Drumming it up on the Pamlico Sound

These big fish are strictly catch-and-release only, and catching one is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.

The Pamlico Sound’s old drum run peaks in September

From summer through fall, schools of adult redfish – often referred to as old drum or bull redfish – school up outside Outer Banks inlets and begin to infiltrate the Pamlico Sound itself as the urge to spawn propels them inward to suitable grounds closer to the rivers that flow into the sound. Those caught here in July will be a blessing for early-bird anglers vying for the first wave. But these numbers will steadily increase as more and more fish arrive and peak in September when pre-spawn, spawning, and post spawn fish are all available. 

“September is the prime spawn month,” said Mitchell Blake (252-495-1803), who runs FishIBX Guide Service. “September gives you the opportunity to see a mass of fish, spawning groups I should say. And it gives you the opportunity to see big fish. The trophy redfish, those fish in the 40- to 45-inch range are a common occurrence. And there’s a lot of them. But you also have a shot at fish over 50 inches. 

Fly fishing is one of the most exciting ways to catch bull redfish.

“This is a much more broad fishery than it used to be.  What used to be only a late evening soak-bait-kind-of-thing has evolved into people chasing these things with artificial lures. There is a lot more looking, a lot more hunting, a lot more interactions with these fish. And a lot more territory being covered. These fish have been caught all over now. From New Bern to the open sound on the Neuse River, from Washington to the open sound on the Pamlico River, and from Belhaven to the open sound on the Pungo River.”

At a glance, the idea that trophy redfish could be found in such an expanse is both promising and daunting. But Blake said these fish could be anywhere their food is. 

Redfish like being in shallow water. And they are just as comfortable in a foot of water as they are in 25 feet of water. But, they will not tolerate fishing pressure when they are shallow. That’s why trophy reds are rarely found in the creeks of these systems. They like shallow water, but not enclosed water. They always have an eye on an escape route. Blake said that reds prefer the main river body and the shorelines of the open sound. 

One reason redfish prefer to feed in shallower water is because their prey has less space to maneuver and escape. So they don’t have to work as hard. Blake looks for contour changes or breaks that will allow redfish to feed in shallow water and drop into a safer depth at a moment’s notice in times of pressure. He calls these areas his routes and sets up his boat to fish these areas thoroughly. 

“I like to fish shallow because you can cover more water. But rule No. 1 of trophy redfishing is looking for bait,” said Blake. “Then I look for the contour changes within that area. If the bait’s in 2 to 3 feet of water and the water’s not disturbed, that’s where I’m going to fish. If it’s in 25 feet of water, that’s where I’m going to fish. 

“What I prefer is to visually see the fish chasing bait and busting it on the surface,” he said. “You get schools of fish in September and they’re hungry. All that competition for food puts on a show. But you can use your electronics as a tool as well, especially to find large schools of menhaden. If you’re confident in your electronics and your ability to read them and you’re not seeing the fish, they’re not there.”

This time of year, multiple hookups with extra-large redfish are not at all uncommon.

Blake’s go-to method for working a pod of menhaden is a popping cork and soft plastic. This is a tried-and-true combination that exploits the redfish’s competitive nature by mimicking the noise made by feeding fish. They simply will not tolerate another fish eating its food. This works on fish already busting bait as well as calling in fish from quite a distance. 

Blake often ties a natural-colored swimbait underneath a popping cork because the most common baits attacked are menhaden or mullet. A ¼- to ½-ounce jighead with a sturdy hook will be needed. However, if he notices shrimp fleeing before a feeding red, a soft plastic imitation of that variety is in order.  

“I like a big popping cork that makes a lot of noise,” said Blake. “I’ll tie it to a 30-pound braided main line and tie on a 5- to 6-inch swimbait or 4-inch shrimp with 3 feet of 40- to 50-pound fluorocarbon leader. I like to pop it hard on a stiff rod to the point it might seem too aggressive to some people. But I want them to hear and see me coming from 50 feet away.

Getting an early start usually means getting a quick bend in your fishing rod.

“A popping cork will work in rough, choppy water. But that does cut down on its effectiveness,” said Blake. “It’s times like this I’ll go with a big lipless crankbait like a 1-ounce saltwater Rat-L-Trap. It has big rattles and makes a lot of noise that the fish can hear underwater. I like to rip it off the bottom and let it free fall. It makes the fish think something is feeding and they’re missing out. I like natural colors and the exact opposite, really bright colors, especially if I’m fishing in deep water.”

Although artificial lures have become the hip and modern way to catch trophy reds, the classic cut-bait-and-wait method still has its place. For starters, it’s really the only strategy when fishing late evening or night because of not being able to see the fish’s activity. And a lot of people prefer the after hours angle for tradition or comfort. Also, windy days can make lure delivery and boat maneuvering an inefficient chore. Not to mention that casting big rods all day is very taxing on the body. 

 “I use the good ol’ Owen Lupton rig when I’m fishing cut bait — it’s the only legal rig allowed when fishing for trophy redfish,” said Blake. “Most of the time I look for a good hard bottom near the baitfish so your rig’s not sitting in the muck. Then I look for a good transition from shallow to deep where there is a secondary underwater point and fan cast around this area. I’ll go with menhaden or mullet to bait up with. But it has to be fresh, that’s the key. 

“There are also times when I know there’s fish in the area and they’re just not responding to lures. That’s when you have to give them what they want. If you put it on his nose, he won’t turn it down.”

It’s a big thrill to catch old drum of this size on fly fishing gear.

Bulls on the fly

In the minds of most anglers, fly fishing conjures visions of pristine mountain streams where knee deep water is dotted with trout. These fish can be handled on relatively delicate tackle and fooled with offerings that measure from an inch long down to impossible-to-find-if-you-drop-it size. But over the years, the world of saltwater fly fishing has exploded. And this gives way to yet another spin on trophy redfishing.

The saltwater flats of the Florida Keys were the beginning and ending of saltwater fly fishing during the bonefish and tarpon boom in the 50s. But these days, a fly fishing purist can catch anything on the fly, from false albacore to sharks. And manufacturers have plenty of tailormade tackle to make it happen. Blake prefers to use a system that mimics the effectiveness of the popping cork, but is scaled down for fly fishing. 

“We can catch them just like you can on spinning gear, using the same techniques,” said Blake. “Gary Dubiel has a Pop-N-Fly combo that you can buy. Or you can make your own combo, which is what I prefer to do. I use a floating mainline and tie it to a smaller cork. I make the cork with a concave opening to make it as loud as I can and I put rattles in it. Then, I tie a couple of feet of 30-pound fluorocarbon leader to a big half-and-half fly in a shrimp or baitfish pattern.” 

Blake prefers a 9-weight rod for taking on bulls, but isn’t concerned with the length. Whatever the angler can handle to get the fly out as far as possible is fine. 

A stripping glove or finger guard will come in handy. Once an angler strip sets to drive home the hook after the take, a bull red will pick up the loose line in a hurry and burn fingers. Making sure that line is free of obstructions will be paramount. After the fish is on the reel, anglers will need to watch the knuckles on their reeling hand during runs.

About Dusty Wilson 274 Articles
Dusty Wilson of Raleigh, N.C., is a lifelong outdoorsman. He is the manager of Tarheel Nursery in Angier and can be followed on his blog at InsideNCFishing.com.

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