This 39 pound black drum was caught while fishing a Cotton Cordell Spot in three feet of water. For numbers of drum the best baits are cracked blued crabs and fresh dead mullet. -Robert Sloan photo
If ever there was a time to catch a big fish at Port O’Connor, I’m talking big as in 30 to 40 pounds, we are there. Black drum are all over the bays and jetties. This is the time of year when black drum spawn in big numbers. Black drum are definitely not the prettiest fish, but they are definitely angler friendly and can be caught on a number of dead, live and artificial baits.
The most notable drum harvests are the annual runs of “bull” drum. In February, March and April catches of these large fish attract a lot of anglers. Some compare landing a 40-pound drum with raising a sunken log, but many anglers are devotees of this kind of fishing in Texas. It is probably the best chance many people have to land a 30 to 40 pound fish.
Black drum do not grow to be heavyweights as quickly as you might think. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department a length of six inches is reached in the first year, 12 inches the second and 16 inches the third. Increases of about two inches per year occur after that. The heaviest black drum on record weighed 146 pounds. The Texas record taken by a sport angler is 81 pounds, but most bull drum caught weigh 30 to 40 pounds.
The best tactic is to fish the jetties with half of a fresh dead blue crab. Other proven baits include half of a mullet or a whole pogie. They can also be caught on lures, and especially flies in places like Pringle Lake and the Army Cut.
No more than one black drum over 52 inches may be retained per person. The daily bag limit is five from 14 to 30 inches in length.
The black drum, a mainstay in the commercial fishery, has never been fully accepted as game fish by sport anglers. Annual harvest of black drum along the Texas coast is usually more than 1.3 million pounds by the commercial fishery and approximately three quarters of a million pounds by the sport fishery.
While some anglers prefer trout, flounder, reds or snapper many fishermen maintain that black drum less than five pounds, cleaned and prepared properly, may be better than many of these so-called “choice” fish. Many coastal restaurants noted for their seafood serve drum extensively. Fish taken in cold weather before spawning tend to be fatter and in better condition than those caught in summer after spawning. Drum weighing more than five pounds aren’t that tasty. Rather than eating the heavier drum, anglers are encouraged to release them to spawn and fight another day. Also, “spaghetti worms” common in speckled trout, are present in larger drum and, while unappetizing, they are not harmful to humans, according to TPWD.
For more information on Port O’Connor fishing adventures contact Capt. Robert Sloan at 409 782 6796, email at sloan288@aol.com or go to www.hightailangler.com. Capt. Robert offers jetty, bay and wading trips, along with boat trips to and from Matagorda Island.
What a Catch! Gavin Gosnell of Port O’Connor
