North Carolina Black Drum Regulations

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently announced new regulations on black drum which will become effective on January 1, 2014.

The new regulations include:
 * 14 to 25-inch total length slot size limit (except one fish longer than 25 inches total length may be kept)

 * 10-fish recreational bag limit

 * 500-pound commercial trip limit

For specific requirements, see Proclamation FF-73-2013 at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/proclamations.

An Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Interstate Fishery Management Plan requires states to implement black drum possession limits and a minimum size limit of at least 12 inches by Jan. 1, 2014 and at least 14 inches by Jan. 1, 2016.

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission voted at its November business meeting to implement the more restrictive size limit to avoid confusion of another change in two years.

For more information, visit www.ncdenr.gov.

source: North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries

Red Drum Fishing Tips

The red drum, also known as redfish or channel bass, is one of the most popular saltwater fish species in the USA. Red drum occur along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.

In order to catch red drum successfully, it is important to understand their preferences, behavior, and other information. Red drum are specialized feeders with a variety of feeding patterns.

Juvenile red drum, known as puppy drum, feed on small fish, crabs, shrimp, and other invertebrates. As they grow in size, their primary food sources tend to increase in size. Adult red drum are known to feed on blue crabs, shrimp, and a wide range of fish species.

Occasionally, anglers are able to observe red drum behavior on the water. By watching reds feed, anglers can develop fishing strategies that best suit the current conditions.

Perhaps the best known red drum behavior is a phenomenon called "tailing" in which individual fish orient themselves on an angle to feed on the bottom. In calm conditions, the tails of red drum can be seen protruding from the water. Tailing drum sometimes remain in a small area for several minutes, allowing anglers opportunities to sight cast with lures or baits.

Another known behavior of red drum is their habit of cruising shorelines during early morning and late afternoon. In some areas, small to medium sized reds can be seen within a yard or less of the shoreline.

During late morning thru mid day, drum tend to move into slightly deeper water. At times, their locations may be indicated by small fish jumping out of the water.

Each of these feeding patterns may call for specific baits, lures, and fishing techniques. As with most fisheries, nothing beats experience on the water when targeting red drum.

It important to remember that red drum spook easily in shallow water. Anglers should avoid causing wakes, abrupt boat movements, loud noises, or other actions when fishing for these intelligent fish.

For anglers that have limited time available for fishing, it may be worthwhile to fish with a professional guide or experienced local fishermen for a few trips.

Virginia Puppy Drum Fishing

As the 2013 Virginia saltwater fishing season moves into high gear, anglers are expecting a good season for red drum, especially smaller fish, known as puppy drum.

Virginia recreational anglers caught and released an astounding 2.5 million puppy drum in 2012, according to data from the federal Marine Recreational Information Program.

Early catches of puppy drum in Virginia could be a sign of more good fishing in the coming months. In May, flounder fishermen were surprised as keeper sized puppy drum appeared in good numbers around seaside inlets on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

In the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia's seaside bays, puppy drum often appear in shallow water around aquatic grasses and oyster beds. Puppy drum are often caught by casting or jigging soft-bodied plastics. Puppy drum are also caught with live minnows or other baits fished on the bottom or suspended under popping cork-type floats.