Black Drum, Cape Charles VA

[duckey]

Fished the sound side of Cape Charles about 2 weeks ago for Black Drum.  Put in a long day of fishing in off and on rain.  Fished with a few people from work and in a differant boat than mine, a 25' Sea Vee.  Had a great time.  Learned some new fishing areas, tips and techniques.  We used a combo of Peeler Crabs (shedding blue crabs) and Sea Clam.  The crabs were halved after removing the legs and claws.  The clams we shucked on the boat....did a clam, crab, clam sam-ich on an 8/0 Gamakatsu hook rigged with 60 LB Ande mono 3' long and sent it to the bottom an with 8 oz sinker.  We caught a lot of Cow Nosed Rays and skates.  This was the only Black Drum we hooked the entire day.  Moved 5 times to try and loose the rays but that never happened.  We pulled the anchor at 6 PM and as we were doing that a boat about 200 yards away hooked and landed an estimated 70 LB black drum and then hooked another so we decided to stick around for a blitzkrieg.  We were definitely in the school of drum as we could here and feel the Drum...drumming under the boat.  if you have never experienced this before it is really cool.  This guy measured 39" and 36 lbs.  This fish had some big shoulders on him!  Fun fight. 

[Jim C.]

You're right about the shoulders on that fish!  Congrats.  I've heard great things about those fish.  Never fished for them.

[CLAMFARMER]

Very Nice Fish!!! How are thay on the table. I’ve had red drum. Some guys that fish Onieda in Ny like the freshwater drum (sheepheads).

Wish we had some fisheries like that Downeast. Gonna try for some cod and cunners at some point this summer.  Maybe sthe stripers will make the trip up here this year .

[yoyoman]

that's one heck of a bbq. nice job

[duckey]

Despite the large amount of slime, drum stink, and quarter size bullet proof scales....it was very tasty.  I grilled it in a tin foil pack with some Trader Jose Pinapple Soyaki...very tasty tender white flaky meat!  If you have never fished the Chesapeake Bay you owe it to yourself to make a trip down here.  If anyone is interested I can help you set up a "do it yourself trip"...camping with boat access and where to fish.  This is no secret area.  Striper season starts in mid to late Nov through March, all depending on the water temp, theres Red and Black Drum, Flounder, Spade Fish, Cobia...just to name some popular species.