Black Drum: The New Spring Target In Texas Fishing

Anglers seeking easy pulls during the spring season are discovering a new breed of fishing along the Texas Coast. Spring season winds often churn bay waters for days leaving speckled trout and redfish enthusiasts scratching their heads. Expect to see more anglers dancing to a new beat this spring with the exciting black drum run that takes place annually.

“Typically occurring from late February to the end of April, black drum congregate in large numbers in channels while making their spring migration; this happens usually when water temperatures escalate somewhere around 60 degrees,” states Mark Redd. Mark is a regular to Galveston’s North Jetty and pastor in LaPorte, Texas who specifically targets black drum in spring.

Redd continues: “We’ve caught drum up to 60 lbs in the past few years, mostly using cracked crab – we crack off the top shell and cut the meat into halves. It’s the most effective bait I’ve found for fishing on the bottom during the run.”

Captain Jake Reaves selects the upper coast of Texas when guiding charters for Black Drum. “I get excited every year during the run. I finally get to part from my leaky waders and sit in the sun.” “During the run, I generally average about 20 fish a day along channels and transitional zones of the fish.”

As for gear, Reaves chooses circle hooks, 4-8 ounce egg weights and 50 lb test for black drum. According to Reaves though, the single most important thing is getting the bait to the bottom quickly. “I tend to use heavier weights so I can get my bait right down to the bottom where the biggest black drum are,” says Reaves. Once he gets a bite, the 50 lb test lets him quickly land his fish and get his line back in the water.

According to the spring fishing reports, Texas fishing for black drum is good even for landlocked anglers, with some great spots for these fish which can be reached without a boat. “A lot of people do great during the black drum run from the pier at the Texas City Dike as well as across from the boat launch,” says Mark Redd. For his part, Captain Jake Reaves says that Sea Wolf Park Pier and Sylvan Beach Pier are also good spots for black drum. Texas fishing experts also tell us that Aransas Pass’ Fin & Feather Pier and the Aransas Pass Jetty happen to be great black drum spots as well.

One thing that experienced anglers recommend is “venting” larger drum before release. While these fish are indeed good eating, there are many who prefer catch and release with drum. Mark Redd advises depleting the air bladders of larger black drum before releasing them, having seen a lot of these fish die due to their full air bladders preventing them from swimming down after release. “Use a needle and insert it gently at a 45 degree angle under one of their scales by the tip of the pectoral fin. This will vent gas trapped in their air bladders so they can get back in the water and have a better chance to survive,” says Redd. This is an excellent tip to keep in mind for a spring Texas fishing season which the currently available fishing reports indicate will be a big one for black drum.