Anglers seeking easy pulls during the spring season are discovering a new breed of fishing along the Texas Coast. Spring season winds often churn bay waters for days leaving speckled trout and redfish enthusiasts scratching their heads. Expect to see more anglers dancing to a new beat this spring with the exciting black drum run that takes place annually.
"Black drum make their annual migration when the water temperatures get into the sixties; anywhere from late February to late April. You find them starting to congregate in the channels in great numbers," says Laporte, Texas pastor Mark Redd. An avid black drum fisher, Redd angles for drum at Galveston's North Jetty each spring.
"In the past couple of years we've been catching black drum weighing as much as 60 pounds! I find the best bait for fishing on the bottom where you'll catch the really big ones is cracked crab. I crack off the top shell and halve the meat; it works like a charm for black drum," Redd continues.
Captain Jake Reaves says that some of the best texas fishing for black drum is the upper coast, which he works in his guided charters. "The black drum run is an exciting time for me. It's an opportunity to get out of my waders for once and sit back in the sun and do some more relaxing fishing. I usually get about 20 fish a day when angling in the channels and other transitional zones during the black drum run."
As for gear, Reaves chooses circle hooks, 4-8 ounce egg weights and 50 lb test for black drum. According to Reaves though, the single most important thing is getting the bait to the bottom quickly. "I tend to use heavier weights so I can get my bait right down to the bottom where the biggest black drum are," says Reaves. Once he gets a bite, the 50 lb test lets him quickly land his fish and get his line back in the water.
According to the spring fishing reports, Texas fishing for black drum is good even for landlocked anglers, with some great spots for these fish which can be reached without a boat. "A lot of people do great during the black drum run from the pier at the Texas City Dike as well as across from the boat launch," says Mark Redd. For his part, Captain Jake Reaves says that Sea Wolf Park Pier and Sylvan Beach Pier are also good spots for black drum. Texas fishing experts also tell us that Aransas Pass' Fin & Feather Pier and the Aransas Pass Jetty happen to be great black drum spots as well.
One thing that experienced anglers recommend is "venting" larger drum before release. While these fish are indeed good eating, there are many who prefer catch and release with drum. Mark Redd advises depleting the air bladders of larger black drum before releasing them, having seen a lot of these fish die due to their full air bladders preventing them from swimming down after release. "Use a needle and insert it gently at a 45 degree angle under one of their scales by the tip of the pectoral fin. This will vent gas trapped in their air bladders so they can get back in the water and have a better chance to survive," says Redd. This is an excellent tip to keep in mind for a spring Texas fishing season which the currently available fishing reports indicate will be a big one for black drum. - 30546
"Black drum make their annual migration when the water temperatures get into the sixties; anywhere from late February to late April. You find them starting to congregate in the channels in great numbers," says Laporte, Texas pastor Mark Redd. An avid black drum fisher, Redd angles for drum at Galveston's North Jetty each spring.
"In the past couple of years we've been catching black drum weighing as much as 60 pounds! I find the best bait for fishing on the bottom where you'll catch the really big ones is cracked crab. I crack off the top shell and halve the meat; it works like a charm for black drum," Redd continues.
Captain Jake Reaves says that some of the best texas fishing for black drum is the upper coast, which he works in his guided charters. "The black drum run is an exciting time for me. It's an opportunity to get out of my waders for once and sit back in the sun and do some more relaxing fishing. I usually get about 20 fish a day when angling in the channels and other transitional zones during the black drum run."
As for gear, Reaves chooses circle hooks, 4-8 ounce egg weights and 50 lb test for black drum. According to Reaves though, the single most important thing is getting the bait to the bottom quickly. "I tend to use heavier weights so I can get my bait right down to the bottom where the biggest black drum are," says Reaves. Once he gets a bite, the 50 lb test lets him quickly land his fish and get his line back in the water.
According to the spring fishing reports, Texas fishing for black drum is good even for landlocked anglers, with some great spots for these fish which can be reached without a boat. "A lot of people do great during the black drum run from the pier at the Texas City Dike as well as across from the boat launch," says Mark Redd. For his part, Captain Jake Reaves says that Sea Wolf Park Pier and Sylvan Beach Pier are also good spots for black drum. Texas fishing experts also tell us that Aransas Pass' Fin & Feather Pier and the Aransas Pass Jetty happen to be great black drum spots as well.
One thing that experienced anglers recommend is "venting" larger drum before release. While these fish are indeed good eating, there are many who prefer catch and release with drum. Mark Redd advises depleting the air bladders of larger black drum before releasing them, having seen a lot of these fish die due to their full air bladders preventing them from swimming down after release. "Use a needle and insert it gently at a 45 degree angle under one of their scales by the tip of the pectoral fin. This will vent gas trapped in their air bladders so they can get back in the water and have a better chance to survive," says Redd. This is an excellent tip to keep in mind for a spring Texas fishing season which the currently available fishing reports indicate will be a big one for black drum. - 30546
About the Author:
Captain Kyle Tomek is a Texas fishing guide who submits featured saltwater fishing tips to Texas FishCast. You can submit saltwater fishing tips through your Facebook account to Texas FishCast. You can share pictures and videos and tag your fishing buddies for everyone to see.
