Strike Oriental gold

Big redfish, which often appear gold, are biting strong

In August around Oriental, Capt. Bobby Brewer of Baldheaded Bobby Guide Service (919-349-6112) said it’s time to start prospecting for gold. And when he says gold, he’s talking about the orange-gold color of giant redfish.

“We start seeing these giant fish scattered about in July, but in August, we find them in numbers,” he said.

Brewer catches them with conventional spinning gear, and he also catches his share on fly rods. So no matter how his clients want to fish, he’s ready to put them on these big redfish.

“When it comes to conventional gear, I like a 7-foot, medium-heavy rod paired with a 4000-series spinning reel with 30-pound braided line,” he said.

When using live or cut bait, he goes with a 10/0 circle hook, a 3-ounce weight, and a large popping cork.

Brewer said these fish will also hit artificial baits, and he prefers a 3/8-ounce jighead paired up with a 5-inch Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ, a 1-ounce Rat-L-Trap, a 1-ounce Iron Decoy gold spoon, or a 5-inch Sebile Splasher topwater lure.

Many anglers, said Brewer, seem to believe they can only catch these big drum under bait balls. But he said that’s not the case.

“I bet a third of my catches are in areas around the bait, but not directly in bait balls,” he said.

And anglers shouldn’t ignore water simply because no bait is present.

“I also catch my share in areas that I know have slews and channels, even when I see no bait,” he said.

When it comes to using the fly rod, he opts for a 9-foot, 10-weight fly rod with floating line. He pairs that up with a Pop-N-Fly cork and a 5-inch deceiver.

He said anglers should never leave the dock without a big net.

Puppy drum too

Brewer said smaller red drum are also still available for anglers, but he stressed the importance of getting on the water very early this time of year.

“I like to get on the water long before dawn…before pre-dawn even. I know that sounds early, but it can mean the difference between catching redfish and catching nothing,” he said.