Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Fishing => Member Fishing Reports and Photos => Topic started by: Capt Ahab on May 10, 2014, 03:29:32 PM

Title: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Capt Ahab on May 10, 2014, 03:29:32 PM
Set up my drum / taug / cod rod (Atlas Kona on a 8' Star Plasma MH) and headed out to the coral beds for some night time fighting with the monster of the dark

Bite was slow until after midnight when we managed to get a steady pick up to around 50 lbs.  These fish get much larger but we all went home with a dinner and then some  - surf clams and sand flea sandwiches was teh bait.

Got to hear them booming under the boat which is always a spring time favorite sound


fished With Capt/ Rodney on the Fish Whisperer out of IRI (We meet him in Lewes)

Best bite was later at the turn of the ebb tide into the flow - clams and sand flea sandwich is the new secret weapon


(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb3/esquired/IMG953301_zpsef6e8f1e.jpg) (http://s209.photobucket.com/user/esquired/media/IMG953301_zpsef6e8f1e.jpg.html)

(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb3/esquired/IMG953311_zps3926cbf7.jpg) (http://s209.photobucket.com/user/esquired/media/IMG953311_zps3926cbf7.jpg.html)




Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: El Pescador on May 10, 2014, 03:41:44 PM
Capt. Ahab!
What size reel did you use to bring in 50 lbs. Drum?
Looks like exciting & delicious fishing!

Thanks. Wayne
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Alto Mare on May 10, 2014, 06:10:31 PM
Very nice Capt, are they good eating? Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Bryan Young on May 10, 2014, 06:17:14 PM
Wow, very nice.
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Capt Ahab on May 10, 2014, 06:29:19 PM
I use an Atlas 200 ( Gear Ratio 5.2:1, - Line capacity 15lbs/290 yds. or 20lbs 220 yds., - Weight 16.3 oz, - Max Drag 22lbs)

About the same as an Avid MX series


They are good table fare  - firm white meat I love em

Gonna go back to see if we can get into some of the big ones - I have caught them in the 70lb range and would really like to break the 100lb mark this year
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: ChileRelleno on May 10, 2014, 07:03:33 PM
Oh man that looks like fun! And those are some nice sized Big Uglies   8)

Slightly jealous, we have them down here, but it is hard to find them over 40#.
I love the tug-a-war they give, they're like a 18wheeler in low gear, they just drive away from the beach.

You eat'em that big?
Down here we usually only keep the Puppy Drum as we call'em, the larger adults are full of worms in their flesh.
While the worms aren't harmful/transferable to humans, they are just gross when cleaning them.
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Dominick on May 10, 2014, 07:17:31 PM
Quote from: ChileRelleno on May 10, 2014, 07:03:33 PM
Down here we usually only keep the Puppy Drum as we call'em, the larger adults are full of worms in their flesh.
While the worms aren't harmful/transferable to humans, they are just gross when cleaning them.

I for one won't eat them.  I'm glad we don't have wormy fish in this area.  Really Chile, do you actually see the worms when you clean them?  Dominick
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Capt Ahab on May 10, 2014, 07:35:46 PM
Quote from: ChileRelleno on May 10, 2014, 07:03:33 PM
Oh man that looks like fun! And those are some nice sized Big Uglies   8)

Slightly jealous, we have them down here, but it is hard to find them over 40#.
I love the tug-a-war they give, they're like a 18wheeler in low gear, they just drive away from the beach.

You eat'em that big?
Down here we usually only keep the Puppy Drum as we call'em, the larger adults are full of worms in their flesh.
While the worms aren't harmful/transferable to humans, they are just gross when cleaning them.


I will not kill them over 40 lbs usually  - I have not found many worms at all - I know other people have, worms are usually in the tail area and we just cut them out
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: ChileRelleno on May 10, 2014, 10:41:56 PM
Quote from: Dominick on May 10, 2014, 07:17:31 PM
Really Chile, do you actually see the worms when you clean them? 

Dominick
Yep, short, thick worms curled in the flesh of the fish, almost same color as the flesh.

You can cut them out, or cook them in an hardly know they're there, won't hurt ya, just more protein.
A lot of people own here use the coarse meat of the adults to make imitation crab meat.
The Puppies with stripes aren't infested, and are absolutely delicious.
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Cone on May 11, 2014, 12:57:42 AM
Besides the spaghetti worms the big black drum are tougher. I normally keep the smaller ones and release the big ones. Amberjack have worms too. My wife saw some when I was cleaning them. She wouldn't eat any AJ's I caught after that. She would go to the fish house and buy some to cook. I told her they are the same they cut them out. She told me "I didn't see the worms in theirs."   ???  I told her she wouldn't see any in mine if she stayed inside while I cleaned them.  ;)  ;D   Bob
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Alto Mare on May 11, 2014, 01:19:41 AM
That's funny Bob ;D

Dominick, what kind of Italian are you? Next you'll tell me you never had Casu Marzu ::)
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: ChileRelleno on May 11, 2014, 02:38:58 AM
Eating bugs is one thing, but I ain't eating or drinking anything that derives a major portion of it's flavor from defecation or being defecated.
No thank you, no Casu Marzu or Kopi Luwak.
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Alto Mare on May 11, 2014, 02:49:42 AM
No neither would I. I've seen my father and brothers eat it, but I couldn't do it.
Maybe we should though, most men reach the age of 100 on that island :-\.
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: bluefish69 on May 11, 2014, 02:56:40 AM
Guys

You eat Cod from the North Atlantic they have worms. If you think that's bad you have to see the worms in Cusk, unbelievable.

Make a light box - Pick the worms out. They really show up

Mike
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: philaroman on May 11, 2014, 03:32:14 AM
I thought the worm defecation in the cheese was for the nice creamy texture, more so than the flavor...  not that it matters -- I ain't eatin' poop, no matter how creamy or tasty or aphrodisiac it's proposed to be

Quote from: Alto Mare on May 11, 2014, 02:49:42 AM
No neither would I. I've seen my father and brothers eat it, but I couldn't do it.
Maybe we should though, most men reach the age of 100 on that island :-\.

God's just givin' 'em time to change their minds about eatin' sh*!
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Alto Mare on May 11, 2014, 10:24:19 AM
Philaroman, I've seen worst here, but that's another subject, lets get back to the worms and black drum.
Here are some interesting facts:
http://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/spaghettiworms.htm

Capt Ahab, sorry for pulling away from your nice post, I can't wait to do some of that type of fishing, worms or no worms ;).
If you fish the bay, how far from Fortescue? Thanks, Sal
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Capt Ahab on May 11, 2014, 12:13:52 PM
We fish the De side - about 6 NM from the fort.  If you are launching that side go to Pintop  - same deal there
Title: Re: Delaware Bay Black Drum Fishing
Post by: Dominick on May 12, 2014, 01:00:14 AM
Quote from: philaroman on May 11, 2014, 03:32:14 AM
Quote from: Alto Mare on May 11, 2014, 01:19:41 AM

Dominick, what kind of Italian are you? Next you'll tell me you never had Casu Marzu ::)

God's just givin' 'em time to change their minds about eatin' sh*!
Sal: When I was about 10 years old I worked at a grocery store.  I saw the owner cut a provolone and there were all these little white worms in the cheese.  They spread the smashed worms on bread and ate it with great smacking of the lips.  It took me a while before I could eat provolone again. 

Phil:  that is very funny.  Dominick