BLACK DRUM: Pogonias cromis
TEXAS FISHING LAW:
DAILY BAG LIMIT - 5 fish per person, per day
SIZE RESTRICTION - 14 to 30 inches, however, one Black drum over 52 inches may be kept.
OVERVIEW
Black Drum are among the most abundant and most popular game fish along the entire Texas Coast. The South Texas area presents several "hot spots" for these popular fish. Catching one of these popular fish doesn't require too much skill, as long as you are fishing at the right time of year. While they have been known to attack lures and artificial bait, your best bet with one of these is the real stuff. Alive or dead, as long as you put your bait on the bottom, your in the strike zone.
Black Drum range in size from only a few inches to over 60 inches! Smaller species are easy to identify by the series of black stripes that run down their body. As they grow, these stripes begin to disappear. For example, the picture up top is of a young drum, the photo to left is me holding a 50 inch Black Drum! Larger drum typically produce a loud THUMPING sound... likely why they are called "Drum". The bigger the fish, the louder the THUMP.
WHEN AND WHERE TO CATCH:
The best time to catch Black Drum is in the fall and winter. A perfect fish for all you winter Texans! Smaller black drum can be caught in the bays pretty much year round, but the larger variety are typically found along channels and canals in the winter months when they move inland to spawn. Red Dot pier, Cosway Pier and any area along humble channel are excellent drum spots in the winter months. Be prepared, however, as these spots are no secret to locals and the piers are routinely very busy, especially in the winter months.
HOW TO CATCH:
Crab or peeled, dead shrimp is your weapon of choice with these bad boys. Black Drum are bottom feeders who live on a diet of small clams, crabs, and shrimp. So, adding a weight and putting your bait on the bottom of the channel will be your best bet.
When the black drum takes your bait it behaves differently than other species. You will often notice your line go slack before the fish begins to run. This is because the Drum has three rows of teeth located in the throat. The fish will suck the bait into its throat rather than biting down immediately. It may even suck in the bait and spit it out several times before latching on. Just be patient, keep reeling in that slack and wait for the strike. Sometimes, however, the fish won't play with the food. It could hit immediately. Black drum are a fairly easy fish to catch. They don't fight all that much and are easy to wear out. Once the fish is tired, just just a matter of reeling and dragging it in.
PREPARING AND EATING:
Black Drum have a very distinct taste. Some people feel they have too "fishy" a taste. If your a fan of white fish and don't like a strong "fishy" taste, best to just throw the black drum back. You won't like them. For the rest of us, a little butter and lemon, throw the fillets on the grill till flaky and your good to go! I will post a few recipes in a future post and link it to this one.
NOTE: THE LARGE BLACK DRUM TEND TO BE INFESTED WITH SPAGHETTI WORM PARASITES. THESE WORMS ARE NOT HARMFUL TO HUMANS, BUT DO LOOK PRETTY GROSS. It's up to you if you choose to eat a fish infested with worms, however, I choose to simply throw large drum back. It's all personal choice.
CONCLUSION:
Black drum are fun to catch, grow to a very impressive size and are DELICIOUS for those who really like the taste of fish. They are easy to catch and impressive to look at. Enjoy your time on the water and catch some Drum!
