Big black drum tail along Nature Coast banks in summer, but only some of them eat. Capt. Madison MacDonald and Capt. William Toney show which fish to pitch, how to prep a blue crab, and why the bite on a 30 pound drum is easy to miss.
Sight Casting Big Black Drum on the Nature Coast
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Instructor:
Madison MacDonald
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Big black drum school up along the backwater banks of Florida's Nature Coast in summer, and sight casting to them is a slow, heavy, patient game. Filmed at the end of July, this video follows Capt. Madison MacDonald on the trolling motor and his uncle, Capt. William Toney, on the rod, pitching small live blue crabs to tailing drum that run 20 to 30 pounds.
How Do You Sight Fish Big Black Drum on the Nature Coast?
Wait for the incoming tide. The drum sitting out on the buoy line before the tide turns are full and resting. When the tide turns, they push up onto the bank to feed, and that is when you see tails and a golden flash as a fish rolls. Madison explains why a fish that vanishes is usually still sitting right there, why getting too close leaves drum in place but lockjawed, and how he scouts new water from a satellite map.
Circle Hook or J-Hook for Big Black Drum?
A circle hook, and no hookset. A big drum crunches the crab before it eats, and the bite can be a single thump followed by slack. Madison shows how he hooks the crab so the point stays exposed, when to start reeling, and what changed the day the live crabs got refused in dirty water. Watch Toney, a lifelong inshore guide who rarely fishes circle hooks, learn to keep his hands still.
Are Big Black Drum Worth Keeping?
Not at this size. Drum this big carry worms in the meat, so these fish get a photo and a release. They are a fight, not a meal: a heavy, grinding pull that uses the current against you.
Inside the video:
- Water: stained backwater banks with deeper water just off them, plus the spring spawning stack-up Madison sees in the same spot
- Bait: small live blue crabs, prepped and hooked for scent and movement
- Tackle: 7-foot medium-heavy spinning rod, 4000 reel, 60 pound leader, 5/0 Owner circle hook, and the knots that tie it together
- Timing: the dead-low tide, when fish show their tails and backs
Big Black Drum FAQ
When do big black drum show up on Florida's Nature Coast?
This video was filmed at the end of July, when big drum school along the backwater banks and feed as the incoming tide floods them. Capt. Madison MacDonald also sees dozens stack up in the same water in spring to spawn.
What is the best bait for big black drum?
Small live blue crabs. Big drum find food by scent and by vibration through their chin barbels, so when the bite slows in dirty water, cracking the crab in half to release more scent can turn fish that refused a whole crab.
Should you set the hook on a big black drum?
Not with a circle hook. Let the drum crunch the crab and start swimming off, then reel steadily so the hook rolls into the corner of the mouth. Swinging early pulls the bait out of the fish's mouth.
What tackle do you need for 30 pound black drum?
A 7-foot medium-heavy spinning rod, a 4000 size reel, a 60 pound leader, and a 5/0 circle hook. Big drum roll on the leader and lean on the current, and light inshore tackle only drags out the fight.
Where Big Black Drum Fit in the Year
Big drum are a summer bank game on the Nature Coast, and the same rivers hold a different fish in winter. When the Gulf of Mexico cools, eating-size drum slide into the deep river holes, and our puppy drum fishing breakdown covers that side of the fishery.
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Captain Madison MacDonald is a young Nature Coast guide and the nephew of Homosassa legend Capt. William Toney. Fishing since childhood and guiding since eighteen, he poles an 18-foot Maverick skiff for redfish, seatrout, and snook around Homosassa, Crystal River, and Yankeetown, with a deep passion for big tarpon out of Bay Port. A hunter as well, he guides quail and chases spring turkeys. With In The Spread, MacDonald breaks down sight casting to the big black drum that roam the Nature Coast flats.
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