Capt. Lee...where did the "south" old drum go?

[shunt]

Capt. Lee,

Reading the old drum at Dawson's Creek post got me thinking about a question that I have never gotten a real good answer to...what happend to the old drum bite that used to occur in the surf at Hutaff/Lea Island? I have an older cousin, a long with some other aquantances down your way that told tales of catching them in the surf with some regularity in the fall each year there.

I have heard everything from water quality to too many people in the water. I know that they catch them just of the beach on hard bottom/wrecks while jigging for trout, live baiting for kings, grouper fishing, etc. Of course there is always a straggler caught in the surf by somebody accidentall, but doesn't seem to be very regular. I hear they catch them when it blows NE down at Ft. Fisher, Bald Head, etc.

What is your take on it?

shunt

[Mustang Sally]

They are still there. Saw 'em and cuaght 'em just the other day.

[shunt]

Are you talking about "old drum" 40 inchers and bigger? In the surf? I know that the rats, pups and yearlings are there year round.

[gottaflylee]

shunt, there are some "Old" girls still around the beach but not like there use to be. Seems that when the inlet closed between Huetaff and Lea Island closed the big girls have not come in like they use to. This inlet use to open to a large sandy area (acres) that the Drum would come into and use as a staging area.

I put in a couple of calls to a couple of Marine biologists that I know to see if they have any other info for ya...