mike you better move North 200 Yards for the next cast. The Night before there had been no real bite, so I told myself, fish by yourself and not problems, no problems about being beset by Drum anyway.

Funny thing about these Fish last weekend. If you were not at the hole, you were out of business.

Ran into the Tater Man on my way out of Buxton, his Mom would be proud of him with his beautiful locks of Hatterasman hair

The real hole was at the end of Avon Pier but that was out of business, kind of like me this morning in my office


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## Drumdum

Garboman said:


> They were only biting within 100 Feet of a certain place, spotty bite, around 25 or 30 paper fish yesterday before the Front came in, perhaps more, most all of them beached before I got in line.
> 
> My trip was zero for zero, not counting 2 schoolie Stripers that I caught in my cast net at my secret spot.
> 
> Funny thing about a major cold front hitting November, it draws people together
> 
> The top DrumPro's were all out in that 200 foot cordoned off area yesterday. They all said hi to me and I was glad to see them. I was given the 2019 totals and it looks like a former MAN winner who is always near the top is out in front by 10 fish. At least these DrumPro's remembered my name and seemed happy to see me. I mean if you are part of a big crowd and say the only 10 guys you know happen to be the best casters in North America and they are all there getting soaked by a hard rain along with the newer fellas and fellas who want to be DrumPro's but cannot convince the Spouse that quitting gainful employment in exchange for a life of being able to put a bait out further then the rest and with regularity night after night.
> 
> Funny thing about Darkness, yesterday morning I started fishing a 3:30 AM 200 yards South of secret spot.
> 
> At 5:00 AM the bite started with Kyle showing the way. Kyle had 3 burned off and beached 4 and then left right when I gave up and joined the crowd. It is not easy fishing a crowd, and I avoided it too long just feeding Sea Mullets and safe from a Drum Bite a scant 200 yards down the beach. At the time I was not in a mood to spend predawn with strangers and tangled lines, in retrospect I took the easy way out, and like most things in life, the rewards come from the exact opposite. If it were easy why would the same 10 guys dominate every single year, it would be 10 different guys every year, luck of the draw, well luck has nothing to do with it. I could not see this happening because it is Dark and I am 200 yards away and no one including God was yelling hey Mike you better move North 200 Yards for the next cast. The Night before there had been no real bite, so I told myself, fish by yourself and not problems, no problems about being beset by Drum anyway.
> 
> Funny thing about these Fish last weekend. If you were not at the hole, you were out of business.
> 
> Ran into the Tater Man on my way out of Buxton, his Mom would be proud of him with his beautiful locks of Hatterasman hair
> 
> The real hole was at the end of Avon Pier but that was out of business, kind of like me this morning in my office


 Sorry I missed ya friend,but timing a bite at the point without five thousand of those "wanna be's" and throwing lefty,a bit out of the "zone" ain't my cup of tea... haha I live here and will time at least one bite,using Tater as my spy,that there are not quite as many stuffed into that one little spot... Sat and watched them the day before,what a cluster ####.. 

Probably catch you in spring,a few more days that aren't quite as covered up and point should change enough to spread things out a bit... 

Tater seems to love his locks..   I remember when I could actually grow hair and it was red in color, I did the same as him and it was just as beautiful....   

Hope your work and other things work themselves out for you Garbo..


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## buckles

Rodanthe pier closed till further notice..due to erosion and the nor'easter thats on the way.


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## Garboman

Drumdum said:


> Sorry I missed ya friend,but timing a bite at the point without five thousand of those "wanna be's" and throwing lefty,a bit out of the "zone" ain't my cup of tea... haha I live here and will time at least one bite,using Tater as my spy,that there are not quite as many stuffed into that one little spot... Sat and watched them the day before,what a cluster ####..
> 
> Probably catch you in spring,a few more days that aren't quite as covered up and point should change enough to spread things out a bit...
> 
> Tater seems to love his locks..   I remember when I could actually grow hair and it was red in color, I did the same as him and it was just as beautiful....
> 
> Hope your work and other things work themselves out for you Garbo..


Communicated with the DrumPro who Tournament Officials believe is the #2 rated MAN contestant for 2019. There is a new Sheriff in Town and his name is Century Graphex Sport Tip Tornado I had the chance to hold this new Century stick this Spring at Ryan's, but was unable to fish it due to it at the time was the only one in America at the time and it was going to Raleigh for the tackle show that weekend instead of in my beach vehicle headed to the Point. It is thinner in profile and much lighter than the Excaliber 1200, and is rated for 225 grams instead of the typical 200 gram Century rod. It is 13' 10" and it is going to be my next Stick, unless of course I get a bargain on a few 1306 blanks. Or I may surrender and just fish my sticks I currently own.

Come to think of it I need two of these bad boys, may be difficult spacewise on a pier without a T, but one the beach should be something that will leave a mark on the average sticks, and it will sure leave a mark on the railing if you blast it at full speed

Out the door Graphex Sport built it is $$$ at Ryan's. But what is a few extra hundred dollars or so, if you can make bait bitches out of your competitors.

#1 DrumPro for 2019 broke 100 before the weekend's blow which has cut off participation from residents North of the Basnight Bridge. There could be what is a situation similar to when the barge took out Sections of the Bonner Bridge in 1990 and only the locals cleaned up on Drum.............I guess they deserve something for having their home cut off from the rest of the World.


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## Garboman

All these secret spots are now in the drink....


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## Drumdum

Not totally in the drink,and "supposedly" will be rebuilt with aid of nps.......... An OI captain called me going through Pea Island yesterday on my way to Manteo.. He informed me there were 10 caught that night and he caught three of those.. It is not totally over,but he also told me the folks were still packed in one spot.. Tried to talk the Tater into going last night as it was sw,but he said "no way in hell was he going to be in that mess"...... Guess he kinda takes after dad.  Anyway,guess I be under the knife this winter to try and get my right side working again.. As is,can barely handle a light spinning rod.. Or will be lefty forever.. Got a heaver down decent,but spinner has right arm involved in fighting fish a bit more....... Hope you get down a few more times this next year...


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## Guest

If this continues, eventually Jennettes will be the only one standing.


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## Garboman

Drumdum said:


> Not totally in the drink,and "supposedly" will be rebuilt with aid of nps.......... An OI captain called me going through Pea Island yesterday on my way to Manteo.. He informed me there were 10 caught that night and he caught three of those.. It is not totally over,but he also told me the folks were still packed in one spot.. Tried to talk the Tater into going last night as it was sw,but he said "no way in hell was he going to be in that mess"...... Guess he kinda takes after dad.  Anyway,guess I be under the knife this winter to try and get my right side working again.. As is,can barely handle a light spinning rod.. Or will be lefty forever.. Got a heaver down decent,but spinner has right arm involved in fighting fish a bit more....... Hope you get down a few more times this next year...


I have yet another of my SurfSticks on the rod machine for a redu............got a few more old sticks that I will rebuild over the winter, mostly Cobia Sticks and such. I will be all Spiffy in the Spring

Pic of Tater was on the end of Avalon, could not find any of me on Avalon as my Pictures would have been taken pre-Facebook, I came across it the other day, he looks just like his Mother.

Get that Knee rehabbed so that I can go up against Team Wilson again, I have one question though why is that TomH on Team Wilson? Should TomH be on Team Avalon?

Team Rodanthe has pretty much old folks now.........heard that Stanley has serious Health problems and can barely walk now, lives somewhere down in the Panhandle of Florida with his girlfriend taking care of him.

Hopefully NPS will take the job of a Avon Pier rebuild seriously especially since Frisco Pier got jacked.....

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Kenny and tell Tater to get into the Mix....before the Spineys and SandBars take over


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## Drumdum

Yesterday got a call,it was se wind and air temps felt pretty good.. I had your old rod and was throwing lefty and soaking bait with no luck.. Watched as "last year's MAN" caught 4.. Told him that my hopes were up that with all the action he was getting,MAYBE one might smell my inside bait... About two minutes later it was on.. Got one on the beach,that was my goal and was happy with that,plus things had settled a bit and no one was getting bowed up as I left... No doubt they gottem good last night as tide was set to arrive late.. This year's "MAN" was driving in as I was driving out,I am sure he had to work yesterday and had just got off.. No doubt they smoked em last night..! Anyway,your old rod fights a fish nicely and is kind to this converted lefty....... haha


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## Garboman

Drumdum said:


> Yesterday got a call,it was se wind and air temps felt pretty good.. I had your old rod and was throwing lefty and soaking bait with no luck.. Watched as "last year's MAN" caught 4.. Told him that my hopes were up that with all the action he was getting,MAYBE one might smell my inside bait... About two minutes later it was on.. Got one on the beach,that was my goal and was happy with that,plus things had settled a bit and no one was getting bowed up as I left... No doubt they gottem good last night as tide was set to arrive late.. This year's "MAN" was driving in as I was driving out,I am sure he had to work yesterday and had just got off.. No doubt they smoked em last night..! Anyway,your old rod fights a fish nicely and is kind to this converted lefty....... haha


That particular rod was built at Hatteras Jacks, both Ryan and Jim worked on it. Rod was a custom order with a butt section that had a wrap on reel seat and when it was brand new it was a real pretty stick. I debuted it for Drum on Avalon in Oct. 2004 and some snarky Drum fella came up to me and said that I was copying the Florida Twin's color scheme of Carolina Blue. It was actually a copy of a rod I built in the 1980's for a pin rigging fighting rod. That Florida DrumPro had not yet been encumbered by Family life and he was much more of a presence like every day and night for 70-90 days straight he was the machine I built a Zzplex Heaver in 1992 using the same color scheme of Carolina Blue. I may just build a popping rod this same color scheme this weekend for old times sake.

Before WRI came along and before Penn Fathoms and Seiglers and before Century and CTS, the 2nd gen 1509 was the rod. 15 years ago when I was more in my prime there was a Fall day on Avon when no one had a bait further out than mine and some of the folks who smoke me today were all a bit inshore...the rod resting in the notch on the rail was that same stick you used to put one on the beach last Sunday afternoon, I know that Tater had it re-done and good to hear it is still catching. 

Below is this 1509 leaning on the rail by the sink last Drum of the year Avon Pier December 2017. Hope to see more pictures of it in the future around large Drum Found the Picture on Avon's website not sure who took it. I posted it on another thread yesterday but this is about the history of your lefty stick. Get your Knee rehabbed and I will see you in the Spring


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## Drumdum

Garboman said:


> That particular rod was built at Hatteras Jacks, both Ryan and Jim worked on it. Rod was a custom order with a butt section that had a wrap on reel seat and when it was brand new it was a real pretty stick. I debuted it for Drum on Avalon in Oct. 2004 and some snarky Drum fella came up to me and said that I was copying the Florida Twin's color scheme of Carolina Blue. It was actually a copy of a rod I built in the 1980's for a pin rigging fighting rod. That Florida DrumPro had not yet been encumbered by Family life and he was much more of a presence like every day and night for 70-90 days straight he was the machine I built a Zzplex Heaver in 1992 using the same color scheme of Carolina Blue. I may just build a popping rod this same color scheme this weekend for old times sake.
> 
> Before WRI came along and before Penn Fathoms and Seiglers and before Century and CTS, the 2nd gen 1509 was the rod. 15 years ago when I was more in my prime there was a Fall day on Avon when no one had a bait further out than mine and some of the folks who smoke me today were all a bit inshore...the rod resting in the notch on the rail was that same stick you used to put one on the beach last Sunday afternoon, I know that Tater had it re-done and good to hear it is still catching.
> 
> Below is this 1509 leaning on the rail by the sink last Drum of the year Avon Pier December 2017. Hope to see more pictures of it in the future around large Drum Found the Picture on Avon's website not sure who took it. I posted it on another thread yesterday but this is about the history of your lefty stick. Get your Knee rehabbed and I will see you in the Spring
> 
> View attachment 62141


 Yep,that is the rod... Fla guy told me it isn't EXACTLY his colors,but they are close,he and his brother are using the same colors they used back in the 70's.. Tater hasn't redone you're old 09 yet,hopefully in the winter it will be sporting my colors from the 70's... Don't expect to catch as many as then,but I'm not as angry with them as I used to be either....  I think that pic of you is the last time you were down and staying in the rooms?? There is a lot more beach in that pic "pre Dorian" than there is now for sure... Knees are ok,shoulder could be in rehab though.. If it comes out ok,will use that rod for a lefty backup and be throwing my cts...


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## Drumdum

View attachment 62143
Here is an 80's drum from Rodanthe "you'r old pier"... Note red hair,at the time plenty of it too............... hahaha


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## Fishbreath

@Garbo and @Drumdum - Man I missed you guys and reading all this banter and good stuff. Haven't been on in a while. A thing called life and work keeps getting in the way. I guess its better than the alternative. I'll be down that way again eventually now that I'm close to retirement. At least I won't have to throw left handed  ...for now...


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## Drumdum

fishbreath said:


> at least i won't have to throw left handed  ...for now...


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## Guest

Drumdum said:


>


The link at the bottom of your posts is dead.


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## Drumdum

PierRat4Life said:


> The link at the bottom of your posts is dead.


 New board,new rules...


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## Guest

Drumdum said:


> New board,new rules...


Huh ?


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## Garboman

PierRat4Life said:


> The link at the bottom of your posts is dead.


This one was not dead though.....


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## 40inchreds

That's a fat one


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## Garboman

40inchreds said:


> That's a fat one


Had a bad taste joke I changed my mind on. The fish pictured is part of the North Beach subspecies.


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## Drumdum

That was the year of the bigguns in 2014... Got pinned in the corners of that pier fighting bigguns a bunch of times that year!!


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## flathead

That fat bull red is almost as big as the old phart holding it...........


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## Drumdum

Garbo,got the pic up that time,after editing... It was from Rodanthe back in the 80s..


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## Garboman

Drumdum said:


> Garbo,got the pic up that time,after editing... It was from Rodanthe back in the 80s..
> View attachment 62387


Same Pier 15 Years ago when most of current DrumPunks were in Grammar School and not as many folks could put a bait out further than me. Beard went white, I grew weaker over time. and hair went a little grey, but still have plenty of it Was benching multiple reps 450 on the Cybex bench press machine in those days, tried multiple times to get to 500lbs. on that machine but never did, kept separating muscles in my neck and chest trying for 500lbs. It was only 50 additional pounds but when you have reached your limit, that is the limit....... Look forward to catching a few more in 2020.










Tournament Officials are conducting official counts but it looks like this is the MAN 2019. Tournament officials do not own the rights to this photo, it was borrowed from internet for discussion purposes only. Any copyright infringement issues or complaints should be directed to MAN Tournament legal representative firm Barrow Bristow and Spongen LLP. Remember it is all tied up now in 2020 and if you got what it takes.....get on the beach this spring and make it happen.


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## The Joker

Looks like there is going to be some tough competition for the title in 2020. Zing has every intention on repeating but a former winner is now self employed and wants the title back. Just curios if you have a list of former winners by year Garbo? Would be interesting to see what you and Drumdum could come up with. 

I've been doing a little work on the Fathoms With the help of Biker Ricky, looking to gain a little more distance and hopefully up my numbers.


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## Garboman

The Joker said:


> Looks like there is going to be some tough competition for the title in 2020. Zing has every intention on repeating but a former winner is now self employed and wants the title back. Just curios if you have a list of former winners by year Garbo? Would be interesting to see what you and Drumdum could come up with.
> 
> I've been doing a little work on the Fathoms With the help of Biker Ricky, looking to gain a little more distance and hopefully up my numbers.


I have three Fathom's but if I speed them up it may just create problems, let me know what you and the Biker are up to with the adjustments and what works, I could use help with my distance also.

I saw a picture of a Street Sign on the outer highway in Nags Head, is that the person you are now referring to as self-employed? I saw some WRI Blanks for sale at the same website. The MAN tournament does strange things to people, some get mad and quit Drum Fishing if they lose...some get mad and quit their jobs



In the 1980's Larry H..k was the MAN a lot of the time, Larry was a former North American distance casting champion and he was big like you and really smooth. There was also a guy named Jay "The Hopper" and there was also the Twin from Oregon Inlet who if not for time constraints from his Day Job would be at or near the top. "The Hopper" got married I think, I have not seen him in nearly 30 years. Larry H..k moved to Ohio, does not fish anymore. So two of the finest casters to ever set foot on a plank are gone in the wind..... 25 Drum in one season was a big number in the 1980's. There was also Mike H..ys who was the MAN on Avon Pier in the 1970's-1980's Mike H..ys was still fishing in 2007 but I have not seen him around lately

Here is what the list like during the 1990's, records are spotty from those days but this is the what I remember, DD can chime in and adjust the timing on the year(s) he was the MAN, or for errors on my part in trying to remember through the 420 years of my life.
There were other people who were real good but there was one was outstanding, he fished Fenwick SurfSticks and mostly I remember him using Red 9000C's. 40-50 Drum was a big number in the 1990's.

1990- Twin from Florida
1991- Twin from Florida
1992- The "Hopper"
1993- Twin from Florida
1994- Twin from Florida
1995- DD
1996- Twin from Florida
1997- Twin from Florida
1998- Twin from Florida
1999- Twin from Florida
2000- Twin from Florida

Twin from Florida in the early days, pretty much fished every tide day and night for 3 months in the Fall, none in Spring due to his Day Job. It was like a job for him mostly on Avon Pier, but also as far North as Sand Bridge and the State Line in Currituck County. The rest of us were part time DrumPro's or DrumRookies in my case as we had to work. It was real cold in those days, not like today. Today the Twin has time constraints with his Family. Time is a major factor, you have to be a great caster, have great bait, but most importantly you have to have bait in the water when the Drum are there.

I will get to the 2000's and 2010's in another post when the numbers of Drum exploded due in my mind to the REC Ban.


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## savfish

Congrats to Lee on another lifetime achievement award. Not only did he win The Man 2019 but he put an 80+ Lb Cobia on the beach. One of those spring nights I am pretty sure he put 17 big ones on the sand. Awesome year of fishing!


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## Garboman

I just got done hijacking a few threads so I thought I would comment on this one since it has an open policy of hijacks are just fine.....

I am thinking of bombing out baits late at night.

I have yet to test case my custom G-Man static mag Daiwa 20, it is currently mounted on a Surf Stick and it looks like it will be decent for beach work, especially if I am not around any DrumPros picking off fish before they swim into my impact zone.


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## Drumdum

Garboman said:


> I have three Fathom's but if I speed them up it may just create problems, let me know what you and the Biker are up to with the adjustments and what works, I could use help with my distance also.
> 
> I saw a picture of a Street Sign on the outer highway in Nags Head, is that the person you are now referring to as self-employed? I saw some WRI Blanks for sale at the same website. The MAN tournament does strange things to people, some get mad and quit Drum Fishing if they lose...some get mad and quit their jobs
> 
> 
> 
> In the 1980's Larry H..k was the MAN a lot of the time, Larry was a former North American distance casting champion and he was big like you and really smooth. There was also a guy named Jay "The Hopper" and there was also the Twin from Oregon Inlet who if not for time constraints from his Day Job would be at or near the top. "The Hopper" got married I think, I have not seen him in nearly 30 years. Larry H..k moved to Ohio, does not fish anymore. So two of the finest casters to ever set foot on a plank are gone in the wind..... 25 Drum in one season was a big number in the 1980's. There was also Mike H..ys who was the MAN on Avon Pier in the 1970's-1980's Mike H..ys was still fishing in 2007 but I have not seen him around lately
> 
> Here is what the list like during the 1990's, records are spotty from those days but this is the what I remember, DD can chime in and adjust the timing on the year(s) he was the MAN, or for errors on my part in trying to remember through the 420 years of my life.
> There were other people who were real good but there was one was outstanding, he fished Fenwick SurfSticks and mostly I remember him using Red 9000C's. 40-50 Drum was a big number in the 1990's.
> 
> 1990- Twin from Florida
> 1991- Twin from Florida
> 1992- The "Hopper"
> 1993- Twin from Florida
> 1994- Twin from Florida
> 1995- DD
> 1996- Twin from Florida
> 1997- Twin from Florida
> 1998- Twin from Florida
> 1999- Twin from Florida
> 2000- Twin from Florida
> 
> Twin from Florida in the early days, pretty much fished every tide day and night for 3 months in the Fall, none in Spring due to his Day Job. It was like a job for him mostly on Avon Pier, but also as far North as Sand Bridge and the State Line in Currituck County. The rest of us were part time DrumPro's or DrumRookies in my case as we had to work. It was real cold in those days, not like today. Today the Twin has time constraints with his Family. Time is a major factor, you have to be a great caster, have great bait, but most importantly you have to have bait in the water when the Drum are there.
> 
> I will get to the 2000's and 2010's in another post when the numbers of Drum exploded due in my mind to the REC Ban.


 During those times post,I also was a parttimer,Joker.. Twin from Fla won many,one of mine wasn't mentioned,as well as a few of Russel the other redhead as well......... Back then,we had no numbers like today,if you passed 20 you were doing something.....


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## Garboman

That's Clyde's rod laying on the rail in the background. This was the 4th or 5th for me that afternoon and Clyde was getting irritated as he was on suicide watch. Rod laying next to Clyde's is my backup, on old Rodanthe you could get away with that kind of activity. 2003 or 2004 back when I was bad ass.


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## Harrymanz

Cmon guys it was just gettin good


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## Garboman

LIVE: Live Report from Secret Spot: LIVE

Kind of Like a Live Facebook Feed but I used a phone and talked to the RedHead about an hour ago.

No Drum yet only Sharks.

No Drum last Night only Sharks.

It will shut down later tonight around 2:00 AM when the Wind shifts NE and Hard.

Likely every FHB will be there later this afternoon at one of the Secret Spots.

If it goes off tonight, then a quick trip to the Hard NE wind secret spot will be the deal for the rest of the weekend.


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## obxchap

Love the live updates keep'em coming!


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## Jollymon

The 1st one was caught this weekend by Travis , Nice bit of work


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## Garboman

I cleaned up and static magged my 6/0 today and retied the Bimini's. Getting it ready for Ulua and YFT off of Kaena Point.

I will mount in on a 1509 and slide rig live baits on it.

Will have to test it to see what kind of distance I can get with an 8 ounce sinker. At the moment it has about 75 yards of 50# shock on in. May have to reduce it some.

Not looking for a long bomb Hatteras type cast, 75 yards without a backlash will be fine.


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## Jollymon

Garboman said:


> I cleaned up and static magged my 6/0 today and retied the Bimini's. Getting it ready for Ulua and YFT off of Kaena Point.
> 
> I will mount in on a 1509 and slide rig live baits on it.
> 
> Will have to test it to see what kind of distance I can get with an 8 ounce sinker. At the moment it has about 75 yards of 50# shock on in. May have to reduce it some.
> 
> Not looking for a long bomb Hatteras type cast, 75 yards without a backlash will be fine.


I've had the pleasure of wetting a line at that very spot just under 20 years ago , Way different from OBX


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