# MAN 2021 Tournament



## Garboman

*MAN Tournament 2021* has started and somewhere someone is bowed up to what he hopes is not a Shark.

If you think you have what it takes, best get to work.

Due to the grueling nature of this Tournament, luck does not come into play.

What you need to win is a combination of the following items. 

1. Athletic Ability
2. Top of the Line Drum Rods
3. Top of the Line Drum Reels
4. Four or more 1 pound spools of ProSpec or Sufix or maybe some other brand
5. Two hundred 7 ounce to 10 ounce Sinkers (Sharks Get Hungry) at a minimum
6. Two Hundred Drum Rigs at a minimum
7. 500 to 700 pounds of top quality iced bait (Pays to have inside connections either retail or fresh off the boat)
8. A working 4x4 vehicle with NC beach permit (Can be either your Truck or your buddies, but someone has to buy the gas and maintain the vehicle.
9. No Job during months March-June and months of Sept-June or the ability to quit job at moments notice.
10. Either an understanding supportive spouse with a good job which is preferable or No Spouse to get in your way.

If you checked off 9 or 10 of the previous 10 items you are a DrumPro and you stand a decent chance.

If you checked off 7 or 8 of the previous 10 items you are a skilled Angler who would need a Cinderella Season to stand a chance.

If you checked off 6 or less you will likely will have little chance unless nefarious means are employed.

If you want to win, you have to earn it.


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## Garboman

Wanted to clarify item number 9 in above post.

If you are a new entrant to this tournament, plan on quitting your present job in early March.

Existing entrants to previous Tournaments know that jobs kind of get in the way as they make themselves available both Spring and Fall seasons, perhaps taking some downtime in January and February to get their gear in order and tie rigs, smelt lead, perform housework, watch the kids, tell your spouse that things will be better this year and if you happen to win in 2021, you will retire and get back to being the person she thought you would be. 

(Instead of some unshaven unbathed sunburnt fella living out of his Truck watching the Weather Channel instead of Bloomberg.com and coming home only to shower and get a change of clothes and a decent meal besides nabs and coffee and soda.


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## Garboman

I was just speaking on the Secret Drum Hotline and was informed that last years DrumPRo #1 and DrumPRo Joker are both Dropping down to the brand new CTS equal section 12' rods. 1205 and the even newer 1204.

Word is same power as 13' 1305 and 1306 but more rod speed and they are lighter so they make a more pleasant experience standing around waiting to get clobbered by a Shark or something.

Nick is the one you need to get in touch with at Nicks Custom Rods *








Nicks Custom Rods







nickscustomrods.com





Be sure and order two 1205's, I want Nick off the beach and out of my way if I can get vaccinated in time for the Spring Bite*


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## bogeyman71

Im hoping to get some clarification. Are the pros using a 50/50 split 1205 or a 8’10” tip 1205? The 2020 MAN’s golden rod looks to be the long tip version with the dec wrap on the tip section. I wouldn’t mind a 50/50 “travel” heaver but would like some feed back from some of the pros that have completed a little R&D with the 50/50 before I invest.


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## duskandlily

bogeyman71 said:


> Im hoping to get some clarification. Are the pros using a 50/50 split 1205 or a 8’10” tip 1205? The 2020 MAN’s golden rod looks to be the long tip version with the dec wrap on the tip section. I wouldn’t mind a 50/50 “travel” heaver but would like some feed back from some of the pros that have completed a little R&D with the 50/50 before I invest.


I wanna fish off a pier/beach in NJ but its really cold. I got a sabiki rig, a couple of suspending jerkbaits (a larger one and a smaller one), some berkley gulp minnows/swimming mullet, a bunch of jig heads/weights, a couple of storm shad swimbaits, some cut squid and finger mullet from killer bee baits, and a 2 oz bucktail. I was thinking of cutting the cut squid into thin strips, putting them on the bucktail, and doing a slow retrieve. I was also thinking of putting the entire finger mullet on a carolina rig, or cutting it up and putting it on a hi low with the cut squid. I have no clue as to whether the sabiki works or not, but if it does, ill probably put whatever live bait i can catch on a carolina rig and live line it. I just need some tips and responses to all of this to know whether it'll work or not.


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## The Joker

bogeyman71 said:


> Im hoping to get some clarification. Are the pros using a 50/50 split 1205 or a 8’10” tip 1205? The 2020 MAN’s golden rod looks to be the long tip version with the dec wrap on the tip section. I wouldn’t mind a 50/50 “travel” heaver but would like some feed back from some of the pros that have completed a little R&D with the 50/50 before I invest.


The rod pictured is 70/30. I have a 50/50 and I really like it. We are having a rod demo day in Rocky Mount N.C. January 16th if you would like to come try them out.


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## bogeyman71

Thanks for the reply Joker. I wish I could make Rocky Mt. but I’m a good ways to the west. I’m glad you are satisfied with the 50/50 split. Looks like I will need to invest.


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## duskandlily

The Joker said:


> The rod pictured is 70/30. I have a 50/50 and I really like it. We are having a rod demo day in Rocky Mount N.C. January 16th if you would like to come try them out.


I wanna fish off a pier/beach in NJ but its really cold. I got a sabiki rig, a couple of suspending jerkbaits (a larger one and a smaller one), some berkley gulp minnows/swimming mullet, a bunch of jig heads/weights, a couple of storm shad swimbaits, some cut squid and finger mullet from killer bee baits, and a 2 oz bucktail. I was thinking of cutting the cut squid into thin strips, putting them on the bucktail, and doing a slow retrieve. I was also thinking of putting the entire finger mullet on a carolina rig, or cutting it up and putting it on a hi low with the cut squid. I have no clue as to whether the sabiki works or not, but if it does, ill probably put whatever live bait i can catch on a carolina rig and live line it. I just need some tips and responses to all of this to know whether it'll work or not.


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## The Joker

bogeyman71 said:


> Thanks for the reply Joker. I wish I could make Rocky Mt. but I’m a good ways to the west. I’m glad you are satisfied with the 50/50 split. Looks like I will need to invest.


Check your DM


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## VA John

Garboman said:


> I was just speaking on the Secret Drum Hotline and was informed that last years DrumPRo #1 and DrumPRo Joker are both Dropping down to the brand new CTS equal section 12' rods. 1205 and the even newer 1204.
> 
> Word is same power as 13' 1305 and 1306 but more rod speed and they are lighter so they make a more pleasant experience standing around waiting to get clobbered by a Shark or something.
> 
> Nick is the one you need to get in touch with at Nicks Custom Rods *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nicks Custom Rods
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nickscustomrods.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Be sure and order two 1205's, I want Nick off the beach and out of my way if I can get vaccinated in time for the Spring Bite*
> [/QUOTE


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## Arnav

Where can I find the rules and regulations regarding this *MAN Tournament* ?
My searches are coming up empty.
Thanks


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## Adam

No boat fish and the fish has to be over 40" to count. Whoever catches the most wins.


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## piercet

Garboman said:


> *if I can get vaccinated in time for the Spring Bite*


Surf fishing requires vaccinations?


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## Harrymanz

Only if your bad ass


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## Garboman

Perhaps one day you too will get old and be tasked with taking care of family members who are at high risk.


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## Garboman

Evidently the first Drum of 2021 was beached at Ramp 44. Information was from Bob's site and not the secret Drum Hotline so I am unable to verify. But I read it was measured to be 44" which puts it in first place. If a DrumPro got it please post a picture. If a Farmer got it please let Tourney Officials know.

Some warm water has pushed up against the Point and areas to the South. It may go off if the Sharks let the Drum in where folks can cast at them. Same thing happened a few times in the recent past. In 2018 there was a big Drum Bite around this time and in 2017 some Gulfstream 74 degree water came in in February to Ramp 44. In 2017 The Redhead and I were in shorts and getting smoked by seven foot Blacktips and larger Shark species that we never saw, but got stripped by. I remember walking around barefooted in February 2017 and the Point was covered up with Sargassum and Portuguese Man O Wars. Water was clear as summertime and it was full of Sharks and it was really warm until the Sun went down, then it went back to being February on the Outer Banks.

Thinking about getting a Zodiac to launch on the beach or more likely to drive across to the Secret Spot on the Sound for Summertime Big Drum. When I was young I was involved in two separate crashes involving surf launched boats that almost ended tragically and I feel that being run over by a Zodiac will be easier for me to recover from rather than getting buried in the sand by a wooden Carolina Dory. I know that I am no where near as fast as I was in my 20's and 30's but I still have the desire, especially on flat calm days when you see big schools of Drum busting fatback a half mile out in the middle of the day and all you can do is pray they come in come Dusk to Dawn.

I am rebuilding a 1307 and have a 1306 Blank coming way. By the way I sent $$ out this weekend via USPS to the CTS blank project coordination team.

Anyway this particular CTS 1307 had some Procote issues that made for a bubbly finish. I cleaned it up with Threadmaster some but the guides ended up having 5 coats on them and they were not pretty, Ryan at Hatteras Jacks would term them anal beads. So rather than being laughed at by the real RodBuilders I decided to redo a few guides.

May put cork ring grips on my 1307's, definitely will on the new 1306, but I ordered enough Cork ring grips for three heavers via Ebay and it might be lucky Feng Shu if I do change them up for a more vintage look.

Anyway the only fishing I got going on at the moment is rod building and reel cleanup.


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## Garboman

Things were better back in the Day or at least that is how I would like to remember them.


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## poppop1

Garboman said:


> View attachment 67682
> 
> 
> Things were better back in the Day or at least that is how I would like to remember them.


My 2 boys would rush to get their barn work done so they could watch Miss Daisy, she was easy on the eyes!


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## Garboman

I learned that when opening up the hole on cork grips to fit a CTS you need to wrap the entire grip in duct tape to prevent the cork from cracking when reaming it out with a power drill.

I cracked several grips until I got the drift. The cork grips feel much nicer than cork tape to me. I do not like shrink wrap at all unless it is the thicker Japanese Type they use on Century Rods.

I guess I can post some pictures of my new modified Bad Ass Sticks when I am done. Waiting on some rubber trim rings to arrive before I glue the grips to the rod butt.

I fished pretty hard on the OBX until I reached 18 years of age. I then took a break from fishing a lot until I was in my late 30's. Spent a lot of time after the species below. If young DrumPros would spend more time at what they should be after perhaps older DrumRetirees could get a few more.


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## ncst8man1999

Pretty good looking hill billy ☺


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## Garboman

Put Epoxy on the new guides I wrapped on my 1307 yesterday and my new/old 1307 is back to being presentable. The temp was low in the garage where I set up the rod turning dryer but I managed to pull it off with my alcohol burner. Cold is the enemy of Threadmaster.

Threadmaster is the enemy of nice furniture and carpet so I do it out in garage and take my chances with sludgy Epoxy in the cold months.

Jury is still out on whether larger Cork handles are better in my paws than cork tape with its smaller diameter as to which one I prefer. I will prefer the one that gets the bait out a bit further. But the cool thing is that you can change it up later if you care to without much drama.

Only Drama in rod building is when you break the blank tip or a blank butt with some mishap, have done both. Both happened on Fenwick SurfSticks.

Anyway I will cast the two alternatives side by side and see what out casts the other with identical reels and line and sinkers. I have a feeling that there is not going to be much difference.

Do not have any new Drum Pictures from Secret Drum Hotline to share yet, a month or two away.


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## bogeyman71

I still prefer the cork rings. I clamp a small piece of a board to the drill press. Drill a hole a quarter inch deep the same size as the ring. Swap bits to the blank size (7/8 inch seem to work best for me on a 22mm butt), and drill the ring. I take the rings and use a similar size piece of pvc and cork clamp to glue the rings. Ive turn the cork both on the pvc and the blank, both work well. I don’t think it makes much difference in casting distance but I like the feel and it offers a little more customization.


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## Garboman

Nice looking grip, looks like its got better Feng Shu than most.

It looks like you turned the top of the grip almost to the thickness of the blank, do you put some type of sealant on the cork to help hold it together?

I have not made any cork grips from just the rings but appreciate the effort that it takes to do it.

I have gotten to the point where it takes me so long just to wrap guides due to eyesight issues related to age that I do not add any extras like Butt wrap.


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## bogeyman71

Garbo, I don’t seal it until after I turn it down. This is burl cork it may be a little more durable than natural. I busted a few when sliding them on the blank but I haven’t had that problem turning them on the blank. This one is sealed with permagloss but I usually use u40 cork seal.


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## Garboman

Project XXX

Decided to re wrap my Trusty XXX 1509 3rd Generation. This rod has caught quite a few Drum for me over the years. It is the only 1509 I have left, I only have one 1507 left for the beach and I re wrapped it last winter. 

Stripped the 1509 guides and sanded most of the black off. Sprayed it with Automotive Clear Coat. It is not perfect but I was getting wary about too much sanding........ as in screwing up the strength of the stick. So it has a slight mottled look to it.

I think I last wrapped this 1509 15 years ago. It was back when I used A under and A overwraps. I wrapped it Red and while I thought about it I decided to change it up some. 

I bought this 1509 as a factory Breakaway straight out of Texas from Ryan at Hatteras Jacks. Ryan gave me a deal on it because everyone was going for more limber sticks at the time....and it was like an orphan hanging all by itself gathering dust. It has served me well and countless Sharks and Rays will attest to its ability to find the unwanted species.

I read on a PRo rodbuilding site that the PRos do not use under wraps. I am not sure if I want to PRo it but more than likely it will A under and D over, because I am not a PRo, just a guy with Rod Lathe and time on my hands.

I was able to salvage the Alconite Guides from my 1509 Project XXX, They are soaking in a jar of Lacquer thinner at the moment. They are in surprisingly good condition. The factory Breakaway's used Hardaloy with the grey inserts. They were pretty economical back at All Star in those days.

I also am refitting an extra cut down 1509 butt and make it with Cork Grips and and new reel seat. I got the grips reamed out and waiting on the reel seat from Mudhole.

Finished rod will be 12'6". I can make it 13' with a normal uncut 1509 butt I have or make it 13'6" with a competition butt. 

If I ever get to fish again and some of these young DrumPros start talking trash about their fancy new extra fast CTS 12 foot Sticks I can break out Project XXX and they can marvel about how heavy it feels, certainly will not get blown out of a railing notch in a gale, like some other brands I can mention only in some obscure manner. 

I am going to use some subdued Greys I have on hand. Perhaps one day I will go Neon like TomH but not on Project XXX.


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## Garboman

PRoject XXX is done wrapping, waiting on new bottles of Threadmaster Lite to show up from Oviedo Florida. Not sure if PRoject XXX is a Shark rod or a Drum Rod, likely its a Shark Rod, but one can hope......

I was occupied elsewhere and did not realize that the Private Equity firm had driven Remington Arms into oblivion last year.

I have owned a dozen or so 870's and 1100's over the years, bought the first one after I turned 18 years old.

Private Equity firms are great at putting insurmountable debt on private companies, extracting big fees, draining assets and then steering them into Bankruptcy court so the pension funds do not have to be capitalized beyond what is negotiated in the bankruptcy court, and the PE Firm can leave with its fees intact.....

Building a 9' Spinner for Metal at the moment. I have decided that one guide a day is all I want at that moment as far as being productive. I laid out the guides based on a casting rod so there are more guides than what a Spinner needs, but at only one guide wrapped a day, who is counting.

Next Weekend it should kick off at the Secret Spot, but until then I am putting Tung oil finish on a Left Hand Model 70 Stock that came out of Remington's Custom Shop, that I have had in a factory box for the last 20 years in the garage.

I owned a half dozen or so Model 700 Remington's they were extremely accurate, I got pissed off about the Remington Trigger issue and sold them all off.

But since this stock is so nice......I will get decent LH Model 700 to go in my Custom Shop Stock, I will Pillar Bed it and add a Timney Trigger and go to the range and not worry about having an accidental discharge from the Gun having a Remington Moment.

I am betting the Man from Moyock or the GolfPRo will get the first one at the Secret Spot come next weekend.


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## Garboman

Unless Biker Ricky gives SuperBoy some assistance with roadtrips, it will probably be the same DrumPRo regulars who will make up the Spring Leaderboard as we have had for the last 10 years or so....

That is unless some DrumPRo want-to-be decides to go for it, quit the job...sleep at the Secret Spot....Come into town only for Bait-Fuel-Beer-Coffee-Snacks and then go back on the GRind....


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## Garboman

First 870 Wingmaster I bought was brand new $90 I think it was before tax. They only had the shiny walnut stock Wingmasters in those days, not the B model with the Birch Stock.

That was 1972 by the way.....


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## Adam

My deer rifle is a 1970 Model 700-BDL .30-06. Haven't found a reason to upgrade yet, although I do plan on putting new glass on it this year.


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## Garboman

Last Night at Secret Spot as predicted GolfPro got the first one on the Sand. I have the photo in my I-phone. 

GolfPro's stickman MoyockMan evidently somehow burned off Drum #2 for GolfPro otherwise GolfPRo would be at the top of the leaderboard.

They will likely bite next few nights at the Secret Spot until the weather turns next week.

GolfPro did mention some type of handicap system, similar to the PGA system that would require all competing DrumPRos to post a 50 Drum set-off or penalty in the event they either lived full time on Hatteras or Northern Beaches or Part-Time in Buxton and were in a position to schedule their work hours around a Bite or Weather event. Tournament Officials are reviewing, but likely this Penalty Phase does not stand much of a chance of clearing committee. 

On a Brighter note I realized that the last seven years of the MAN Tournament the winning DrumPro Number 1 First Place Finishers all fished CTS Heavers built by Nicks Custom Rods. That is either a coincidence or a trend or blind ambition. Zing did fish his own CTS creations but then switched to NCR. Order Up at Nicks Custom Rods and keep this guy off the sand.

A lot of also rans also fished CTS.

I am building rods at the moment, keeping clear of Covid.

I also have been shooting my Recurve Bow. Found that Zwickey Broadheads are the devil to get sharpened whilst Ace Broadheads I can get scary sharp pretty quick with the Lansky System hones.


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## JakeW

GolfPro and MoyockMan extended their commanding lead fishing through an electrical precipitation event early Thursday morning. I believe both entrants caught double digits for that particular session. The creatures were pushing free bait in the form of live spot and sea mullet up on the beach which aided those of us that were getting low and didn’t want to make that time eating walk back to the bait cooler for a supply run.

I captured my first of the season plus an additional five and bounced with the electricity. Oh that that bait hookup...yeah that really good secret bait that comes from 40 miles off the beach has to see my gaff first these days. But with a good bait supply comes a limited time frame to use it.

SuperBoy lives a few miles from me and I put on my black cap for him as much as I can. He’s still a young padewan but has potential to become one of the youngest masters we have seen.


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## NC-Travis

Hope to see you soon Mike!


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## Garboman

Likely in two weeks I will be on the sand, I need to get Sharky....

I heard thru the Secret Drum Hotline that a GrassPro got in the way of GolfPro and GrassPro put up some significant numbers like 14 in one session was the report.

I had a two foot bolt of lightning hit about ten feet in front of me on the beach as I was leaving one afternoon, had my graphite anchor rod just a humming away on Nags Head Pier. A bolt of lightning hit the old T of Rodanthe and knocked about 6 pinriggers down on their butts. One pinrigger's feet were smoking.......Red-Head was almost taken out that day, along with Skip and RickB.

Sparky is nothing to mess with unless you are bowed up, then I recommend keeping your rod tip down....

Who makes the Hellfire Blank Travis?

I am not in need of one just curious.

Nick on his secret Facebook page Nick's Custom Rods / Facebook said he does not do rewraps anymore but did one because of some rather sketchy adornments for a Drum Rod. (I do rewraps all the time, by the way, just did one of my SurfSticks for the third time). 

When I meet up with this SuperBoy I may feel I need to help him out with some stuff, so he does not run circles around me in the deep sand


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## Garboman

GolfPro and MoyockMan always go out front and then GolfPro gets busy on the Links and MoyockMan turns CobiaMan.

That is when those Shifty Hatteras Boys who transfer to the Secret Spot start to wear away the lead.

I am starting to have old age issues coming up with my knees, but I am heavily armed so when I get there if it takes me a while to bend over and get hooks out of some critter, do not laugh until after I am out of earshot.


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## Garboman

Update from Secret Drum Hotline. Virginia GrassPRo has retired and has joined PRoStaff at Team Vega as a VegaPRo.


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## bogeyman71

I just read the oystercatchers are back. I’m going in a couple of weeks, I hope they will keep a corridor open to the secret spot.


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## Benji

Garboman said:


> Likely in two weeks I will be on the sand, I need to get Sharky....
> 
> I heard thru the Secret Drum Hotline that a GrassPro got in the way of GolfPro and GrassPro put up some significant numbers like 14 in one session was the report.
> 
> I had a two foot bolt of lightning hit about ten feet in front of me on the beach as I was leaving one afternoon, had my graphite anchor rod just a humming away on Nags Head Pier. A bolt of lightning hit the old T of Rodanthe and knocked about 6 pinriggers down on their butts. One pinrigger's feet were smoking.......Red-Head was almost taken out that day, along with Skip and RickB.
> 
> Sparky is nothing to mess with unless you are bowed up, then I recommend keeping your rod tip down....
> 
> Who makes the Hellfire Blank Travis?
> 
> I am not in need of one just curious.
> 
> Nick on his secret Facebook page Nick's Custom Rods / Facebook said he does not do rewraps anymore but did one because of some rather sketchy adornments for a Drum Rod. (I do rewraps all the time, by the way, just did one of my SurfSticks for the third time).
> 
> When I meet up with this SuperBoy I may feel I need to help him out with some stuff, so he does not run circles around me in the deep sand


Brian has the hellfire.


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## nissan11

How will I know if I see a drum pro? Will there be more seagulls or women swarming his setup?


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## ncst8man1999

No, but they will be the ones catching the drum if you are around them. However, they will prob not be where you can see them.

They tend to be where the drum are and not the people......


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## Garboman

Thanks, I saw that Brian has the Hellfire for sale, I was curious what company makes it and if it is another 1509 clone.

Secret Drum Hotline revealed that MoyockMan succumbed to some type of avarice issue and got in a boat to slay them during the daytime and then taunt those on the beach by motoring by them at the Secret Spot. 

Which reminds me of why when I was younger I wanted to drag a dory behind my Truck. Dory is a little sketchy for a 67 year old, I may not be fast enough to get out of its way if on a beach launch a wave decides to float it over me and drive me into the sand.

Zodiac is safer but then you get the Sharky aspect in the back of your mind, if the Sharks decide to start eating your rubber life raft.


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## Garboman

DrumPro the good looking ones anyway, always have a Hottie in the background. You seldom see these Hotties because they are are either at work supporting the DrumPro and at home taking care of things while the DrumPro does what he does. So this does not readily identify them.

Seagulls and Buzzards always are circling because DrumPro's change baits frequently and there is always food to be had. But Seagulls often circle over families on the beach because the kids can not resist giving them all the crackers Mom brought for snacks. So this does not readily identify them.

Easy way to tell a DrumPro is to watch where their bait lands on a cast. If that bait lands 20-30 yards further than your best cast with bait, then likely it is a DrumPro. If your bait lands 20-30 yards further than the rest of the flock, then you must be the DrumPro.


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## nissan11

I want to grow up to be a drum pro one day. I'll never own a fancy rod though. I am destined to walk the sand holding old Pinnacle Shorelines and Tica T2's with most of the clear coat gone. 
I will divulge that I have been practicing my cast with the goal of getting 20 yds past the bravest boogie boarder. I will also be debuting a new, never before seen chunk bait at Naggs Head in 3 weeks. It should be done simmering in the crock pot and ready for the freezer in 6 days.


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## Garboman

Pinnacle absolute was a decent rod in its day. I still have the butts from two of them I owned that I fitted to SurfStiks. I plan on bringing my SurfStiks when I show up on the sand and am contemplating just leaving my CTS rods at home. This will force me to fish Old School. Might even use a 60 year old ABU 8000 to trick a few big Boys onto the sand. Joe Mullet before he passed always threatened to bring his Abu 8000 into the fray. Abu 8000 first came to market in 1964 and although it has its shortcomings as far as a gamechanger, it was and still is.

If you buy a $700 Drum Rod/Reel setup and use it for the next 20 years that works out to $35 per year, which seems cheap to me. If you build your own rod with a quality blank your cost is around $550 for the Rod/Reel setup.

Setup I am referring to is a 70/30 CTS 1507 with a Penn Fathom 15. If you get this then you have the same exact as a lot of the DrumPro's who have won the MAN.

Secret Drum Hotline reported that a 70 some year old Country Boy DrumPro and I mean OLdDrumPro is putting in the work at a secret spot and could be in contention for the Spring Top of the Leaderboard.


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## Garboman

Secret Drum Hotline revealed a aerial photo of the Point area.

This is the breakdown for acreage division, which if you are a Birdie you likely will find ideal for fornication.

1. 95% of available sand above mean high tide belongs to a Oystercatcher.

2. Remainder 5% available sand above mean high tide belongs to parking area. The good news if you get there early you can park your truck in the front row of a three deep parking area. The bad news if the tide comes up with big surf, your truck will be in the water and you will have no way out.

Better than totally blocking off the Point and manning a fence with AR-15 toting Rangers but certainly not what is ideal.


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## ncst8man1999

Went by there last night after fishing elsewhere the majority of the day trip. Definitely not ideal.

If you are first in , definitely will be one of the last out. Traffic jam with no way out at dusk


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## ncst8man1999

Fished just north of the point and there were some big ole sharks wrangled in. Never saw a drum.


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## Garboman

North of the Point in the Spring is Sharkland. That is where they live. 

Traffic Jam at the Point is going to turn bad news for the Front Row suckers when a weather system gets cranked up and the Spring Tides decide to over wash that itty bitty section they call the Parking Area. On the right weekend night with the right wind and right tides it could prove to be epic as far as Jarvis is concerned.

One of the things I do about four or five times a day is feed the birds on my back patio. One bird I call Fat Bird who is a little on the porky side, will fly into my Garage and alert me that it time for me to throw out some more peanuts.

I realize it was never about the birds, but about banning people and wanting pristine wilderness areas cut off from humans like Fishermen's Island at the Mouth of the Chesapeake. Look at some aerials of Fishermen's Island and you can see it is just like the Point and likely is slam full of Cobia and Drum within casting distance all Summer long with an onshore wind blowing.


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## Gorge

Garboman said:


> North of the Point in the Spring is Sharkland. That is where they live.
> 
> Traffic Jam at the Point is going to turn bad news for the Front Row suckers when a weather system gets cranked up and the Spring Tides decide to over wash that itty bitty section they call the Parking Area. On the right weekend night with the right wind and right tides it could prove to be epic as far as Jarvis is concerned.
> 
> One of the things I do about four or five times a day is feed the birds on my back patio. One bird I call Fat Bird who is a little on the porky side, will fly into my Garage and alert me that it time for me to throw out some more peanuts.
> 
> I realize it was never about the birds, but about banning people and wanting pristine wilderness areas cut off from humans like Fishermen's Island at the Mouth of the Chesapeake. Look at some aerials of Fishermen's Island and you can see it is just like the Point and likely is slam full of Cobia and Drum within casting distance all Summer long with an onshore wind blowing.


Every time I drive over Fisherman's Island I think to myself "If it's Fisherman's Island, why cant we fish on it?"


----------



## Garboman

Secret Drum Hotline was blowing up my phone last night. It was a reminder that outside the world of broadband telephones and home offices under some sort of personal lockdown that it is Drum Season on the OBX.

These four are at the top of the MAN leaderboard 2021.

Sunday results only not cumulative for 2021. I think the fellas are in the low to high 20's cumulative at this point.

DRumPRo RodBuilder: got around 10 or 12 Sunday

DRumPro GolfPro: got around 8 Sunday

DRumPro MoyockMan: got 5 Sunday

DRumPro SavFish: Clammed up so unless you were there who knows how many he had Sunday? 

It was blowing around 25 MPH so this was not for the old and infirmed or the timid.

DRumPro Joker sent of nice picture of DrumPro BikerRicky with a nice fish and a nice rod built by DRumPro RodBuilder that I think was from yesterday.

If anyone wants to Clarify things which I doubt that is what Drum Season 2021 is shaping up as of today.


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## Garboman

If you find yourself losing again this year, remember that can change with one epic tide in the right place at the right time. 

One Spring more than a few years back I pretty and fishing was not so crowded. I was fishing on the Secret Island and conditions were less than ideal. Spring Tides were over-washing the South End a long long way. It is disconcerting to be in a low lying area by yourself and the tide coming in at night so you have find higher ground, especially if you are going to be out all night on the beach.

So I did some scouting up the beach at low tide and low and behold I found about a 20 foot cut in the outer bar. This cut was the only visible one I found, in 10 miles. I noticed a washed up Cedar Tree and had the place marked. Went to town to resupply and came back out for the afternoon bite.

When I got back to secret cut, there were a couple work-type trucks parked at it and 5-6 young guys drinking beer. they were not regular DrumPro's. (If they had been and even if they did not like me I would have parked and commenced to fish that cut, which you could get in with a long cast. I headed down a half mile to where I could cast out over the bar, but I did not get a hit in three hours fishing.

It was getting close to dusk and I could activity at the cut.

A fella was walking towards me, from the cut, with the kind of walk where you know he needs help. You tend to help people in need out on the beach, so I expected him to be in need.

They needed a jumpstart. I carry cables.

Got in my Truck and we drove to the cut. The fellas fishing there were putting away their spinning rods and heading home. I asked them how they had done and one guy said they had caught a whole bunch of Redfish. After looking at their tackle I asked if the fish had any size to them, so he get out his phone and there in perhaps a dozen different photos was a bunch of smiling Country Boys holding up Drum anywhere from 45"-50". They said as soon as the tide starting to come in it was non-stop.......every cast got bit, they lost a bunch, break-offs due to lighter tackle...Best fishing these young guys had ever had.

Their Truck started they wished me good luck, but the tide had come full and Drum coming in could come in anywhere they wanted over that bar, not just in the cut. A thunderstorm came in and I had to give it up, not a touch to my baits.

Next day the wind went NW 40 and blew the Drum back out into deeper water......


----------



## nissan11

I am thoroughly enjoying this report and getting antsy for an update.


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## ncst8man1999

Not much going on down here right now. For us mere mortal fishermen, hard to find anything other than Sharks and rays....tried the Point, northern beaches, southern beaches, even went to Ocracoke for the day yesterday.

Some sea mullet and occasional lost puppy drum in reports but that is about it. Wind is getting bad from the wrong way....resorted to finding a puppy drum on a sandwich at Dirty Dicks in Avon.....


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## troutchaser

I saw Teach's Lair Drum Pro had a 25 drum night so there should be a big shift in the numbers.


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## Adam

The Pro's were definitely adding to their tallys. I had to release one fish after a photo-op for one Pro, when his second rod went off. We had a good trip, never fished super late but still managed to pick off a few. Broke in a new rod on the second cast in the middle of the day which is always fun, and my wife caught her very first beach fish. Be back on the 3rd.


----------



## poppop1

Adam said:


> The Pro's were definitely adding to their tallys. I had to release one fish after a photo-op for one Pro, when his second rod went off. We had a good trip, never fished super late but still managed to pick off a few. Broke in a new rod on the second cast in the middle of the day which is always fun, and my wife caught her very first beach fish. Be back on the 3rd.


nice!...


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## Garboman

Seems like an epic bite has been going on for select people at select spots at select times.

Calls for certain people to get jobs or leave the beach are in place, or at least take a break so others may have a chance.

If you were there you were on fire.


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## nissan11

Garboman said:


> Seems like an epic bite has been going on for select people at select spots at select times.
> 
> Calls for certain people to get jobs or leave the beach are in place, or at least take a break so others may have a chance.
> 
> If you were there you were on fire.


That's what I like to hear. I'll be at Naggs Head next weekend just in time to enjoy 30 mph gusts with Mr Sputniks. Maybe I can find a drum blown up on the beach to stage a photo with.


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## ncst8man1999

Thursday night thru Friday were definitely epic....several hundred drum beaches at the point as water warmed up......of course in my infinite wisdom I took Thursday off to do some photography and found out Fri morning but got in on it Friday evening. Fun times for all. 

A bunch of nice drum put on the beach over 36 hours. I didn't bring my waders so I did not stay out all night, started getting chilly. But went back Sat morning and spoke to several that had stayed the night and put around 20 on the beach. 

Be interesting to see the scoreboard now....wonder if it was as good in other places...


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## Harrymanz

Yeah friday was real good


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## Garboman

GolfPro said last night he was grinding between 7 to 11 fish nightly when he can fish and he felt he was falling further behind on the leaderboard.

How may one ask can one fall further behind when double digits for one or two tides?

One thing is sure four or five DrumPro's have been having epic times, 20-25 fish nights per man is quite remarkable, especially when some spots are a cluster...k of space limitations. These people need to go back to work somewhere or at least apply for a job, preferably somewhere far from the OBX.


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## ncst8man1999

It was definitely that on Friday night.....conga line stretched about a football field and a half Garbo, and the tide current was ripping pretty good, moving all the way down.


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## Garboman

Was headed to the OBX when Russians decided to delay my trip.

Reminded me that there is a small town in Russia that most of the able bodied young men with some intelligence are trained in the art of Cybercrime. In this town these men are hailed as Patriots because they transfer wealth from the wicked west into the coffers of Russian families, be it either in the business of Cybercrime or just the corner Vodka store benefitting from the cash influx from a Hacking Ransomware success. I get asked at least once a month to open an invoice from Russians, they even get into computers of my business contacts and the email comes from someone I know. However the Russians do not understand commercial real estate terminology so I have not been compromised, yet.

So when Cybercrime hits the Colonial Pipeline, then unfortunately the residents and Visitors of the OBX are unduly affected to their plans and bank accounts.....

My trip got postponed. But I did find out from the Secret Drum Hotline that the Secret CTS Blank Volume Purchase has a new right off the mandrel 1306 Blank headed down to the OBX this weekend to be placed in the care of DRumPro #1.

I am anticipating that said 1306 Blank after traveling all the way from New Zealand to Burlington NC to Hatteras will pick up some tips whilst down Hatteras way on avoiding Sharks and Flattosauruses and how to key in on Cobia and Drum. I want a Drum Rod, not a Flatto Rod in my stable. I already have multiple Shark Rods and even a few Skate and Doggie Rods, I want a dedicated Drum Rod that only catches Drum.

There is a group of DRumPros with extremely high numbers right now (estimated 60+) going into the final throes of the Spring Season. 

Should be a couple good bites left at the Secret Spots until the summer species change of Blacktips and Spinners take over from Garbos and SandBars and the Flattosaurus begin to rule the bottom.

There is a Secret Spot in the Pamlico where you cannot wade to, you cannot drive to, but if you get there and tough it out on land and do not boat fish, all the big Drum count, and this is all summer long on a hard SW. A hard SW is pretty much an every day event on Hatteras by the way......


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## VA-Apraisr

I'd think your count might be low, Garbo. One buddy of mine (Sniper George) was there for 8 days a few weeks ago and got 51-big drum. Didn't get down there myself so enjoying the body-counts


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## Garboman

Sniper George has a good system in place. He fishes a lot when everyone else is asleep. Sniper George has been the Out-Of-Town MAN in several of the last years Tournaments, sounds like he will be tough to get around in 2021.

DrumPro Biker used to be right up there but he now has an OBX residency issue now that prevents him from qualifying for Out-Of-Town, and now he may even run up against the Hatteras Island 20 fish handicap penalty buy-in. That is you have to get 20 on the deck or sand before you even get to count the first one. (DrumPro GolfPro thought this one up and it is under consideration by MAN Tournament Committee Members)

I put together a Cobia Jig rod this afternoon Shimano Speedmaster lll 6.1 retrieve Garbo Custom Rod in all Black. One of these days I will be down, keep getting delayed by Life and Work.

Came across this photo today and it touched my heart.


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## Garboman

Could not help myself when I came across this one......


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## Garboman

RedHead DrumPro still at it.


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## Garboman

It used to be that October was the greatest month for King Fishing on Rodanthe. The Kings who spent the summer off the Virginia Capes would migrate South and every morning a procession of Oregon Inlet charter boats would be slow trolling live menhaden past Rodanthe Pier on the other side of the Outer bar. In those days the limit per person was 6 King Mackerel per day, so around 5:00 PM in the afternoons, 36 King Mackerel would be laid on the sidewalks and a group of 6 sunburnt fishermen would be kneeling and posing for glamour shots and the Kings would make their way to the fish-cleaning room to be steaked or my favorite fileted and then butterfly steaked and then iced down. King Mackerel are a somewhat oily fish, so they shine on a barbeque or in a smoker.

Long story short, back in the day unless the water was really roiled up, at dawn on Rodanthe Pier you put an anchor rod out and spent the entire day until dusk fishing for King Mackerel. Skip paid $2.00 a pound live weight for Kings and my best payday was a crisp $100 dollar bill for a 50 pound King. Skip would cut large King Mackerel steaks and flame grill them and the dining patrons of Down-Under seemed to love them. Skip made enough $$ to buy a couple of condos in Breckenridge CO and the Red-Head and myself had iced beer. 

Skip had to relocate to Costa Rica, the Down-Under went the way of the October OBX Kings but the RedHead is still at it.

I am building a new (old rewrap and new butt section) pin-fishing fighting rod, based on my new favorite colors grey and white and black. Going to put the second coat of Threadmaster on the butt section today.

From the photo above in previous post... It looks like the new semi-wider end of Rodanthe will accommodate my new four-part pendulum cast, when I get down there, if I am down there in October, no doubt I will have a Drum rod out all day, but perhaps for old times sake I will put an anchor rod out on the North Corner and think back to the way it was when we were young and the fishing possibilities seemed boundless for those aspiring to be amongst the best on an OBX Pier.


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## Garboman

Seems like Spike and the GolfPro decided to watch live baits swimming in circles.

I spent the better part of 20 years doing the exact same thing before I gave it up, due to lack of Fish and switching to getting a real job that did not entail fishing all summer long....

I guess we did not kill them all back in the day.....























Disclaimer:

Pictures were on the Internet and if there is a problem with re-posting, please get in touch with MAN Tournament Legal Representative: Sturgeon Small and Turniffe LLP. 1000 K Street NW Washington DC.


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## Garboman

If Drum would Sky a bait and then melt off four hundred yards of line in the first run, perhaps more people would get into the Sport.

First time I saw a King Mackerel jump six feet out of the water and come right down on a Menhaden attached to a pin rig on Kitty Hawk Pier back in late 1960's I knew I had to get involved.

2021 MAN Tournament Fall season is getting ready to get started up at Secret Spot. I am still delayed by Life and Work to get down and get in the game.


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## jimim77

those king are awesome above. I know I have no right even posting in this thread but I got to go for king this summer for the first time. we were only trolling for them but man I had a ball. what a strong fish. the captain we were with was great. I didn't know their lips are kinda tender so when we hooked up he told us exactly what to do and when to reel till we got the hang of it and then turned got us positioned and walked us through landing them. the only problem that day were the barracuda. got a whole new respect for those fish also. holy cow they are fast and can ambush a king in no time. we ended up with 3 heads only in a row. all I kept hearing was reel faster reel faster here comes one behind it! but damn-it I landed 2 of those cuda afterwards. it was a great learning experience and day. I can only imagine how hard it is to land them so high up on a pier.


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## Garboman

Not a lot of Barracuda inshore on the OBX. offshore on the wrecks they can be thick. Sharks are more a problem for pier caught Kings these days.

Need a good gaff man and a bit of patience on the piers, best to let the King come back to the pier colored grey and dying, if it comes back looking green and angry you can lose him real easy.

It used to be back in the day 1960's thru 1980's there were hundreds of Kings caught on the Northern OBX each season along with large numbers of Cobia and few Amberjacks. If you fished all summer on all the good days one Pin-rigger would end up with 10 to 20 Kings for the season and perhaps a half dozen big Cobia. There were a few great fishermen who caught way more, Like Romeo on Avalon Pier. The Redhead caught around 75 Kings or so by himself back in 1988 or 1989 I think it was. After 1996 the numbers of King Mackerel fell way off inshore and these days you have to count all the piers and dozens of fishermen putting in time to equal what one fisherman could catch. Some fellas blame the Florida Drop-net boats that came North, but I think it was over-fishing both on the Kings and Spanish and on the Menhaden they eat.

Amberjacks went away inshore, do not hear about them these days on the OBX Piers at all.

My biggest Pier Amberjack was around 50 pounds, I released it alive, we gaffed it in the tail... A tourist started yelling at me that he would have taken the Amberjack, I was in a fowl mood because I thought it was a monster King up until I got it close to the Pier. Back in those days we sold the Kings for $2.00 a pound to restaurants, so it was a let down for a broke-ass King Fisherman. No market up here for AJ's. After the tourist kept complaining to me about letting the AJ go, I told him that he wanted it so bad he should have caught it. AJ's are good eating but especially with the big ones there is a fear of Ciguatera poisoning if the AJ's went South to Florida and ate infected reef fish. Plus they get worms at the base of their tail like Big Drum do.

Used to be a lot of Big Spanish on the Piers too back in the day, 

I fished for Spanish in the Pamlico with Nets in 1991-1992. I am pretty sure I have killed more 4 and 5 pound Spanish than anyone on this board unless they too went out in net boats. We sent them all to the Fulton Market, Spanish were $1.00 a pound back in the day at the Dock, a Bluefish might be $.05.00 a pound, sometimes a bit more. We got our check a week later from the Hatteras Fish-Buyer. At the time the Mafia was in control of the Fulton Market so the fishermen got a bit less paying off the La Cosa Nostra.......

Today there should be Kings somewhere on the OBX with the light NE wind......


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## Garboman

Thinking back to how we used to act on the end of the T's on the OBX, we were a bunch or ........I know I did and said some things I am embarrassed of thirty years later, but we were trying the be the MAN and in those days the MAN meant Live-baiting since the Drum were nowhere near as thick in the 1980's as they are these days thanks to the moratorium on killing the Big Drum.

I remember clearly a day in early September back in 1989.... I was the only one with the pin rig out on Nags Head Pier. the whole Pier was empty it was a weekday I guess, but I was by myself.....There was a long silver-yellow procession of hundreds of 15-20 pound Jack Crevalle's swimming South migrating to Florida right around the end of the T and right under my pin-rig bait. I remember feeling so sad standing out there on the end of the pier by myself...I knew that that my Summer had come to an end but I also felt that the best days of King Fishing were likely behind me rather than on my Horizon. Not one of those hundreds of Jacks even swirled at my bait, they were leaving North Carolina and deep down in my Heart I knew I had better be leaving Nags Head too......


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## Drum Junkie

Man I love reading your stories Garbo


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## Garboman

Best Gaffing Job I ever saw was done by Wacko on Rodanthe Pier. It was during one of the years when the end of the T had broken off and we were fishing with a couple of broken off pilings in front of the stubbed off temporary end.

A guy King Fishing who I did not know, can not remember the Angler at all or the fight, except for the final moments.

The King is green and the Angler watched in dismay as the King wrapped 360 degrees around that broken off piling with his running line. The broken piling was perhaps 15 feet from the railing of the temporary end and the Angler was really upset because this was perhaps his first big King. The King was perhaps 20 pounds which is about an average size for OBX. Some get a lot bigger but I would say that most are in the 20-25 pound range that hit the live baits.

Not sure if people still play tetherball but I used to a lot and I was good at it......So was this King he was a tetherball expert and he started wrapping himself closer and closer around that Piling. The Angler's Friend was standing there helpless with a gaff, when Wacko steps up demands to use his Gaff, the Friend obliges as he figured Wacko had something in mind. Plus who could say no to Wacko.

Wacko steps up onto the lowest railing board and with a 2 foot lead, he spins that Gaff around like a mini windmill and then casts it right at the King just as the King is coming around the Piling for one more wrap.......Gaff hits the King right in the head and Wacko snatches that King right off that Piling, breaking off the line and in a quick couple hand over hands has that King flying over the railing to hit the deck.....Both the Angler and his Friend could not believe their eyes......

Later after the excitement waned I asked Wacko if he would have done the same with his own gaff.........Wacko bust out laughing and said H...l No..... Chances were you would have sunk the gaff into that piling and would have to swim to get it back.....seen more than one Pin Rigger have to jump off the T to get a gaff buried in a piling.....

Wacko is one of the greatest fishermen I have ever had the opportunity to stand beside on either a Pier or at the Secret Spots on the sand. Wacko was an integral part of my most memorable Drum night ever. I count myself lucky to be his friend...


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## jimim77

off topic.


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## Drum Junkie

Way off topic there Jim….. let’s just leave the story telling to Garbo 😉👍🏻


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## Garboman

Joker just called me with the news.

I remember speaking with Bob Eakes perhaps in 1989, I told Bob that I was looking for a Fenwick Surfstik at his old shop at the Red Drum Center. Bob asked me if I wanted a Surfstik only because the Twins had them, I told him I wanted one because it could put a bait out there..... Bob handed me a then brand new design one piece graphite Lamiglas heaver. I think is was around 11' long or so, do not know the blank number but it was real narrow in the butt. It was Bob's personal stick and he had a black 9000C Abu on it. Most everyone Drum Fishing in those days either used a 7000C or a 9000C with a few 8600's mixed in. You could get your thumb on the 9000's spool real good because of the relatively new thinness of the Lami Graphite Blank probably a 22mm butt versus the standard thick fiberglass blanks of those days with 30mm butt sections.

The Lamiglas was a bit out of my price range as a Hatteras Island Carpenter, it was perhaps a long weeks worth of salary to buy one. I had a Zzplex and a Surfstik and a one piece Lami fiberglass Heaver but I wanted another yellow Surfstik and Fenwick had quit making them a few years before, the new SurfStik had black butts and black fiberglass tips instead of yellow fiberglass of the originals.

Bob had a few of the new Lamis in the rack ready for sale, but I never had the type of relationship with Bob where I could try out a stick before purchase. So I handed the Lami back to Bob and we went to talking about something else. Bob was good about that with me, we never had issue, I never worked for him so I was a customer first and a fellow fisherman second.

Bob was a powerful man back in the day and to watch him bull his way out into surf to cast his bait, where the rest of us kind of turned sideways to the wave to let the force of the wave slip by, Bob met the waves head on, wide open. There of a lot of Island stories of Bob, he was epic in many ways, some of the conversations were born perhaps from jealousy as Bob was successful in business, whilst the rest of the Island folks were just kind of scraping by. Island gossip goes that way...

Bob never fished the Piers for Drum, only the Beach, even when Avon Pier or Rodanthe Pier was going off and nothing was going on at the beach during the day, he refused to hit the planks, but if the bite was on at the Point back in those days Bob would show up right before dark coming straight from the shop and he would bow up usually before most of the fellas because Bob could flat out smoke a cast back then.

Last time I fished with Bob was back when Shelly Island first connected to the Mainland and it was something fishing with Bob and watching him get bowed up, with Dan standing right there with him, just like the old days.

I am pretty sure from now on every time I see a Neon Green Daiwa Ballistic I will think about how we were back when we were all young and strong and whatever setbacks or triumphs or health issues that the future held for us were non-existent.....to a specific October afternoon back in the day when Bob showed up to the Point around 5 PM.. pulled on his waders....blasted his way out from the sand.. wading out thru a big surf and then immediately got bowed up to a big Drum on a splash bite with the setting Sun shining of his right shoulder, Bob's rod bent in a circle, the fish pulling hard....

RIP


----------



## Gorge

RIP Bob. Fair skies and following seas.


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## ncst8man1999

RIP.....


----------



## Drum Junkie

Have many good memories of him and his shop. Want be the same… RIP Bob


----------



## Catch This

Oh No! My first custom lami was built in the Red Drum back in the mid 70's. RIP Bob!


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## Adam

That's tough. Bob was a nice guy, will pray for his family. My first custom heaver was also a Lamiglas 150-2 from his shop.


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## Garboman

Bob fished the Big Rock a lot when he was younger and he mostly would put some real team players on his boat to increase his odds. Having a boatload of real fishermen onboard for the Big Rock was different than having a couple Mates and a Captain and the rest of the crew mostly older out of shape successful businessmen who likely spent more time around a conference table than the deck of a Hatteras Sportfisher. 

One afternoon back in the Day on the end of Rodanthe Pier I was casting my then brand new Mann Stretch Deep thirty plug. Still have a few, and they wiggle real nice like a Rapala, The Mann plugs are sized for offshore and Cobia. I was blind casting the 12" lure getting used to its action and ready for any Cobia that would Blunder by.....

Wacko comes out to the end nursing a beer and Wacko is despondent...Wacko had been recruited by Bob to be the designated hitter to man an 80 wide in the Big Rock and to reel in any critters they came across during Big Rock Week out of Morehead City. Bob would pay for everything and the crew would drive the Bullfrog down to Morehead and stay there for the tournament.

Bob had made a deal with Wacko if they were far up the leaderboard at the end of the Tournament, that Bob would buy Wacko a brand new Suburban with part of the Tournament winnings. Someone can correct me if I am wrong because I am recollecting a story from several decades ago, but a boat back then could only kill one Marlin, and if a Marlin was brought to the dock for weigh in, that was the only entry... the Boat was then required to release all future Marlin. The Marlin had to meet minimum size requirements and the top three boats with dead Marlin won significant cast prizes, back then as it is today.

Day two or Day three of the Tournament the Bullfrog hooks up to a big Marlin. Wacko stays hard on the reel and he gets the Big Marlin to the stern in place for the Gaff men...............Bob estimated that the fish would go 350 pounds or so and in a few seconds made the decision to go for it....go for first place that is...... which usually took a 500 pounder to win.

The leader was cut and what would have been third place and $300,000 in prize winnings that year went swimming off, along with Wacko's brand new Suburban into history.

Bob was like that he was all about the Win, did not want to settle for place or show..........


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## Garboman

Seems like this Covid Delta is not going to let up. I have followed a well known Biker on the Internet for a long time and his writings the previous week before Sturgis, he wrote that the Bro's do not give a damn about Covid and the Bro's are coming to Sturgis to Party. Evidently one of the Bro's brought the Covid with him and the well known Biker on the Internet contracted it at the Sturgis Rally, we shall see how it goes for him.

Up where I am living now Masks are prevalent, when I venture out to the public areas. When I check photos and webcams down OBX way, no one is masked up outside. There are going to be losses this winter. Folks may complain about Freedom, my view is you are exercising your Freedom to be stupid, if you do not take steps to protect yourself, especially if you are older which is what 90% of the Sturgis Rally goers seemed to be.

On a more positive note I happened to watching the SurfChex webcam of Surf City Pier and an older man was hooked up on the end. I watched for 15 minutes in somewhat annoyance as he navigated the 16 foot tall barriers of anchor rods. I guess the older man was not a regular because some of the folks with their stinking stuck up in the air anchor rods were not taking them down and in one several minute time period the Man who was hooked up had his rod taken from him to get through the obstacle course, by one of the anchor rod owners. Never found out what it was, likely a Shark because the fellas following him with gaffs never dropped the gaffs over the railing and the action was hidden from the camera view by a light pole.

Most of the time I king fished most everyone laid there rods down on the railing, instead of sticking them in plastic tubes and bolting their fighting rods to the railing with that aluminum thingy. It made for quick handling of over and unders as the fish made its way north or south along the end of the T when hooked up Less fish were loss that way, you did not have to wait for someone to take their anchor down and re-adjust the line on the fighting rod. Rodanthe pier back in the day had a sign, no sand-spiked rods. If you tied your anchor rod to the railing, we made you untie it. 

Frisco Pier was an exception and Frisco Pier was Fence Post City, folks wanted to get their baits out into deeper water. Frisco was a pain in the ass to fish, but sometimes it was the only good spot with an OBX SW wind. Pain in the ass to cast a heaver around Fence Posts.

I have my new super figure-eight pendulum cast dialed in to muscle memory, at some point I have to go where I can let the sinker fly and we shall see how far it goes. If I keep my arms up above my shoulders this cast will be 100% above the railings even on a stubbed off Pier. Jury is out whether I will even step out on a pier this Fall. If I do there are going to be complaints about safety due to the pendulum...my advice will be step back and wear a mask.....

I heard Burger King in French Fry Alley has closed down, another Legend bites the Dust.


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## Garboman

Interesting 4x4 news I learned today, more related to Fishing the beach.

2021 Michigan State Police tested the new 2021 Ford F150 Police Interceptor 4x4 equipped with the new 400 HP EcoBoost 3.5L motor.

I am not sure yet if this model is available to the general public but here is the important part.

Michigan State Police have been the testing organization for Police vehicles for decades.

So here is a real world scenario that could happen if you get your paws on one of these 2021 F150 Police Interceptors....You might be scoffing a pick up truck interceptor, especially if you grew up when I did the only fast Pickups were either Ford Lightnings or SRT-10 Dodges or back in the day the SS454 Silverado. The rest of the Pickups were pretty much slugs in the performance world;

Here are the Michigan State Police 2021 results:

2021 5.7L Hemi Charger Police Interceptor zero to sixty 5.96 seconds

2021 3.5L F150 4x4 Police Interceptor zero to sixty 5.42 seconds

You can see where I going with this, I am not sure if any of you plan on going zero to sixty in under 5.5 seconds on the beach, but I know I need to...... this is pretty epic, imagine for a second you are being tailed too close by a Park Ranger in a 5.7L Tahoe 4x4 (7.88 seconds zero to sixty) some flashing strobe lights appear in your rear view mirror..... you decide not today Jose....... and put the hammer down on your new Police Interceptor F150 and soon that Ranger's Tahoe is getting smaller and smaller in your rear view mirror until it out of sight as you fly over the ramp and bury the pedal to the metal North on Route 12 and make for the Basnight Bridge.......

Sadly in real life you would encounter a roadblock of machine gun equipped State Troopers somewhere North of Mirlo Beach but I was dreaming whilst typing.

But seriously, imagine a beach vehicle that can out run a Charger Police Hemi and out run a ecoboost Taurus interceptor and still have room for all your gear and full size coolers in the truck bed and a couple of Hotties in the back seats and...... your stick man in the shotgun captains chair seat who can let you know whether that Hemi Charger with the Flashing Blue Strobes really is gaining on you......


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## Garboman

I just figured out that the F150 Premier which costs north of $60K has this 400 HP eco boost in it.

$60K for a pickup truck that is not a Raptor is stunning.

After some quick calculations that a 400 HP 5.0 Coyote Engine equipped F150 which is being practically given away at around $38K makes the 3.5L Eco Boost seem unrealistic for a beach vehicle.

One thing that a $3000 F150 and a $65,000 F150 have in common is that if you live at the beach, after 20 years or so, sometimes less the truck frame will rust out in the gap between the bed and the cab, it is like a slow-motion cutting torch....

On another there has been some activity around the Inlets...Notice the Shark Attack on this example


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## Garboman

Been noticing some pretty water off of Rodanthe Pier.


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## Garboman

Clyde and I first crossed paths in 1989 fishing for Drum on Rodanthe. 

Pretty sure Clyde is in his eighties now, most folks cannot sling any thing other than a spoon for their soup at that age much less a heaver.

Carpenters rule......


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## DaBig2na

Harrymanz said:


> Yeah friday was real good
> View attachment 67956
> View attachment 67957
> View attachment 67958


I was there the whole time for the most epic bite.. then the sw wind picked up bigly and chewed the south beach up pretty bad...Breached the pond."..I hate we missed each other
Best Spring I've ever had!


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## Garboman

This is quite a new look, perhaps we need to start calling him HollywoodMan instead of MoyockMan.


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## Surfjunkie

Looks like he retired the Seigler and picked up a penn


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## Garboman

So I just had to go thru a Capcha sequence to prove I am not a robot, because I logged in on another Computer.

Whilst some of my associates are spending time being bowed up to Drum and preyed upon by Sharks I decided I needed to do something to help the environment.

Sort of like Recycling but also fits with the fishing lifestyle. After checking the Charging system grid and finding both Hatteras and Buxton have vehicle charging stations available to the general public (which includes me).

2022 Ford f150 Lightning. Two motors one for each axle combine for 563 available Horsepower on a full charge.

4.5 seconds 0-60 which smokes Raptor.....smokes most RAM's and may be a tie with a Hellcat motor equipped RAM but will certainly best all available diesels. All Police Vehicles available on Hatteras will be in the dust.....

$40,000 MSRP for base model with vinyl seats and vinyl flooring. Crew Cab, likely will be way more expensive by the time they get through with you but it is nice to dream.....

Cost of 2021 Raptor is way more expensive like in $80K and way slower and at this point if you are trying to impress young hippie type chicks, Electric is the way to go...even if you get your home electricity from a coal fired plant....you are viewed as environmentally friendly which makes for more appeal to young Earth Friendly type Hotties....

Back in the Day on Hatteras there was the Mustang Cop which was a Mustang equipped State Trooper with a Fox Body hopped up Interceptor. You knew if the Mustang Cop was in your rear view mirror you better be good....real good as there was no getting away from the Mustang Cop. Mustang Cop never got me for anything but when he blew through Rodanthe on RT 12 we knew it was time to stay home.....until Mustang Cop got off shift....Mustang Cop used to be one of the most prolific ticket writers Hatteras had ever experienced. Sheriff Burrus would wave to you passing you on RT 12 ........

Mustang Cop wanted you in Manteo or worse......










This free for all for my Enviro Dominance will be short lived because the Powers to Be in Raleigh who first authorized the Mustang Cop of the early 1990s will want to get their hands on one of these Ford Lightning Electric Mobile Squad Cars.......

Ford will likely have one of these certified by Michigan State Troopers testing facility before I can even get my paws on one.

I remember when the Hemi Charge Police Interceptor first came out.....Police Officers by and large preferred them over the Firetrap Crown Vics. Never mind that the expected brake life on a 2006 Hemi Charger Interceptor was 6000 miles.....Power is seductive...... and so is 4.5 seconds 0-60.


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## ncst8man1999

You getting one Garbo? I think it is still going to take a lot of advances in battery technology to do an electric patrol vehicle. Don't see them being able to last a shift with the regular electrical requirements on top of driving the car. It will have to last two full days on a charge to have the margin to be reliable for a full shift. 

Car running with lights, radio, etc draws alot of amps over 12 hours. Can't just pull over and plug in when you want.

On another note, that Charger was a game changer. Especially when trying to keep up with those on the two wheel vehicles that operated with virtual impunity until the mid 2000s. Now, I like my Tahoe even better. That's the most comfy ride ever for a patrol vehicle.

Anyway, looks like a lot of drum are moving into the surf zone. Good news, heading down in a few weeks for vacation, hoping the. Weather is cordial and no hurricanes make an appearance


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## Garboman

NCST

You know far more than I do about the requirements that may limit an all electric patrol vehicle. The Lightning has an extended charge battery option that allows for 300 miles of regular driving. Especially with a big SUV or a Pickup there is ample space to put in more batteries....I can envision alternator technology connected to the axles to create ongoing added in electric power rather than just what you plugged in, could even be connected to the brake system when you are slowing the vehicle your are turning alternators and re-charging...

That Mustang Cop with his Cobra Fox Body Mustang was a game changer on Hatteras...

0-60 in 4.5 seconds in a Lightning is pretty seductive. I will have to find out more how long in terms of years the Lightning batteries service life are supposed to last before I switch from Dino Juice. I really do not have the need to go fast at my age, it is nice to have the option though.

I made a mistake in memory from 30 some years ago, it was Bert Austin who was the Sheriff of Dare County for 20 some years.

Bert waved to me every morning when I passed him on RT 12 when I lived on Hatteras. If you live on the Island you can get overwhelmed by waving to everyone you know. Bert Austin was well known as fair and as a good man, he always smiled at me and my co-workers even though at the time he likely knew we likely could be his guests at times at his place up in Manteo after a bad Saturday night......

Drum have hit the secret OBX pier locations. Same DrumPro's as always getting bit. Something about that extra 15 yards on your cast that seems to work...year after year.... that RodBuilder DrumPro has some photos on his Facebook.

I am envious.


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## ncst8man1999

I have no doubt those engineers will figure it out. But in my 3.5 yes left, I am not going to worry about it. 

Way more concerned with getting on some Drum next month. Got to get some rigs put together and everything prepped to fish the beach buggy tourney.


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## Garboman

On a secret OBX pier this morning around 9:00 AM I watched a live feed where an angler got a big boy and it was during a big blow. Waves were breaking out from the end of the pier, the waves played havoc with the net.

I was sitting in my office drinking coffee.

The Vid feed is pretty distant, but I spent enough time around them to recognize DrumPro #1 and DrumProBiker by the way they stand and move around.

A big guy wearing a light blue coat or sweatshirt caught the Drum, and he released it like a bullet with a score 10 perfect drop, could have been Joker, but I am not sure.

Conditions calmed down since this morning, they will get some tonight and tomorrow morning.

Some fellas looked to be chucking off the south side because they were likely drifting with three sided 12's this morning.

After I did some work this morning, I went out and practiced my figure 8 Drum Pendulum cast.


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## Garboman

I guess I will go back to the live feed and see what happens right before the light fades......


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## Garboman

Back on the live feed this morning....

Two large Red Drum into the net so far about ten minutes ago. Fella was bowed up just now but it turned grey as I saw the Drum fisherman back up with his rod pointed at the large grey thing out of camera view.

Water looks real good and it is foggy so the bite should go on until lunch time and perhaps all day.

That DrumPro Twin from Florida is at his normal spot at the South end, I cannot make out anyone else because it is foggy.

I better get back to work...


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## bogeyman71

The taxpayer’s pier has been producing most of the morning. Too bad I’m not there.


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## Garboman

I check the video feed this afternoon and see a couple more come over the rail. There is a crowd, mostly unruly self centered FHB's.

Pics will show up on some of the other sites.

I think HollywoodMan just dropped one back into the drink, or else it was someone else with a black beard perhaps TomH.


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## Garboman

Redheaded fella got one last night at the home town pier. 

There is a secret spot seldom visited because it is a trek that will produce but it gets really dicey with a big blow. Only the young would have been out there last night, but they surely would have got into them.

I checked the video feed today and it looks to have slowed down some from the crowd aspect. One thing that happens today that did not happen back in the day is instant communication, so folks that live on the OBX can in a moments notice jump right into a big bite. Back in the day, before Captain Kirk communicators we did not even tell the Pier house employees if there were a few Drum around, if you wanted to know, you had to come out and check under the bench to see if any Drum were stashed under there waiting be put into the walk-in freezer when we were done fishing for the night.

Just checked video feed again, looks like a bunch of Buzzards milling around with their paws tucked into white Grundens.
The Oregon Inlet fleet started the White Grundens Bibs fashionista craze back in the 1980's, then along came the short top Xtratuf easy on boots.

I have to admit that I had to get a pair of easy on Xtratufs because my older regular taller boots were not easy to get on with thick socks. Anyway a whole bunch of white bibs waiting on a clicker to go off at the moment.

When I fished commercial it was the dark green Grundens and a pair of white shrimping boots along with a fish-blood stained white t-shirt and cotton shorts as the standard uniform. I cannot remember what happened to my white boots, they vanished into the greyness of my memories.....I still wear dark green Grundens.....


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## Garboman

Florida Twin just decked one and missed another bite. It is not foggy today so I can make out a few fellas that I know.

Seen three come over the rail in last 10 minutes. Current moving real good. Fish are Chesapeake golden bronze colored.


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## ncst8man1999

Leaving Sunday morning for the week....sounding good so far.


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## bogeyman71

Garbo, what is the one year Man record and will it be broken this year?


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## Garboman

185 + or - DrumProRodbuilder won the MAN Joe Mullet Memorial Tournament 2018

Perhaps, there are multiple people who are already over 100, the ones who have even more are silent as they want the other people to rest and relax whilst they keep on it............... 

It depends on the weather, if it stays nice and the fish do not get blown offshore into deep water when they move South of the point in Rodanthe in Mid November.

Funny thing about Drum Fishing, everyone who is a serious contender knows exactly how many they have caught in a given year.


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## Garboman

I wanted to point out some unwritten rules that I have always been careful of, to the point that I know what bad Karma is and where it comes from....

Don't step in the pier nets, nets are for Drum not for your tootsies... or your Xtratuf blue marlin camo or what ever you wear fishing....

Pier nets are not for Sharks, if you want to net your Shark and eat it...move to some other country....

People who get their glamour shot picture taken whilst standing in the pier net holding up fish are doomed.......

If you come across a hook buried in a Pier net rope or in a Pier Bucket rope, take the time to get the hook out....if you do not...you will find one in your hand sometime in the future......

I have never had my picture taken whilst holding my Rod....Crowd I run with did not carry their cameras with them on the beach, in the water...crowd I run with does not like to buy phones that have not gone through at least five years or more cycles...

I guess one day If I ever get another Drum on one of my SurfStiks I will have to request a photo of me...the Drum...the SurfStik. perhaps I may be so excited that I will be caught standing in the net......

Thank fully the wind died down, along with the Drumfest so I am able to spend more time making a living rather than watching the net coming over the rail via WebCam..


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## Garboman

Also If you take your pictures standing holding the Drum with one hand by the gill plate and you are pushing the Drum closer to the camera with your knee.............you are cheating......

If your Drum is so big you can hardly lift it with two hands...you are not cheating....but you are weak and should consider some type of weight training regimen....


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## Garboman

The following are examples of cheating during a Drum Glamour Shot and not cheating.

Not Cheating, that is me in the background in camo re-rigging a blown up reel.











This is definitely cheating with knees fully extended.


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## poppop1

nice...


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## Garboman

The Man 1973











Elvin Hooper passed away November 4, 2021, on the Island of his Birth.

If you lived in the Tri-Villages you knew Elvin and I am at a loss as to an appropriate response.

Back in the day every November 7th if you were a Drum Fisherman, you spent as much of that day out at the end of Rodanthe Pier as the big Chesapeake fish were sure to be about.

The most ingrained thing I have in my memory about November 7th at the end of the T, was at High Tide exactly I think it was 2002, I do not remember the year as much as I remember the fish hit at exactly high tide, and my 8600 started off with a clatter. I set the hook into a heavy fish and struggled with the fish for perhaps 25 minutes and I could not get the fish off the bottom. I got impatient and decided it had to be a 3 or 4 hundred pound Garbo, so I broke it off before I got it to the surface.

It was perhaps the dumbest thing I have ever done Drum Fishing, who knows what a 100 pound Drum pulls like.....likely as slow and methodical as a big lazy Garbo.....

Stanley admonished me for breaking off the fish before I knew what is was....I told myself that it would not happen again on Rodanthe Pier anyway...I will break off a big Shark at the Point in a heartbeat........

I heard Stanley was in a bad way health wise down in Florida.

Seems like these days everything and everyone from my Youth are now gone or headed that way.....

RIP Elvin.


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## Arnav

What a fish story, and what a fish ! Rest in Peace.





Elvin Hooper and his World Record Red Drum


For those that don't recognize that name, Elvin Hooper caught a 90 pound Red Drum on November 7, 1973 . This fish was the IGFA All Tackle...




fishtopwatercharters.blogspot.com


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## Harrymanz

That picture is really cool


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## reeldude56

Anyone know about how old that fish may have been?


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## poppop1

Great story. Rest in peace.


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## Arnav

reeldude56 said:


> Anyone know about how old that fish may have been?








species - Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission







www.asmfc.org




.
"Red drum may reach 60 years of age and 60 inches in length (corresponding to greater than 90 pounds in weight)."


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## JakeW

Garboman said:


> I wanted to point out some unwritten rules that I have always been careful of, to the point that I know what bad Karma is and where it comes from....
> 
> Don't step in the pier nets, nets are for Drum not for your tootsies... or your Xtratuf blue marlin camo or what ever you wear fishing....
> 
> Pier nets are not for Sharks, if you want to net your Shark and eat it...move to some other country....
> 
> People who get their glamour shot picture taken whilst standing in the pier net holding up fish are doomed.......
> 
> If you come across a hook buried in a Pier net rope or in a Pier Bucket rope, take the time to get the hook out....if you do not...you will find one in your hand sometime in the future......
> 
> I have never had my picture taken whilst holding my Rod....Crowd I run with did not carry their cameras with them on the beach, in the water...crowd I run with does not like to buy phones that have not gone through at least five years or more cycles...
> 
> I guess one day If I ever get another Drum on one of my SurfStiks I will have to request a photo of me...the Drum...the SurfStik. perhaps I may be so excited that I will be caught standing in the net......
> 
> Thank fully the wind died down, along with the Drumfest so I am able to spend more time making a living rather than watching the net coming over the rail via WebCam..


Lord knows the number of drums my white pier net has brought up from the water since its birth in 2019. Sandbridge, Halfalon (Avalon), concrete jungle, Garys, the new and improved catwalk, Rodanthe, and even a Topsail pier. But I can just about count every time I’ve twitched when someone steps on it or leaves it laying in a pile covered in slime for Dave from Ohio to step on. Or even better…a employee of concrete pier run over it in the golf cart like a speed bump. But you’ll have that on those bigger jobs.

Currently sitting at 114 for the year. Picked one helluva year to start charter fishing. At least next season NC based DrumPro twin and I will be bait fishing together 🤣.
I’m giving it until Dec 12th unless otherwise noted. There’s another ginger youngin that hit 150 just before shipping off to Cape May to be a coastie. At least 8 head with over 100 this year.


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## surffshr

I don't mean to dis-respect anyone. Or insult the honor of any fellow fisherman.
BUT, I haven't read anything about the rule as to how is the number of drum someone catches is verified.


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## DaBig2na

surffshr said:


> I don't mean to dis-respect anyone. Or insult the honor of any fellow fisherman.
> BUT, I haven't read anything about the rule as to how is the number of drum someone catches is verified.


Cheating at Drum Fishin and cheating about your numbers is just like cheating at Golf. I you have to lie about your numbers just to be The Man is it really worth it?


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## surffshr

DaBig2na said:


> Cheating at Drum Fishin and cheating about your numbers is just like cheating at Golf. I you have to lie about your numbers just to be The Man is it really worth it?
> [/QUO
> no it isn't


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## Garboman

*Joe Mullet Memorial MAN 2021 Tournament*

Officials have been at work in the process interviewing past winners and current contenders. There are more DrumPros over 100 citation this year than has ever occurred so since the Tournament Started back in the 1970's.

An issue has come up this year as it has in the past, but it needs to be addressed *Yearlings do not count* for the MAN. 

You can measure anyway you want for personal tallies, you can count Slot fish or over slot or under slot, but for the MAN only full size Drum count.

*Drum must be **40 inches Fork Length* to qualify either for a NC Citation or for the MAN. 

Virginia Caught Drum have to be 40 inch Fork Length, Virginia puts up some big numbers every year, but NC measurement is the MAN standard.

In order to count a release, you have to either have him on the deck of a pier over the rail or in your hands on the the Drum in sand. If on the beach you get one on the sand and a wave comes along and the Drum gets back into the Drink before you touch him, that was nice and you had the fun, but do not try to count it. If the Drum flopped out of the net and you had your hand on the leader, good job, but it does not count, this is not the Big Rock, it is the MAN.

If you have your hands on him in a boat, that is great, but it is not eligible for MAN Tournament.

If you feel you are in the running and no one has spoken to you, then best speak up if you have big numbers.


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## Garboman

Savfish a multi-year winner is on injured reserve this year with Drum Elbow.

Last Years DrumPro #1 worked too much at a real job and spent too much time offshore.

Previous multi-year DrumPro Rodbuilder may have gotten too many rod orders this year, plus he can not seem to drive by a school of mullet and leave them be. We do not know where he is at numbers wise but if he has big numbers it is time to reveal.

DrumPro's who were planning on making a serious effort in November came up on near constant West Wind and had their late Fall plan collapse and they are now either in Rehab or the process of doing what one does before Rehab is necessary.

DrumPro Hollywood nee DrumPro MoyockMan unless he pulls some kind of Ocracoke Houdini has been bested.

There are others who in a normal year who have had the numbers to win, did not win this year. 

There are some that never even got a chance to chuck a bait due to the Pandemic.

Still a few more days, if you are going spend the next few days and nights camped out on Ocracoke, bring a date stamped Camera with you and perhaps a witness or two.


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## Garboman

*2021 MAN Joe Mullet Memorial Tournament*

1. Blake

2. DrumProGolfPro

3. DrumProHollywood nee MoyockMAN


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