LIP GRIPPER


THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC HAS


BURNLEY IN ITS SPELL. PHOTO: RIC BURNLEY


[ TACTICS ]


BLACK MAGIC T


hey’re big, they’re black and they’re swimming around mid-Atlantic waters


looking for an easy meal. But even though they grow bigger, live longer and fight just as hard as their redheaded cousins, black drum are the black sheep of the drum-fish family. In fact, black drum can be a lot easier to


catch. While red drum only visit a few spots within kayak range, black drum are widely distributed from Chesapeake Bay to Dela- ware Bay and in the backwaters of the Jer- sey Shore.


Start by anchoring the kayak over a shoal,


mussel bed, channel edge or reef. The best time to catch big blacks is in the spring when the fish first move inshore to fuel


READER TIP SEND YOUR READER TIP TO NOTCH THAT GUN BELT BY JOSE CHAVEZ


Don’t allow a big blob of plastic to stand between you and big fish fame. When throwing large plastic baits, cut a small notch in the underside. Line up the notch with the hook point. When that trophy bites, the notch will act as a hinge. Most of the time the back half of the lure will swing out of the way, letting the hook slam home.


24 …KAYAK ANGLER SUMMER/FALL 2012


MARCH TO THE BEAT OF A DIFFERENT DRUM BY RIC BURNLEY


up and fool around. Black drum often give themselves away when they show up on the sonar screen as big blobs on the bottom. On a calm, quiet night, stealthy anglers can even hear big blacks drumming below. To rig up, attach a fish-finder rig to


60-pound braid spooled on a high power reel attached to a heavy boat rod. Then gob a glob of clam on the 8/0 circle hook and attach a four- to eight-ounce pyramid sinker to the fishfinder clip. A black drum’s meat is full of worms, so the fish are most often released— use heavy tackle to keep the fight short and improve the fish’s chance of survival. Through the summer, black drum can be found around jetties and rock piles.


editor@kayakanglermag.com


THE FISH-


FINDER RIG. PHOTO: RIC BURNLEY


Since these structures are often covered with bait-stealing trash fish such as oyster toads and sand sharks, the best plan is to bounce a half- to one-ounce jig and five- to seven-inch scented soft plastic across the bottom. Again, use a heavy spinning or casting rod and 50-pound braid to do battle with these bruisers.


Although they don’t often get it, big black drum deserve big respect. They can grow to over 80 pounds, live over 80 years and migrate hundreds of miles. While big blacks might not get as much press as their red relatives, they make enough noise to draw the attention of kayak anglers.


SNIP THAT BIG PLASTIC AMIDSHIPS


FOR AN EYE-CROSSING HOOK SET. PHOTO: JOSE CHAVEZ


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