THE 



and estuaries or in the surf zones 

 along inlets for the first three or 

 four years of their lives. 



To understand more about the 

 red drum life history, Sea Grant 

 researcher Peter Rand is studying 

 its spawning habitat. Rand hopes 

 to document the salinity range that 

 best supports egg and larvae 

 survival. 



STOCK STATUS AND 

 REMEDIES 



The DMF lists the red drum 

 as "stressed-declining" because of 

 stock status reports of a dramatic 

 decline in the number of red drum 

 reaching maturity. The division 

 began tagging red drum in 1983 to 

 determine seasonal occurrence, 

 migration and growth. Between 

 1991 and 1993, only 1 percent of 

 the 9,000 juvenile tagged were 

 recaptured as spawning-sized 

 adults. "Spawning potential ratio" 

 is used to determine the health of a 

 fish stock. The ratio for a healthy 

 population is 40 percent. But for 

 the North Carolina red drum, the ratio is less 

 than 10 percent. 



As part of the Fisheries Reform Act of 

 1997, fishery commissioners began to 

 appoint advisory councils to help develop 

 management plans for each of the state's 

 commercially and recreationally important 

 marine fisheries species, including the red 

 drum. These plans will form the basis for 

 future regulations for species, species 

 groups, fishing gear and geographic areas. 



Bahen says the work of the red drum 

 advisory committee is nearly complete. In 

 October, the MFC will act on advisory 

 committee recommendations and public 

 comments. 



Meanwhile, anglers are sticking to 

 interim measures — size and harvest limits 

 — to help restore stocks of the popular red 

 drum fish. While no recreational salt water 

 license is required in North Carolina, Bahen 



stresses that individuals are obliged to learn 

 and abide by rules for each fishery. "It's a 

 matter of ethics," he says. 



YEAR-ROUND FUN IN THE FIGHT 



Bahen asserts that anyone who ever has 

 fished for red drum knows the fun is in the 

 fight, no matter how you measure the 

 landing. Open for harvest year-round, red 

 drum puts the skills of fishing veterans to the 

 test. "You'll know when you have a red 

 drum on the line. The red drum is a fighter 

 and will give you a run for your money," 

 Bahen attests. 



The beauty of the red drum is that you 

 can put your line down in virtually any kind 

 of coastal water in North Carolina — from 

 estuarine rivers and streams to open sound, 

 inlets, surf and creek banks. 



"You can sight-cast red drum. They 

 show themselves," Bahen explains. "At high 

 tide, they'll go into the marsh and root 

 around. You may see the movement of the 

 grass. The sight of the dorsal fin just above 

 the water's surface is a clear signal of 

 feeding red drum — an invitation to drop 

 your line." 



Surf fishers should look for the red 

 drum's golden red glistening through 

 breaking waves or in fast-moving inlet 

 waters. They'll need to select gear to match 

 larger fish usually found at these sites. 

 Bahen suggests using rods from 7 to 1 feet, 

 or longer, and 10- to 15-pound test line to 

 accommodate the size of the fish and the 

 churning water. 



As for bait, red drum don't seem to be 

 picky eaters. Though they prefer natural bait, 

 such as cut mullet, they will bite on artificial 

 lures or top water bait. Red drum are 

 becoming a popular target for light tackle 

 fly fishing enthusiasts, he notes. 



Bahen prefers to use the circle hook 

 and natural bait in his catch-and-release, 

 recreational fishing pursuits. "All the 

 research indicates that the circle hook 

 reduces fish mortality because it catches the 

 fish in the corner of its mouth. It is rare to 

 see a gut-hooked fish." 



To minimize damage to the fish, don't 

 jerk the line to set the hook, he says. The 

 circle hook is designed to slide into the 

 corner of the fish's mouth as the fish takes 

 the bait and begins to swim away. Once the 

 fish is reeled in, hold the fish gently at the 

 water surface to remove the hook. "Take 

 time to admire your catch as you examine it 

 for gill damage before releasing him," 

 Bahen urges. 



If it is difficult to remove the hook, 

 Bahen says, release the fish, hook and all. 

 Most circle hooks are made of steel that 

 will break down and fall away from the fish 

 in time. 



Circle hooks were introduced in North 

 Carolina as part of a bluefin tuna catch-and- 

 release program several years ago. They are 

 catching on for use with different fish 

 species to increase fish survival and help 

 bolster stocks. 



Meanwhile, polling along Howell's 

 Creek near Wilmington, the pressure is on 

 for Bahen to catch a red drum model for the 

 Coastwatch article. Conditions are not the 

 best. An overnight rain has made it difficult 

 to spot fish through the murky, mud-stirred 

 creek. A small flounder takes the bait 

 quickly. Bahen releases it for another time. 



A couple of hours pass and Bahen and 

 local guide, Tyler Stone, are about to give 

 up. Photographer Scott Taylor encourages 

 one more try. A small red drum obliges, and 

 Bahen plays his catch long enough to enjoy 

 the encounter. Then, Bahen reels in the fish 

 to demonstrate proper handling and 

 releasing techniques. 



A good size red drum for dinner for 

 three is about 21 inches. Baked, broiled or 

 blackened, it ranks up there with speckled 

 trout or spot, Bahen says. 



But the perfect size red drum, 

 according to Bahen' s calculations? That 

 would be a record-breaking 95 pounds. 



The red drum is not a commercially 

 targeted fish, but may be taken as by-catch. 

 However, there is a 100-pound daily trip 

 limit for commercial fishing vessels. 



COASTWATCH 



