Black Drum

Saltwater Offshore Reports
21
quote:
Originally posted by mdaddy

I used to read this MB for years before ever becoming a member. I’m semi retired now so I got the time to reply. Maybe I should have just kept it to reading.

The things I’ve learned from reading these posts is boundless. About Horseshoe crabs/iron causing the plankton to turn brown in the gulf stream…it causes me to read and look things up.

23Sailfish taught me how to post pictures…the reason I replied to your post. He took the time to refer me to a prior post without implying I was stupid.

As to fish abuse, which seems to be a topic that comes up on this MB, I’ll move that discussion to the Offshore discussion.

Messsin, I’ve never seen a Black Drum that big caught bottom fishing around here. I know I was impressed by you getting him/her to the boat. You posted that you “vented and released” the fish. I considered that being a steward of good fishing practices. Would “I” have picked up that fish? NO…unless I was going to go for a state record…Why risk a hernia/getting finned/“hurting the fish”.

“There’s always one in every crowd”…

“Holding heavy fish like that kills them…”

I see both points. I came down on the side of consequences. That “old” fish made a choice to eat that " frozen shrimp topped with squid strip". Messin made a choice to take its picture…
We all made a choice to reply.

Was that “old” fish injured??? Seems that all that replied hope not. None of us know…except that “old” fish. If that “old” fish gets another chance at a “frozen shrimp topped with squid strip”…I imagine it will “choose” otherwise!

Mdaddy you're one of the good ones! Good fishing to you!!!

Tidewater 198 CC

22

That old fish probably reproduced millions of times. I enjoyed seeing it! Back when the Navy was in N Charleston I caught one that big from the destroyer pier. We tied a gaff to a rope & pulled him up 20’. We had big plans to make a feast out of him but there wasn’t a piece of meat as big as a nickel that wasn’t full of worms. It was still fun to catch!

23

That negative criticism is the reason we have so few reports on here anymore. If you don’t want fish to be handled, why do you go fishing? Why are you on a fishing forum? IMHO the fish is worse off from the Bends than from being handled.

Nice fish man, I haven’t had the luck of catching a black drum that large myself, just little guys. I didn’t know they had worms, so the next one I catch will be released immediately as well.

See there? Messin saved a few fish already!

24

Like a bunch of little school girls. Yup exactly why a good source of local info is going down the tubes. Thanks girls, keep up the good work.