Searching for Pamlico Gold

Pamlico Sound holds world-class old drum

The red drum is the official state saltwater fish of North Carolina, and you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere better to catch them than the Pamlico Sound, especially this month.

Capt. Scooter Lilley of CWW Charters (252-799-9536) has helped folks from all over the world catch their fish-of-a-lifetime here.

Chris Douglas of Carolina ALL OUT has fished with Lilley multiple times on this waterway, and said doing it in September is one of his favorite outings.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to fish with Scooter multiple times, and this trip is definitely high on my list. It’s one of my favorite times of the year, and one of my favorite fishes to catch,” he said.

The Pamlico Sound is a big body of water, and Douglas said finding these fish is often as simple as seeing flashes on the water, or just below the surface. Lilley agrees, at least during the early morning hours.

“Once the sun gets up, that bait will come up to the top and get in a tighter ball in an area, and you’ll be able to pinpoint it a lot easier,” said Lilley. “And those bait balls should have a few fish in them.”

These are big fish

The fish Lilley targets here this month are some of the biggest red drum in the world. Many of the fish he catches are pushing 50 inches in length.

“In September, fish this size are all over these bait balls in the Pamlico Sound,” Douglas said. “This is North Carolina, big bull red drum fishing.”

Covering water is sometimes a big part of finding the big drum that are willing to bite.

“This is like big game hunting,” said Lilley. “You might have to cover a lot of water to find them, but then you can catch the biggest fish of your life right quick.”

Lilley said it’s tough to beat soft plastic baits fished under popping corks.

“You’re looking for the schools of menhaden, and you’ll see them popping on the surface,” he said.

Anglers should cast their lures into these schools, then pop the rig back to the boat in a steady fashion. Lilley said it’s not uncommon for some big reds to hit the cork instead of the lure, but if you’ll just keep working it, another red drum will eventually hit the lure.

Lilley recommends the Blabber Mouth cork, which displaces a lot of water. Also, with the propeller in front of the concave head of the cork, it makes multiple sounds, which attract the big fish.