Big drum return to the shallows

Early summer has arrived and with it, the return of black drum in the shallows. These big fish prowl Florida’s Gulf side in only two or three feet of water, when the tide is rising, and only for 2-3 hours, in certain areas. Our favorite spot for this is Cedar Key, a quiet village on an island and causeway in the Gulf. The bottom here is often soft, somewhat murky and favorable for oyster and clam growth, and that’s what the drum are really after. They can crush small clams and oysters, also crabs, with their grinders.

So, young Joseph and I fished them twice this week. On the first day we were ill-equipped, our tackle not quite ready to cast, our bait not the best. Big tails popped up around us, but the tide was almost high. They ignored our shrimp; these fish often want a bigger meal and blue crab is a favorite. We left them and walked several shell beaches and reefs a mile away, scooping up crabs, fishing and taking our time, but then a huge thunderstorm swept down on us. By running full speed, we just did make it back to the boat ramp with five minutes to spare. 

A few days later we returned. This time we caught our crabs first. The weather was perfect. Our five best fishing rods were ready to cast. As I poled the boat silently towards a waving drum tail, Joseph and cast and the fight was on. Bingo! A 40-pounder right off the bat.

These brutes are really gentle giants, and not suitable for eating, so we posed him and released him, watched him swim away.

Now for another fish…But there was a problem. On this day we had a strong, high tide that hides the fish. They prowled far up into the marsh, hidden by murky water. When the tide began dropping, we saw them drum tails once again. But by then we were low on crabs, since there is a continuous loss of bait, even from other crabs, which are cannibalistic. We ran back out to the shell bars, scooped up another dozen crabs. But the tide was racing out, it dropped six inches in 30 minutes. Returning, the place was empty of drum…

From now on, we catch 20 crabs perhaps three hours before the high tide, then sit on the drum until the tide peaks, when they disappear. Then we fish for other species somewhere else. The local waters are full of sea turtles, dolphins, stingrays, we even saw a small shark swim by. Each shell bar had horseshoe crabs, which apparently are mating this month.

We’ve been landing on a number of coastal islands around here, and prowling on foot, noting the beauty of this coast. We only found one beer bottle, and an occasional plastic item. It’s shockingly pristine, compared to the Texas barrier islands we used to beachcomb when living nearby, where you can still find items from places near and far. Tons of it. So, we hope to keep visiting Cedar Key this summer, soaking up the beauty, in case oil from the spill off Louisiana ever arrives, which would ruin the place for a long time. And kill endless sea life. The commercial clam farmers of Cedar Key, who have many thousands of bags growing clams in chest-deep water here, will be ruined if oil arrives. It’s a $20 million dollar business. They are not happy with oil in the Gulf, even if it is still off Louisiana.     

Dead Tarpon in the Suwannee

Following reports of at least 40 tarpon floating dead in the home canals near the mouth of the Suwannee River, a result of the past week of frigid weather, I launched the boat there yesterday and had a look. These canals are like a maze, unless you own a home there and learn the place. Anyway, I cruised a dozen canals in the afternoon, looking for tarpon.

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Dead Snook at Yankeetown

I cruised the Withlacootchee River this morning, after cleaning off a frosty windshield back in Gainesville, and making the drive. I went down to where this river empties into the Gulf of Mexico, taking stock of fish killed by the past week of chilly weather. And hoping not to see large numbers of dead snook, which is a tropical gamefish ill-suited to cope when icy weather arrives. At first it didn’t look bad; in a mile of river below Yankeetown Marina towards the Gulf, I tallied about 12 nice snook barely floating, three on the bank that had been there for days, a half dozen hardhead catfish and three ladyfish. The snook all had a little silt on them, after laying on the bottom and then slowly rising to the surface. They appeared in edible condition; their bellies were not swelled in the least. One area near the Gulf had perhaps a thousand dead silver mullet, most of them six inches long, some still alive, spinning in the water. I could have filled a bucket with mullet, and froze them for bait. None were spoiled.

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Heading out tomorrow to find dead snook

Reports are coming in of dead snook along the Gulf side of  Florida, so I’ll get the boat loaded this afternoon, charge up the cold boat battery, and head out tomorrow with the camera. This is the biggest freeze since 1989, so I’d better get some fish pictures. Here in Gainesville the temp was 17 degrees last night, a new record. And the tenth night of freezing weather. Not good for coastal fish. Very good, for controlling invasive tropical plants and animals in Florida, such as iguanas and pythons in South Florida.

Tomorrow if the sun is out at mid-day, and I’ve already taken fish pictures, I’ll jump in the water with manatees at the springs, where they’re probably huddled together, numbering more than a hundred. The springs are 72 degrees all year long, which feels toasty in January. I’ll shoot some underwater pics of the manatees, if everything works out.

Stay tuned.