We use two methods to catch old drum; bottom fishing and subsurface fishing. For bottom fishing we use the Owen Lupton rig. The Owen Lupton rig consists of a no. 8-10 circle hook with a 5” 50# leader and a 3oz.-4oz. egg sinker. Bait the hook with mullet or menhaden steaks for the best results. Ideally you will have multiple rods and spread your baits at various depths on the ledges and drops. Make sure that you check your bait every 10 minutes as we have a lot of bait stealers in the water. For subsurface fishing we use popping corks. The popping cork makes sounds like bait fish breaking the water and attracts the old drum. The rig consists of a popping cork with about 2’ of 50# leader attached to a no. 5-7 weighted hook. Attach your favorite grub or paddletail to the hook and head for the drops. When you find bait on the surface, cast and stop popping. Good luck catching that trophy fish and……
Don’t let the big one get away….
Capt. Bobby Brewer