Hot Red Drum Bite

Date - October 21st 2016
Location -  North Carolina Coast
Rods/Reels -  Shimano 6500 BaitRunner on 7' Ugly Stik Tiger Rod
Bait- Frozen Mullet
Rig - Carolina Rig , 2oz weight 8 inch leader 9/0 Circle Hook and 9/0 J hooks Both Gamakatsu's

 I got word of a very Hot bite on Big  Red Drum just off the beach.  Since I had no yak I called one of my good yak friends Joey ( TurtleStew ) and told him if he supplied the yak I would drive or pay for gas and food.  He jumped at the chance as both he and I have been trying to catch a Big Red for several years with no luck.

I met Joey at his house at 4 am and off to the beach we went.  We arrived at out destination at aprox 7 am and got everything unloaded and ready to go.  Several other yakers show up and we waited at the surf for the fog to lift.   The fog lifted at aprox 8:30 and out beyond the breakers we went.  Joey in a Hobie Pro Angler and me in his 12' Redfish.

If you look closely you can see a rainbow in the fog

 The plan was to snag Menhaden with jerk rigs but no schools could be found. Luckily I had brought some frozen mullet.   I put a piece on the hook and cast it out.  Almost immediately I was hooked up!  Then it came loose. I reeled in some slack line and there was little curl at the end of my line. I had tied a bad knot!!!

Back out and it didn't take long again.  My first Big Red!!

Then  Joey Hooked up!!

We both had said that we would be happy with 1 a piece and we ended up with 8  !!!!!! .   Joey caught 3 and I caught 5.  My biggest just being Citation size at 40 inches and Joeys biggest was a Toad at 42  inches.

Here are some more pictures...

My Biggest....

The Bait

The Rig,  I didn't have a 2 oz weight but 2 - 1 ounce weights worked. Not pretty but they worked.

I didn't have a rod holder on this yak so this is how I drifted down the beach, I had the Baitrunner on and when a fish hit I reeled and the spooled engaged and I was hooked up.

One Interesting thing on this trip is that reel is loaded with cheap line. I almost never buy cheap line but last fall at Jeanette's Pier I had my big Drum rod cast off the end of the pier and this outfit cast off the side.  Either a big shark or a Big Ray hit and I was almost spooled until I broke it off. I had no extra line so I went to  the Pier shop and the only line they sell is cheap 2.99 a spool Shur Strike line.  This line did really well and the only break-off I had looked to be my fault.

A great day on the Big water with a Good friend and big fish.  A big thanks to Joey for supplying the Yak.

OH, and now that I  have caught a North Carolina Citation Red Drum I can now wear this shirt. Check out "Wuz Worth It" on the net.

Thanks for Looking, Mack