drum fishing

[littlepoo22]

tried drum fishing tonight but could not find them i guess really didnt know what i was looking for everyone said look for lumps on bottom never really saw nothing like that so didnt catch one how deep of water do they really hang out in would be first question and if you got some helping anwsers on how to catch one i would appreciate it thanks

[eshoremd]

where are you fishing?

[johnnyo]

18-27' but i havw seen them caught in 32' when the fleet was on em a couple years ago

[bfox]

i've never caught one either but would like to...can anyone recommend a charter? im out of annapolis, so deale or ches beach would be where to go?

another question - do/will a charter target a black drum? i assume they will since you pay them, but again, never done it so...

sorry-dont mean to hijack thread...im also interested in catching off my boat too

[goinsfishin]

Drum Fishing - A Primer
Start with two dozen softcrabs at $5.00 each.....$120.
Take crabs to one of the drum hotspots....Stone Rock or James Island come to mind.....find the drum fleet.....play bumper boats with a hundred of your best buddies.....when a likely looking lump shows on the depthfinder, drop your crab down and hope you actually put it within inches of the fishes mouth.
Repeat fending off other boats and dropping expensive bait blindly on suspect lumps until (maybe) you hook up.
If you hook up you get to reel in what feels and acts like a couple cinder blocks tied together.....don't expect a fight, you won't get one. Bring this big ugly, inedible, wormy fish over the side and take a picture.
After picture throw it back in (did I mention inedible?....a big drum 70#'s or better is probably 30-40 years old and tough meat and wormy).
When you finally get bored or tired from fending off other boats, leave the fleet, cook and eat the remaining crabs and go do something fun like catch perch.
That's drumming in a nutshell.
Good Luck.

[johnnyo]

Steve,
Not exactly my experience and if i was a bettin man (which i am) i would say you didn't like drum fishing . I usually buy only 2 or 4 crabs and don't mind the close quarters. What gets my dander up is when I am jigging or drifting for flounder and one of those big beasts of a charter come trolling 10 feet off your stearn! You definately make some valid points though but for the most part everyone plays nice and the few that i have caught fight right nice on my 6'6" baitcast set up with 40# braid, to each there own i guess.

[chuck brown]

i guess that eliminates the Stormy Petrel in your search for a drum charter

[littlepoo22]

yeah i know about the worms as i hear i just want to catch one still i probably will not but take pic and release i was at stone rock till dark and never really saw any humps on bottom that looked like something plus i was only one there last night so know one was burning gas except me looking for them guess you need more people looking

[goinsfishin]

Steve,
Not exactly my experience and if i was a bettin man (which i am) i would say you didn't like drum fishing . I usually buy only 2 or 4 crabs and don't mind the close quarters. What gets my dander up is when I am jigging or drifting for flounder and one of those big beasts of a charter come trolling 10 feet off your stearn! You definately make some valid points though but for the most part everyone plays nice and the few that i have caught fight right nice on my 6'6" baitcast set up with 40# braid, to each there own i guess.

i guess that eliminates the Stormy Petrel in your search for a drum charter

Johnnyo, 2 or 4 crabs on a charter boat would last about 10 minutes........just a difference in perspective.
And every time I've been drummin everyone has played nice, but having 40 or more boats in close proximity can be nerve wracking, and yes you do need to fend off on occaision.
Chuck,
Don't be mistaken, I will go drummin in a heatbeat if that's WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS........and do my best to get them a fish.

I was trying to inject a little humor into the post and the TF site........guess that got drummed out.

[johnnyo]

Steve,
I was trying to be a little funny too but guess i need to leave it to the pros :)