# Puppy Drum



## Pheno (Jun 8, 2017)

Whats your preferred bait for puppy drum in the spring season


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## rwh (Dec 10, 2012)

fresh bait: peeler crab or live bull minnows
artificials: Redfish Magic spinners & topwater plugs, i.e. Rapala Skitterwalks & Badonk-a-donks


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## Pheno (Jun 8, 2017)

Free line bull minnows?


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## Benji (Nov 19, 2014)

Chartreuse gulp red jig head. Gold spoon. Live minnow on a Carolina rig, peeler crab, shrimp under a popping cork. Pure poison chatter baits.


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## rwh (Dec 10, 2012)

Pheno said:


> Free line bull minnows?


I usually fish for them in 3 to 6 ft of water, so I put them under a float, otherwise I would do like Benji and use a Carolina or fishfinder rig.


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## sutphinda (Feb 9, 2012)

Fresh Shrimp works


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## Suavea (Oct 9, 2002)

*The Big Ones*

Or aka Bull Reds aka Red Drum love some fresh cut Spot too. Also some of these fish have some deep spots where they live all the time. Just a tip. And when you can't get Peelers Live hard crabs work just a good. But it pay to know how to cut them up...opcorn:


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## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

To me fresh cut spot is a fall time bait but it and any other cut bait works this time of year too. This time of year the crabs are coming out of the bottom to spawn and grow/shed again so they're abundant at a time when very little else is.

Peelers are good bait this time of year because they're abundant too and while they're peeling/shedding they put off an aroma that attracts everything swimming. The bad thing is not just Drum like them so you'll catch a bunch of critters at the same time you're looking for Drum.

If you're fishing for the big ones in this area with whole hard crabs cut off the points, remove the pincher legs then push a 7/O to 9/O hook of your choice (not getting into the circle vs. the "J" hook argument here) from the bottom of the crab into the top shell with just the point and barb pushed out of the top shell but don't hit the vital organs so the crab can walk the bottom or swim for a while trying to find that Drum that wants to eat him. Rig it to a Carolina or Fish Finder rig then toss it onto a bar next to a slough and cross your fingers hoping you're in the right spot.

For the Pups a whole crab with the top shell removed that is cut into quarters is the best bait this time of year (along with any other fresh cut bait). A 2/O to 4/O hook pushed threw one of the leg holes and out of the bottom shell is how I rig them, again with just the point and barb going out of the shell. Sand bars near sloughs are good spots to look for Pups too but don't forget to fish near grass beds and creek mouths, especially near the top of high tide into the outgoing.

My $ 0.02, Jay B


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## IPNURWATER (Aug 20, 2013)

Blue crab nuckles


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