# Is the red drum bite over?



## O'Shaughnessy (Jul 17, 2013)

Hi guys, 

Thinking about planning another weekend trip to Nags Head and vicinity before the year is out. Are you guys still catching big drum consistently off the piers or are they all done for the year?

O'Shaugh


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

LOL, ive been trying to every weekend since mid october. Nada for me so far. Last i heard of was the two Spike caught last week. He's pretty good at it when he actually completes a cast without a break off. LOL


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

O'Shaughnessy said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Thinking about planning another weekend trip to Nags Head and vicinity before the year is out. Are you guys still catching big drum consistently off the piers or are they all done for the year?
> 
> O'Shaugh


Ummm. Did you miss Drumdums post?


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

O'Shaughnessy said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Thinking about planning another weekend trip to Nags Head and vicinity before the year is out. Are you guys still catching big drum consistently off the piers or are they all done for the year?
> 
> O'Shaugh


 There are a few still around...


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## ncsharkman (Mar 12, 2011)

They are still around [at least last week] they were! I caught a "50" while heaver fishing for shark form the "bar & grill". Also caught 3 biters around 100 lbs or so.


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## Borthwick (Sep 4, 2011)

I'm down in Rodanthe for a long weekend. They are killing them just north of the Rodanthe pier right now. Check out the Rodanthe Pier webcam and you'll see a crowd a few hundred meters north of the pier.


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

1BadF350 said:


> LOL, ive been trying to every weekend since mid october. Nada for me so far. Last i heard of was the two Spike caught last week. He's pretty good at it when he actually completes a cast without a break off. LOL


That is why UK Power-Casting fishermen use a Shock Leader with a strength of 10 lb. breaking strength for each oz. of weight being cast . . . They call that a "crack-off" in the UK !

So, "8 & Bait" would call for a minimum 80 lb -test Shock Leader . . . Stay Safe ! ! !


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## Aristokles (Mar 5, 2013)

Here I sit on a Sunday morning at 7:15 AM in Pittsburgh watching the Avalon Pier webcam showing about 2 dozen guys hauling in plenty of nice drum and a few good size specks. It's only 550 miles away...sigh.

No action on Nags Head Pier that I can see but the lines are wet there too (and at the Outer Banks Pier, too). Cyber-fishing, oh well.

Edit:

7:52 A.M. - the specks are hitting hard now. This is killing me. Better go to church...


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

ez2cdave said:


> That is why UK Power-Casting fishermen use a Shock Leader with a strength of 10 lb. breaking strength for each oz. of weight being cast . . . They call that a "crack-off" in the UK !
> 
> So, "8 & Bait" would call for a minimum 80 lb -test Shock Leader . . . Stay Safe ! ! !


80 pound test makes for a pretty large knot and would contribute to shock knot blowups where the knot hanging up in a guide or at the tip creates the overrun

Most fellas use 50 or at the most 60 pound test and especially if you use a 100 pound bite leader you have very few problems with break offs if you check your line and knots for wear and frays

I don't know any long time Drum Fisherman that uses 80 pound for a fishing setup shockline


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Garboman said:


> 80 pound test makes for a pretty large knot and would contribute to shock knot blowups where the knot hanging up in a guide or at the tip creates the overrun
> 
> Most fellas use 50 or at the most 60 pound test and especially if you use a 100 pound bite leader you have very few problems with break offs if you check your line and knots for wear and frays
> 
> I don't know any long time Drum Fisherman that uses 80 pound for a fishing setup shockline


 What he said.... You DO have to keep an eye out for frays,and retie you're terminal knot every so often though... Could not imagine what 80 would sound like going through the guides?? Clack clack,KERPOW,zzoom out into the yonder...


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## notso (Jul 18, 2005)

Drumdum said:


> What he said.... You DO have to keep an eye out for frays,and retie you're terminal knot every so often though... Could not imagine what 80 would sound like going through the guides?? Clack clack,KERPOW,zzoom out into the yonder...


It would probably sound like that "slim beauty" I had tied on at 1st friday night.

I think those UK guys use tapered shock leaders. They start out at 80# and the last few feet taper down to about 17-20#. It makes for a small knot and you get to tie similar diameters together.

I used them for a little while on a 6500 with level wind and they worked ok.


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

Obviously I was joking about Spikes break offs. The guy has been fishing longer than I've been alive. We dont need a lesson in shock leaders...


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## NC-Travis (May 18, 2013)

Spikes thumb brakes sometimes slip


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Na, just use an easy leader knot, none of them fancy bihiminis and such. Not neccessary except for bragging rights if your drag is set and you use the waves to bring 'em in. Flea wise anyway...


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

dirtyhandslopez said:


> Na, just use an easy leader knot, none of them fancy bihiminis and such. Not neccessary except for bragging rights if your drag is set and you use the waves to bring 'em in. Flea wise anyway...


 Yeah Darrel,I just tie what I tie for bragging rights....


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## sunburntspike (Oct 4, 2010)

Dang!!! No wonder my ears been burnin'....thought it was wind burn...the bite has slacked off on the northern piers due to many factors...a) water has been pretty smooth .b) skate and doggie invansions (see .a) c.)lack of dedicated fisherman trying.history shows that they will be caught uptil t-giving if conditions are right, this applies to any species.As fer my break offs..if ya ain't castin ya ain't fishing...go or blow sloshs will test yer thumb prints occasionally but if you ain't committing felonies you don't need 'em...40# shock to 20#main with a back to back uni..see ya on the planks, Spike


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

ez2cdave said:


> That is why UK Power-Casting fishermen use a Shock Leader with a strength of 10 lb. breaking strength for each oz. of weight being cast . . . They call that a "crack-off" in the UK !
> 
> So, "8 & Bait" would call for a minimum 80 lb -test Shock Leader . . . Stay Safe ! ! !


The "Grass Casters" you speak of only throw 5.25 ounces of Weight, so 50 would be fine for them as well.. Even though they still use a Tapered leader to get more distance.. Never seen anyone use more then 50 for a shock leader.. 
JAM


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

Drumdum said:


> Yeah Darrel,I just tie what I tie for bragging rights....


Yeah we know all about them non-double shock knots. Darren must have missed that seminar at Randy's that Saturday...LOL, was a bunch of upside down smiles that day...


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Yep, must had misssed it, shock knot still holds tight.
Kinda goes back to what you have said on many occasions Kenny, tie what you have confidence in and can tie quick, in the wet and wind, with cold hands, when there's a bite on. Or something close to that.
Now if your dragging a fish halfway up to the sky to land it, double knots might be neccessary:fishing:.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

dirtyhandslopez said:


> Yep, must had misssed it, shock knot still holds tight.
> Kinda goes back to what you have said on many occasions Kenny, tie what you have confidence in and can tie quick, in the wet and wind, with cold hands, when there's a bite on. Or something close to that.
> Now if your dragging a fish halfway up to the sky to land it, double knots might be neccessary:fishing:.


 If you are confident in it,go fer it... Me,I'm going to use something that I KNOW is strong,can tie quick, and can't break with my bare hands easily.. We don't "drag them halfway to the sky" on the planks.. Just put as much heat as possible without breakage on them to get them in as quickly as possible,land and release.. It has been over the top this year though,those guys want to dump a 20 sized reel,some pretty tough fish with attitudes.. BEG SUMBEETCHES TOO~~!!!! 

And Spike,it ain't over just yet,this wind COULD end it,but they still be biting.. When you are speaking doggies,I hope you are speaking smoothie,right???


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## sunburntspike (Oct 4, 2010)

Yeah kenny the smoothies .trying right now on the big j.couple of skates but not an invasion yet just yer normal one or two.will update..........


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## ncsharkman (Mar 12, 2011)

Hey Sprocket, try a "slim beauty" with a uni and pull it together wet, works like a charm and real small and easy to cast! [even for us ole "fogies"!!


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

Spike, you fishing with your skate rod again? LOL


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

sunburntspike said:


> Yeah kenny the smoothies .trying right now on the big j.couple of skates but not an invasion yet just yer normal one or two.will update..........


 We are still picking at them down here....


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

Drumdum said:


> We are still picking at them down here....


Leave the Large Drum alone they are a protected species


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Garboman said:


> Leave the Large Drum alone they are a protected species


 Best Nov in many years,Mike...


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## surffshr (Dec 8, 2003)

Large drum usually are gone if water get's below 60's.

Puoppy drum will tolerate some prettyy cold water.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

surffshr said:


> Large drum usually are gone if water get's below 60's.
> 
> Puoppy drum will tolerate some prettyy cold water.


 Actually the number is 57... That is from what I have seen in Novembers past... Seen one caught in 54 or less.. Caught one in the spring in 49.. I have witnessed blitzes in 57 though...


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## OldBay (May 15, 2003)

What is the water temp down there now??


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## OldBay (May 15, 2003)

Nevermind...

From Jennette's:

Fishing report for Friday, November 22, 2013 : Beautiful and sunny with scattered clouds. Winds from the SW at 7.5 mph. *Water temperature is 58 degrees. *So far this morning, 2 BLUEFISH, 1 BLACK DRUM, a small throwback FLOUNDER and a small SHEEPSHEAD have been caught. High Tide at 9:54 am and 10:26 pm, Low Tide at 4:33 this evening.


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

I think nice pups were caught into Jan this year. Someone correct me if I'm wrong..


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## surffshr (Dec 8, 2003)

Yes they were


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

They were still schooled up on the south end of PI this weekend so I went with a friend on his skiff over to the middle island and blasted them. I had enough meat from the previous 2 trips so we just had a ball with light tackle and put them all back in the drink. Had several doubles and had one drum hookup with an 18" flounder


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Big drum ain't left yet... One today,but could be more after this front... Water temp today 57.5


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## sleepyhead (Apr 30, 2004)

I hope they are around this weekend.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Wanted to go out today,but it was closed...  Hopefully they'll be a few like you Mark,so they'll have to keep it open...


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