While Fishing for Giant Red DrumWhile Fishing for Giant Red Drum
It was a day of fishing that was going as planned. My girlfriend, Eve Tobias, and I were waiting on Matt Fletcher, V.P. of Sales for Shakespeare and a good friend of mine, to come down from Columbia with his good friend Henrik, an independent sales representative. Leaving out of Wapoo cut, in Charleston, South Carolina, we headed out to the harbor to find menhaden, excellent bait for catching an assortment of large fish including large red drum. After talking with friends on the radio, we were informed that large schools of menhaden had been seen behind Morris Island. So, we headed in that direction for the day's bait. I threw the cast net for about thirty minutes catching enough menhaden for a day of fishing. Then we started out to the grillage, my favorite place for giant red drum, which is an area off of Sullivans' Island in the Charleston harbor. This area is well known for catching giant red drum, black drum, stingrays and sharks. It ranges in depth from the beach to thirty-five feet deep before dropping off into the harbor channel. When we arrived, the tide was coming in and almost high. After setting anchor we put our lines out, staggering from left to right. Four rods were down, carolina-rigged with eight ounce, egg sinkers and about four feet of fifty-pound monofilament line. On the other end of the leader was a 6/0 live bait hook with an average sized menhaden. This is the way I rig my lines whenever I fish this area
Here we sat waiting, waiting for that big monster. After a while, the current slowed and the tide was high. This was our break since no fish had been caught. We were starving so we headed to Shem Creek to get some lunch. Besides, most fishermen know that very few fish are caught during a slack tide.
After lunch we went out along with the tide, back to the same area we left before lunch. I had a good feeling that the fish would be there once we arrived. Now, Henrik would see what it was like to catch the really big one since he had never even seen a red fish. Once again we put our lines back in, and waited. It didn't take to long and there it was that well known bounce then that bow in the rod. We didn't have time to hear the reel scream. Henrick was quickly on the rod. You know after all these years of fishing I still like to see that look that the angler gets on his or her face when they get that giant fish on the line. Talk about a serious look, WOW! After about ten or fifteen minutes at battle that serious look turned into a big smile. Along side the boat swam the red fish that he was looking for. I grabbed the tail with my left hand then cradled the head with my right gently setting this beautiful fish on the deck. There was no need for a tag because there was already one in the fish, an orange one at that, placed by the State Wildlife department. The number on the tag was recorded. An orange tag means that you should LEAVE THE TAG IN THE FISH, log the information from the tag and measure the length of the fish and immediately return back into the water. Then call the Wildlife department and give them the information. A reward will be forthcoming once they receive this information.
The fish measured thirty-six inches, pictures were taken then the giant was released.
Henrick was amazed at the size of the fish. We all gave him a pat on the back. "That was a tuff fish" he said while rubbing his wrist and forearm, we all laughed at him. Then it was time to get serious again so the lines were put back in the water. After waiting for a while the BIG fun began. Two rods started screaming almost at the same time, pulling about fifty yards off the spools. I was impressed. I keep my drag tight when fishing for red drum. My girlfriend Eve grabbed one rod and Matt grabbed the other. The next thing I grabbed was the ignition switch and cranked the motor. There had been reports of jack crevalle in the area a couple of days before and I wanted to be on top of these fish in a hurry. I cranked the motor and headed for the anchor rope. On the way there, Matt and Eve told me that the fish had slowed down almost to a stop. ALLRIGHT!! I screamed a double hook-up. Trying to keep my eyes on both lines at the same time, Henrick and I reeled in the other rods. I thought that the same fish had picked up both baits because the two lines were close together. Finally, the two lines moved away from each other. Feeling a little better now, the two anglers settled in to fight the fish. Eve's fish had moved to the left, the side of the boat she was on, and Matt's fish had moved to the right. This was sweet. Eve's fish started coming towards the boat, reel-reel-reel I told her. She was doing great until the fish swam to the right about twenty feet across the back of the boat. That's when the leader was cut. Upon further inspection the leader had appeared to be cut by a rather toothy species. Needless to say, Eve was very disappointed. Matt was still hooked up and the curiosity was killing me. What was it? A shark, naa, stingray, naa, red drum, no way. So what in the-------There it was, while standing on top of my livewell shading the sun from around my sunglasses, I could see what appeared to be the belly section of some type of fish swimming away from the boat. As it swam away I got a glimpse of its tail. IT’S A KING MACKEREL. I could not believe it. Matt was doing a great job on the rod. Think about what's going on here, I have a king mackerel on twenty pound line with about ten pounds of drag, fifty pound mono leader with a short shank 6/0 live bait hook and no gaff. The next pass he made by the boat was close enough for me to grab the leader, then his tail. Boy, was this an arm-shaking experience that resulted in the fish getting loose and sliming my left hand. Matt remained focused on the fish and I waited for another chance to get a good grip. After a minute or so the fish was back to the boat again. I was bound and determined he wouldn't get away this time. My right hand went tightly around his tail, SNATCH! He was in the boat. I could not believe it. We were fishing about one hundred yards off the beach in twenty-five feet of water. This is a catch the four of us will never forget. Nearby boaters heard our screams of excitement while peering at us through binoculars. I wish all my charters were this exciting. This is a rare occasion and I thank the lord for the opportunity to catch this great fish.
To book a charter with Captain Hiott, give him a call at (843) 554-9386 or on his mobile, (843) 412-6776. For additional information, view his web page at www.reelfishhead.com. Who knows, you might get lucky and catch an unusual fish like this one too.
After lunch we went out along with the tide, back to the same area we left before lunch. I had a good feeling that the fish would be there once we arrived. Now, Henrik would see what it was like to catch the really big one since he had never even seen a red fish. Once again we put our lines back in, and waited. It didn't take to long and there it was that well known bounce then that bow in the rod. We didn't have time to hear the reel scream. Henrick was quickly on the rod. You know after all these years of fishing I still like to see that look that the angler gets on his or her face when they get that giant fish on the line. Talk about a serious look, WOW! After about ten or fifteen minutes at battle that serious look turned into a big smile. Along side the boat swam the red fish that he was looking for. I grabbed the tail with my left hand then cradled the head with my right gently setting this beautiful fish on the deck. There was no need for a tag because there was already one in the fish, an orange one at that, placed by the State Wildlife department. The number on the tag was recorded. An orange tag means that you should LEAVE THE TAG IN THE FISH, log the information from the tag and measure the length of the fish and immediately return back into the water. Then call the Wildlife department and give them the information. A reward will be forthcoming once they receive this information. 
Henrick was amazed at the size of the fish. We all gave him a pat on the back. "That was a tuff fish" he said while rubbing his wrist and forearm, we all laughed at him. Then it was time to get serious again so the lines were put back in the water. After waiting for a while the BIG fun began. Two rods started screaming almost at the same time, pulling about fifty yards off the spools. I was impressed. I keep my drag tight when fishing for red drum. My girlfriend Eve grabbed one rod and Matt grabbed the other. The next thing I grabbed was the ignition switch and cranked the motor. There had been reports of jack crevalle in the area a couple of days before and I wanted to be on top of these fish in a hurry. I cranked the motor and headed for the anchor rope. On the way there, Matt and Eve told me that the fish had slowed down almost to a stop. ALLRIGHT!! I screamed a double hook-up. Trying to keep my eyes on both lines at the same time, Henrick and I reeled in the other rods. I thought that the same fish had picked up both baits because the two lines were close together. Finally, the two lines moved away from each other. Feeling a little better now, the two anglers settled in to fight the fish. Eve's fish had moved to the left, the side of the boat she was on, and Matt's fish had moved to the right. This was sweet. Eve's fish started coming towards the boat, reel-reel-reel I told her. She was doing great until the fish swam to the right about twenty feet across the back of the boat. That's when the leader was cut. Upon further inspection the leader had appeared to be cut by a rather toothy species. Needless to say, Eve was very disappointed. Matt was still hooked up and the curiosity was killing me. What was it? A shark, naa, stingray, naa, red drum, no way. So what in the-------There it was, while standing on top of my livewell shading the sun from around my sunglasses, I could see what appeared to be the belly section of some type of fish swimming away from the boat. As it swam away I got a glimpse of its tail. IT’S A KING MACKEREL. I could not believe it. Matt was doing a great job on the rod. Think about what's going on here, I have a king mackerel on twenty pound line with about ten pounds of drag, fifty pound mono leader with a short shank 6/0 live bait hook and no gaff. The next pass he made by the boat was close enough for me to grab the leader, then his tail. Boy, was this an arm-shaking experience that resulted in the fish getting loose and sliming my left hand. Matt remained focused on the fish and I waited for another chance to get a good grip. After a minute or so the fish was back to the boat again. I was bound and determined he wouldn't get away this time. My right hand went tightly around his tail, SNATCH! He was in the boat. I could not believe it. We were fishing about one hundred yards off the beach in twenty-five feet of water. This is a catch the four of us will never forget. Nearby boaters heard our screams of excitement while peering at us through binoculars. I wish all my charters were this exciting. This is a rare occasion and I thank the lord for the opportunity to catch this great fish.