Fished Hamlin creek yesterday with a buddy from work. Launched at the rising tide around 8am. Fished until the falling tide til around 5pm. Water temp went from 67 to 72. I managed to hook my first black drum on live shrimp and it was a keeper at 17 inches. Caught a few whiting/spots and undersize reds. Lots of people on the creeks and no shortage of inconsiderate boaters. I truly despise fishing on the weekends. I thought it was common sense to not go by someone within 20 feet in a small creek while on plane, apparently not. All in all it was a good day and I went home with a black drum dinner and my buddy took home 5 big whiting. Put a fresh coat of marine grade paint on the boat saturday.
17 inch black drum
Dinner
Fresh paint
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
-Benjamin Franklin
Malibu Stealth 12
13’6 custom gator boat/mercury 4HP
The inconsiderate boaters on Hamlin creek are a huge problem. I grew up swimming and fishing off our dock on Hamlin creek and every year I almost get hit by some boater driving 5 or 10 feet away from our floating dock. I’ve had boats drive so close to me I could reach out and touch them. I’ve had people run over my fishing line, strip my whole spool, and watch it snap, then laugh at it. A bunch of people have started putting buoys up around their dock so no one drives too close. Apparently my grandfather used to put a buoy up and run a rope from it to the floating dock and hang shark hooks off it so no one would get too close.
Nice black drum! There have been some pretty decent redfish and some HUGE (10+lbs) sheepshead around Hamlin creek lately. Haven’t seem a black drum yet, but it’s good to know they are out there.
Nice fish. I was out on Hamlin Creek on Sunday and didn’t catch anything, but definitely had a few guys go FLYING by us while anchored up and fishing. I’m pretty new to fishing and it was my first time up Hamilin Creek so I took it slow the whole way up and back just because I am not sure where shallow spots are. There were a lot of folks out there fishing.
We were fishing with frozen shrimp, we got a bunch of bites, but didn’t catch anything besides some tiny croaker. I’m hoping one day I’ll catch a couple nice fish!
180 Pioneer Islander
Go Tigers!</div id=“left”>
Nice catch! Black drum is good eats for sure…
Thanks Guys.
SeaShaker- I was using fresh shrimp from a seafood market, live shrimp from haddrells, and blue crab that I paid an arm and a leg for. I’ve been fishing Hamlin creek for a couple of years now and I can’t remember a trip where I didn’t catch atleast one nice fish. I only contribute my succes to my amount of time on that specific stretch of water, so if you stick to it and experiment youll do fine. Try to fish deep docks on the lower end of the creek and the grass edges at high tide. Finding the right docks is key to catching the keepers and it seems like 90 percent of the fish are at 10 percent of the docks. Right now it seems that live shrimp and blue crab are some of the best bait, most likely due to their absence in the creeks.
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
-Benjamin Franklin
Malibu Stealth 12
13’6 custom gator boat/mercury 4HP
Thanks for the awesome ■■■■■■■■. I have done a decent amount of fishing over the last couple of years with my father-in-law bit I’m still very green. I certainly can’t complain if I get to go fishing though!
I really appreciate the information and have been combing through the site looking for tips. This site has been great so far. When I was out I went a good ways up the creek and fished a few different spots. I will be out of town this weekend, but I have all summer to find the fish.
Thanks again.
180 Pioneer Islander
Go Tigers!</div id=“left”>
Love the “Bull Whiting”!
2004 Scout 187 Sportfish
115 Yamaha
Great report.
Really nice boat.
Now… how do I ask this question? Is that black drum a bit thin on top?
Post all the “you just wish you caught that fish” posts you want. When I look at fish pictures I try to gauge them against fish I have put hands on. Is that black drum a bit thin in the shoulders?
Did I mention: GREAT REPORT! ?