Drum Question

[Chillfish]

Hey guys, I've been lurking and absorbing everything I can here, and I have to say, the advice given on this forum has been incredibly helpful. I have had by far my best spring on Beaver Lake. Who would have thought I would be able to catch walleye on purpose?

My question is for anyone with experience catching freshwater drum, either on purpose or by accident. They intrigue me, as I have a saltwater background, but I don't really know where to start with freshwater drum. I'd put on a pinfish or shrimp if I could. Just looking for some tips if anyone has them as to the types of bottom to look for and what types of baits have been successful.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew

[J-Doc]

I have nothing but wanted to say....please ...catch them all. :-)

[Chillfish]

If they fight like some people say, I wouldn't have a problem with that.

[J-Doc]

They do. I haven't caught one but I've seen one caught and yes, they are a real fight.

[Feathers and Fins]

Im not sure the population in Beaver Lake is targetable they are mostly a by-catch when trolling flicker shad. They fight like Redfish and very good to eat fresh but only fresh or after a soaking overnight but not frozen or as left overs.

Grand lake would be a better bet from my understandings.

That said if you are going to try them on Beaver this time of year I would be looking in the middle of pockets off main lake points from 12 bridge to rocky branch.

[Chillfish]

I figure I won't put too much time into them, but if I find myself on the lake with nothing else biting, why not give it a shot. I halfway figured that the population wasn't that huge since I've never hooked one on accident. Thanks for the info.

[YAKFM]

I've caught several this spring/summer on Flickers while trolling (as F&F stated) and two in one day on a 1/2 oz Sebile Vibrato under schooling bass on a long point near RB. All of them hammered the baits and fought nicely too.

[bluebasser86]

I'm not ashamed to say that I occasionally target drum (or at least I claim to so it looks better when that's all I'm catching ) Areas with flat rocks and good crawdad populations will get loaded up with drum. During the summer in some of our clearer lakes I'll catch some crawdads when the bass are biting slow and start sight fishing for drum with light spinning gear. Just like in the salt, they're very spooky and take a good cast and careful approach to get them to bite but they love those live craws (or small craw imitations or small tubes). I sight fished a 16 pound drum several years ago with a light action rod and 4lb test, fought as good as any fish I've ever caught.

Another good option is to slowly crank a craw colored wiggle wart (the new ones work just fine for drum), over the same areas. We've had 20-30 fish days doing that and you'll catch lots of other kinds of fish doing it. I'm sure the drum populations are much higher in the lakes in NE KS but if there's drum to be caught, one of those techniques will catch them.

[Chillfish]

I troll the flickers nearly every time I'm out, so I'm guessing it is only a matter of time before I hook up accidentally. Sight fishing for them with craws sounds like a blast. Will have to keep that in mind in the clearer water this summer. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[hoglaw]

We seem to catch them on whatever we are fishing in the arkansas river down by van buren. Crappie jigs this spring and crank baits this last Sunday.

I used to fish in the "drum rodeo" in Smackover arkansas. We would fish live eating sized crawfish on the bottom. That was always an interesting time.