I knew I wanted to hit the water this weekend but with this cold front that came through I was undecided where to go. I discussed some ideas with my fishing partner and we decided that the water had not cooled down enough to send the big fish into the deeper water. The water temperature is dropping but not that fast. With this in mind I decide to get some crabs and head to a little pier that I have been catching BIG black drum. Well, Saturday morning came around, its 9:00 am and my fishing buddy's ride backed out. So I pick him up and we head out. I really wasn't to eager to get into that cold wind so letting it warm up a bit wasn't a bad idea. We set up around 1ish and we sat there for a while. We eventually caught a nice sized big ugly but it was not really what we were after. We were in this cold for the really big ones. I have always said the nastier the weather the bigger the Big Uglies! Check this youngster out. Drum fishermen have to start somewhere.


Once it got dark things started to heat up. Or maybe a big fish on light tackle gets my blood going. We start to catch one fish after another. We had some runs that the crab was crushed but no hook set. Guess you don't catch them all. We alternated catching fish and then we had a double on opposite sides if the pier. What fun it is when you are the only two on the pier.


My fish just so happened to be a bit bigger and the first fish over 40#'s for the night. Man, I really like Ande fishing line.


Brice was the first on to score really BIG. (Ugly that is) Check out this 44 incher that weighed 56 pounds.


Brice, hold him higher so I can get a better picture. Check out this diet coke can just for reference. This fish was a brute. My 42" hoop net is starting to look a bit small.


I got tired of guessing what these fish weighed so I went and bough me a little scale to see how close our guess were. Man we were underestimating the weight of these fish. We had some kids fish the pier and the little one (in orange) kept asking if he could reel one in. Not a problem little man. Watch the pole and let me know when we have a fish. Minutes later both he and the rod were screaming. He lifts the pole and quickly I had my doubts that he was going to land this fish. I asked if he was OK and he said maybe his bigger brother should get the pole. Not a bad idea for all of us because I was sure his brother wanted to fight the fish and I did not want to lose my pole. After a long battle this is what he landed.


After this fish it got slow for an hour and I started to get COLD! We checked the baits and shortly afterwards it turned on in a big way! Brice was fishing a good fish when one of the smaller fish started to SCREAM! I went and made sure the hook was set and put the rod down to go help Brice. We landed his fish and back I went to mine. At this point the fish didn't feel like much until he got into the pier lights and off he went again on a fairly tight drag. Once I got him back to the edge of the pier we realized he was HUGE! Brice seemed like he was taking forever to get his fish out of the net but we eventually get both fish onto the deck for double #2.


Brice's fish was an impressive 40 incher but this one went 46 inches and a WHOPPING 72 pounds. I am smiling because that is what I do when I am struggling to hold up a fish for a picture!


We were thinking about leaving but something said fish a bit longer in both of us. After a few more fish we check all the baits then Brice has a huge run. After a good fight he land this 44" 52 pounder! WTG Brice!


In all we land 14 black drum and 5 of them went over 45 pounds with the biggest going a WHOPPING 72 pounds. What a night! I want to thank GOD for the opportunity and means to fish with my friends.