Night Fishing

Ready Set Drum Roll

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September marks the start of the legendary run of big drum on the Outer Banks. The autumn air brings a crisp northeast breeze, cooling water temperatures and the highly anticipation of fall big drum migration.

Anglers wait all year for a chance to catch one of these trophy giants. North Carolina big drum are well known for their huge size and ferocious fight. Anglers travel many miles to experience this phenomenon.

These remarkable creatures originately known as puppy drum, can grow 40 to 50 inches or more in a matter of couple years. Once they reach full size, they are referred to as “bull” or just big drum.

Big drum are originally targeted early on in the surf. But as the conditions change, anglers have their best chance to land one on the ocean piers. The best bites occur with rough churning seas and constant winds up to 20 to 30 miles per hour.

Most pier anglers focus on the deep end but many different sizes of fish, along with the big drum, are caught along the entire length of the pier. So proper location is imperative.

To catch these giants, specialized gear and rigging is required. Heavy conventional or spinning surf rods of eight to ten feet or longer rated and reels designed to hold 17-20 lbs of monofilaments or 30-50 lbs braided line are the standard set up. Caution using braid lines on piers or near other anglers. And don’t forget that 50 lbs mono shock leader.

Rigging and baits are personalized. My favorite rig is the “Fish Finder” with short leaders and circle hooks. This rig helps  prevent deep hooking and is the one most frequently used. The second one is a standard drum or cannon ball rig. This rig uses a heavy sinker slide attached to a weight on the main line swivel then a short leader with your preferred circle hook. Either way, these rigs work well.

Cut pieces of menhaden, mullet or spot are the baits of choice. Large chunks including bait heads with lots of scent attract these big drum. Anglers are known to use chunks of finger mullet or other oily smelly baits too.

The key to catching them is placing your baits where the drum are. While you may have the tendency to long cast, big drum will stay near structures. So while under the pier is perilous and can result in snag or being cut off, this area holds drum.

Every angler has their own strategy. Some anglers position themselves directly at the end of the pier, others will start at the shallow part and move to cover each side, just moving and looking for another opportunity. Another strategy, the big drum moves around to find a food source, so the anglers should too.

Regardless of your strategies. The passionate drum angler watches the weather and knows the migration signs.

Remember all red drum over 27 inches must be safely released in North Carolina, handling them with care is paramount. Keep the fish in the water as much as possible, minimize their time on the dry sand or pier deck, snap a quick photo, and support the fish in the water until it swims away under its own power.

Joining the elite fraternity of anglers who have landed an OBX autumn giant is an unforgettable experience, and protecting the fishery ensures the tradition continues for generations to come.

Until next time – Tightlines – Capt Tony 

Fishing at Night

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When fishing after dark, it can be as different as night and day. Most anglers prefer the comfort of a pretty blue-bird day when the sun is shining and the weather is warm. That comfort level enhances the experience but may not necessarily the catch.

Fishing and catching during the day depends on certain conditions. And depending on the season, these conditions may not always cooperate. But as night falls, conditions begin to favor the angler.

The other night I had an opportunity to try night fishing. I visited a local pier at dusk and hoped to enjoy an “evening out on the water”.

The catch after dark was phenomenal.  It seemed that once the sun went down, the bite picked up.  It did not matter whether I cast under the pier or out and away. The bite was sometimes very soft and others an aggressive hit. One thing that added to my success was the under pier lights that attracted bait fish.

Being a novice at after dark fishing, I noted several important points.

Be prepared and know your gear. During the day, looking for that hook, sinker or even that knife and pliers is simple. But after dark, you depend on pier lights or flashlight to guide you. Probably not the best light to perform tidiest tasks.

Tying knots or getting un-tangled from another angler is made even more difficult at night.

So my advice for night fishing:

Take only what you think you will need. Pack light and organized. Digging through that tackle box or bucket when its dark or spilling your gear on the deck is a good way to lose stuff.

Bring at least one extra rod and reel with the preferred set up that you plan to use.  Have your pliers and line cutter handy. Bait should be in easy reach. And extra bottom rigs, hooks and sinkers should be in separate bags and easy to access.

I would bring a cooler for drinks, snacks and bait. A separate cooler for fish you plan to keep is a necessity. Especially, if you don’t want everything to smell fishy.

My first experience at fishing at night on a local pier was exciting and very successful. We took sandwiches and drinks and made it a great evening out. And yes, we filled a cooler with keeper bottom fish.

All of the local Outer Banks piers are completely safe at all hours especially after dark. And they continue to provide all the amenities you need to enjoy yourself. Kids may even be more attentive to night fishing because the action is more consistent. And their focus is on fishing and not the many distractions that a busy pier brings during the day.

So if you have only fished during the day, you are missing a great experience.

Until next time – Tightlines – Capt. Tony

Timing Matters

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The time of the day to fish does matter. Just look around at all the most popular fishing locations. They are crowded early in the morning and occasionally just before dark or even at night. There must be something to these specific times that brings these anglers out. And there is.

Traditionally, it has been the experience among anglers that it’s better to fish before breakfast or after dinner. Whether this is just a habit or the only time they can get on the water, is anybody’s guess. But there are many reasons why anglers would prefer these times opposed to others.

Comfort is one. Cooler weather conditions and enjoying the outdoor experience could be part of the equation. Or it might just be that the fish actually bite better during those times. Who knows the actual reason but there are several theories that could tell the story. So let’s explore several.

There is definitely a big difference between fishing dawn and dusk versus day time. Conditions like daily sunrises, sunsets, various moon phases;  and just plain cooler air and water temperatures along with the amount of light striking the water all can contribute to a change in feeding habits and increase the bite.

The sun has always had an effect on fishing. On bright days with the sun directly overhead seems to chase the fish deep in the water and slows their metabolism. On the other hand, low light and cloudy days seem to turn the bite on.

At dawn and dusk, the sun rays can be at a sharper angle to the water. This angle allows for lower light to penetrate the water and enhances the sight of various marine species. The lower light conditions can give feeding species an advantage finding food or the bait quickly because of their light sensitive eyes.

The moon phases can also affect the movement and height of the tides but more importantly this water movement can confuse many bait fish.  And this water movement can also bring in a change in more comfortable water temperatures.

Another theory is that there is a different amount of oxygen content in the water. Cooler water contains more oxygen than warmer water. So it’s natural that fish find comfort in these cooler conditions and tend to feed more.

At dusk, the air temperature will usually drop. The cooler air causes the water temperatures to also decrease slightly. This cooling trend creates a desirable environment for most species. Small living organisms and bait fish are extremely active during these times and make for easy prey of the larger fish. So with more activity brings an increase in the possible success rate.

At dawn, the air temperatures begin to increase with the sun rise. The water temperatures will also increase. Even though it might be slight, the fish seem to sense this change and typically will begin to feed aggressively during this period being aware that their feeding cycle may end soon.  As the temperature continues to rise into the morning and dawn turns into day, this change causes the fish and their prey to slow down considerably and seek deeper cooler waters again.

Obviously, these are only a couple of my theories on why fish feed more aggressively during these times. There could be many other conditions and reasons why fish are more active at dawn and dusk.

Regardless of the reasons, anglers will continue to look forward to that “before breakfast and after dinner bite”.

So now the next question based on the facts, “will you try your luck at dusk or dawn too”?

Until Next Time – Tightlines – Capt. Tony