To pawn a jig with a scented soft plastic or mud minnow in exchange for a red drum strike in the back of Queen or another of Bogue Sound’s creeks, an angler should get very close to the prospective dock, but avoid banging it. The water is exceptionally clear in March, and the fish can be spooky, although they are not as jittery as they are in late spring or early summer because the water is still cold.
Pitching a slip-float rig or a jig with a scented soft plastic trailer beneath the dock doesn’t require as much skill if the angler master’s the approach and anchors the boat quickly. A Power Pole, Cajun Anchor or mushroom anchor with no rattling chain or flukes is the best bet to avoid alarming the fish.
The dock should be approached with the trolling motor or by allowing the wind to drift the boat close enough to pitch the rig beneath the dock underhanded, usually within 10 to 20 feet. The boat should be anchored far enough to leave enough room for playing the fish once it is horsed away from the pilings.
The strike can be very subtle, just a tap on a jig or a slight dip or sideways movement of the float. The angler should set the hook immediately and thumb the spool of a baitcaster or grip the skirt of a spinning reel to increase the drag tension until the fish swims free of the pilings. After working the fish away from the dock, the spool is released and the fish can be played with the reel’s drag setting.
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