[Heaver]

Got up Sat morning at 3:00am, loaded the truck up with fishing gear, and headed for Sandbridge. At the pier winds were from the W-SW at 5-10 mph and quite warm. Water was dirty and flat. Not exactly drummy looking water, but remained hopeful.

Put out two heavers, one baited with fillet of mullet and the other with a chunk of fresh spot.

A little after 6:30am a big red ate the fillet of mullet for breakfast and 15 min later it was on the deck. Measured it at 48" , took a pic, and released it with in 3-4 min. What a way to start a day!

Very few spot were being caught, but HUGE croakers were being caught in the surf. Several puppies also were decked.

No other drum were caught Sat. Planned on going back on Sunday.

Lou

 

[Heaver]

Sun morning a repeat of Sat, early morning go.

Got to the pier just as they were opening, there was already a crowd waiting to enter. Only a few were drummers.

This time winds were cranking from the E-NE at 15-20 and the surf was angry and pounding against the dunes. The water had cleared from yesterday.

Set up the same spread, mullet on one heaver, spot on the other. Almost immediately one of the other drummers hooks up and lands a drum afew minutes later. Then his buddy hooks up and decks a drum too a few minutes later. Finally, around 6:20 a.m. my mini-heaver baited with mullet goes off and I am hooked up with another drum. It only took 5-10 minutes to bring in, but the netting part was tricky due to the pounding surf and howling wind. Got the drum on the deck ok, took a pic and released it within minutes.

That was it for the big reds up through 1pm when I left.

I fished for spot for awhile since some big ones were running. Brought home 14 nice sized ones. In the process also caught puppy drum, pompano, grey trout, pinfish, and roundhead. I don't think I have ever caught so many species in one day as today.

When I left at 12:30pm they were still spanking the spot, and the remaining drummers were remaining hopeful for an evening bite. The water sure looked drummy and a bite may in fact develop.

Great cooperation at the end of the pier getting the fish in...

Lou

Fish pic below:

 

[Cdog]

At least somebody had a good weekend.

 

[Doad]

YEAH! C'mon knee...hurry up and heal!

 

[Thrifty Angler]

Hey Doad

Looks like I should have put up cab fare for LI pier. What a variety on that day.

Heaver
You should have video showing your technique. Step by step is the only way I think I'll get the hang of baiting up, hooking, fighting, and landing a drum. A slow motion video will still have more speed and be faster than the fishing action I saw this weekend.
Another great catch! I'll just sit back and watch the pros do yall thing this time of year. Pound those drums.

 

[Heaver]

Fish with a 25-40lb class rod & reel - make sure you can cast it with fair accuracy and force for distance.

My fishing line line is tied to about 20-25 feet of 40-50lb shock using an albright special knot (small and compact) and trimmed. The other end of the shock is threaded through the eye of the a cheap snap swivel - not coastlocks, I mean cheap swivels. A bead is added, then a
quality 80 or 100 lb crane swivel is tied to the end of the shock. On the other eye of this crane swivel a short piece of 80lb leader is attached using a nail knot. At the other end of the 80lb leader attach a 12/0 Mustad circle hook using another nail knot. The 80lb leader should be about 3" in length total to decrease the wind drag when casting it.

Attach a sinker of choice to the sliding clip (cheap snap swivel). I use 6, 8, 10, 12 oz tongue sinkers depending on conditions. Today at Sandbridge a min of 8oz was needed to hold bottom and even then some lines were still being dragged.

Do not run the line through the eye of a hook without the offset eye and tie the traditional snell knot to the shank cause the friction of the eye on the leader will break it - trust me on this, I lost two large fish using this method. Do not use the cheap "twisted wire" swivels in place of the crane swivel, they'll bend easily and fail. Its ok to use cheap snap swivels for the sinker clip.

The bait is either mullet, menhaden, or spot. A small chunk or a whole bait - make sure it's fresh, change it every 15-20 min or so. Keep an eye on your line at all times. My preference is on small 1" square chunks.

For the rig study this pic. It's rather simple. Avoid fancy doubling up of line, bimini twist knots, etc. Keep everything simple and you'll save yourself a bunch of trouble when it comes time to untangle lines.

Always show up ready to fish. Attach sinker, add bait, and cast....

Lou

 

[Shoeless]

Hey heaver. Nice fish! Where do you get the tongue sinkers? I have been in quite a few tackle shops and have not seen them. Thanks.

 

[Heaver]

Last week I bought a batch of tongue sinkers Troy Marine in Suffolk. No, not all the way out there towards Franklin. He is a marine and boat delaer, but also sells a small amount of bait and tackle. His business is just off the interstate (664) and just south of the Monitor Marrimack (sp) Bridge. Look for his phone and address in the phone book.

Interestingly, Troy carries a few of the Shawn Collins custom made molds. Shawn is a local machinist and can custom cut you a mold for tongue sinkers.

Laters,

Lou

 

[*BRANDON*]

Hey heaver is Troy Marine on 17? If it is that like 2 min from my house. Got one question for you you said you chopped down the tica heavers before? Have you ever chopped down the 11'6 one before or is it fine as is for 8 and bait or 10 and bait?

 

[Doad]

Appreciate the tip Lou...btw, where do you get your lead at?

 

[*BRANDON*]

Troy Marine
4796 Bridge Road
Portsmouth, VA 23703
757-483-2673

Hey doad found the number this place is like 2 min from my house i will check it out and give you the prices ect.

Gosh all this talk about drum makes me want to skip school and go!

 

[da yooper]

Just a thought Lou:
Why do you do it this way? Why not use a
clipdown fish-finder or Pennel rig?

 

[Thrifty Angler]

Heaver

Thanks for the very thorough instructions. Good details. I like to have my leaders set up and ready to go when I get to a spot. Can a few of this type rig be prepared ahead of time and tied on as needed to existing reel line? Is this setup also good for surf applications? Is it okay for stripers?
I want to take my youngest to the surf and let him try for stripers and reds. After his stingray, he feels he can conquer anything. I say let him give it a try. But only on the beach. Just til he gets a bit more accurate with his casting. Of course I will hold on to the info on untangling lines. Especially if it involves an angler not in our group.

Thanks again for the info.

 

[emanuel]

Heaver, wanted your opinion of my drum rig.

I take my pole 7' Shakespeare Tidewater m/heavy action with baitcaster, spooled with 20lb Berkeley Big Game. That runs to the terminal tackle. That would be a 2/0 circle hook with 2-3 ft of 50lb mono tied in a uni-knot to a barrel swivel that connects leader and main line. Weight is 3-4 ounces, sliding egg sinker(s) on the leader.

It's not as sophisticated as yours, but it saves me a lot of money when I have to cut the line when I get a shark or a larger skate. I have only lost one drum and that was because I accidentally backlashed my reel and he snapped the line.

I usually have the pier to myself or a few other people, so I bungee strap my PVC pipe to a lightpole on the pier about 3-4 off the ground and put the pole in there. Often the drum don't set off the clicker, I see the line moving up and down, and that's when the fight is on.

Let me know of any ways I could make this drum rig any better.

Thanks

 

[Adam]

Make it like Lou's and its gonna be better!

On mine for Drum I use a Breakaway 1508 2p/1p or Lamiglas 1502 heaver, SL-X30SHV or Abu 7500C3CT, and 20# hi-viz yellow Sufix Superior...tie a bimini in that, then uni/uni to 50# shocker.

Rig: slide a bead onto the shocker, then slide a 2/0 coastlock snap swivel, then the rig is terminated with a Trilene knot to my hook leader which is a 2/0 barrel swivel and about 1-2" of 100# snelled to a 8/0 Gamakatsu, 10/0 Owner SSW, or a 14/0 Mustad circle hook.

Hopefully I might be able to plank it with you guys this weekend some.

Adam