Are you planning puppy drum fishing, but you do not know enough about the tips, techniques, and gadgets? If so, you don’t have to take tension anymore as you have landed at the right place.
Most anglers think that red drum and puppy drum are the two names for the same fish. However, they are not entirely the same but have some differences. The red drum is large, while the puppy drum is relatively small. Also, when it comes to redfish, the competition is quite high.
In this article, you will come to learn more about puppy fish and how you catch it successfully. So, let’s start with the overview.
Puppy Drum Fishing: Overview
Yes, fishing for any fish is a daunting task. Puppy drum fishing is even more difficult if you don’t know the right tackle, baits, and techniques.
Additionally, a puppy drum is not always available, so finding a spot is another problem. Move to the next heading and explore all the essential things about drum fishing or red drum fishing.
What Is Puppy Drum
Most of the anglers define puppy drums as any juvenile fish. The length of their body is almost 27 inches. Usually, puppy drums acquired maturity after the age of four years.
Habitat For Puppy Drum
Puppy drums like to live in shallow inshore, for example, flats, creeks, and tidal areas of lower Chesapeake. Additionally, you can find them on the gulf coast and Florida.
You can spot a fish near the shallows that are close to shore. Moreover, it will be a good choice if you give importance to the passes and inlets.
Is Surf Fishing Right For Puppy Drum?
Surf fishing is one of the best ways to catch a puppy drum fish. It would help if you had a long rod that is capable of casting to a long distance. A rod of ten to twelve feet is an ideally best option. Additionally, bear in mind to go with heavyweights.
How-to Guide For Puppy Drum Fishing
In this part of the article, we will discuss drum fishing tips that can lend a helping hand in making your fishing venture a big success. Lack of skill is the major issue that can refrain you from getting desired results.
So, we always suggest you have a solid grip on tips and tricks regarding puppy drum fishing. Without going for the proper technique, you cannot catch the fish. Let’s get started with the most helpful and working tips:
Fishing Close to Shore Will Work
If you search for the fish near the shore, it will work for you, and the chances of grabbing a fish may elevate. Therefore focus on the shallows that are near to shore for catching a puppy drum.
Moreover, it would help if you looked for them close to the docks, sandbars, and shoals. Mainly, give importance to the surf that is nearby sandbars.
Shallow Fishing Is the Right Way
Anglers who are desperate to catch a fish need to focus on the shallows as puppy drums like to live in such places. It will be even better if the depth of water is not more than four feet. Sometimes you may see their bodies as well in the water.
So, to maximize your possibility of grabbing a puppy drum, you should consider shallow waters and edges for fishing.
Go Offshore
We have mentioned earlier that shallow waters may prove game-changers. But bear it in mind that sometimes going for deep waters can prove worthy.
So, for that, you need to anchor your boat close to the shoals and sandbars in the deep water. Cast your bait in this water, and you may get a puppy drum.
Tackling Is Extremely Important
Can you plan fishing without having a gadget? I am sure your answer will be a big NO. So, try to find out the right kind of gadget that has the potential to assist you in becoming a successful angler.
Especially in the case of puppy drum fish, you need to have a reel that has a ten to twenty lb test braided line along with a spinning rod. Furthermore, if you use a braided line, it will work better if you go for a 20” fluorocarbon line.
Bait Selection
We have always concentrated on the importance of a suitable bait. So, as an angler choosing the right bait must be your priority.
You have two options you can select, either live or dead bait. Both of them have some pros and cons. But a live bait is the winner for sure if you know about its handling.
In the case of puppy drum, you have the following bait options:
- Shrimp
- Crab
- Mullet
- Minnows
Practice and Experiment
An experienced angler can do things way too better as compared to a newbie. Therefore, try not to be impatient and give as much time as possible to your fishing hobby. Apply different ways to discover the best one that works in catching the fish quickly.
In the end, you will be surprised to see the improvements in the way you fish. It is pertinent to mention that you need to be more hardworking and consistent to master this skill.
Gadgets For Puppy Drum Fishing
Fishing is incomplete without having gadgets. So, you can win the game for sure if you search for the right gadgets and then go fishing by making use of them. This section will explain to you the fishing gadgets that you need to have by your side.
Rods
If you want to do surf fishing, then long rods can be an ideal choice. Also, it would help if you went for rods that have medium to heavyweight. Additionally, fishing with the help of boat rods that have medium weight and shorter sizes can be an excellent choice.
Reels
Reels also hold a great significance in fishing, irrespective of the type or method. Baitcasting reels are an excellent option that you need to consider because they are pretty sturdy. You can entirely rely on them for catching puppy drums.
In addition, their power and strength are comparatively better, and they allow you to feel the fish more appropriately. Owing to all these reasons, going with a baitcasting reel will indeed prove a better option.
In contrast, some anglers give priority to a spinning reel, so we should mention them here too. The benefit of using a spinning reel is that beginners can use it. If the newcomers go with it, the chances of grabbing a fish can elevate.
Lines
Choosing a line by keeping in mind the type of fish is another important task. We recommend using braided lines. In addition, the weight of the line needs to be 20 Lbs. You will benefit from using them as they do not stretch a lot due to their toughness.
Baits for Puppy Drum
When it comes to fishing, bait selection is a critical task, and everyone passionate about fishing needs to give it primary importance. Check out the details regarding the baits that must be part of your luggage when you are heading towards the fishing spot.
Live Shrimp
Unarguably, using live bait can prove a frivolous choice as it can attract the attention of fish. It is worth a mention here that your priority should be a bait that is active and healthy. Such a bait has the potential to move around in the water and spot a fish.
Mullets
It is a prevailing opinion that mullets are arguably the best option for puppy drums or redfish. Manage to find out live bait but do not worry if you do not get live bait as you can go with frozen mullet.
But, it is worth mentioning here that frozen bait may prove a terrible idea if the frozen flesh becomes mushy in the water.
Small Blue Crabs
In the case of puppy drums, you should go with the small size crab. Now, it comes to rigging, and for that, you need to have a live crab and then take its legs off. After that, you need to place the hook by using leg holes.
Squid
Squids are one of the best options, and it will become challenging for the fish to ignore such bait. You have two options: first, to use them by cutting them into pieces, and secondly, you can go for a whole squid.
So, if you use any of the bait mentioned above, you can catch a puppy drum. Moreover, you can try puppy drum or red drum lures, but live bait should be your priority for sure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This section of the guide will give relevant and comprehensive answers to some FAQs about puppy drum fishing.
How do you fish for puppy drums?
Along with having live bait such as Peeler-Crab and Shrimps, you can also go for lures. Driving stick baits and topwater plugs are good options, and fish usually attack such lures.
What is the best bait for puppy drum?
It would help if you gave primary importance to fish’s bait for grabbing the puppy drum. Here are some options that you need to keep in consideration for catching a fish.
- Shrimps
- Fiddler crabs
- Mud crabs
- Blue crabs
If you use any of them, it can enhance your chances of catching your desired fish.
Are puppy drums good eating?
Yes, you can eat puppy drums. They taste good as compared to various other fish and have a mild sweet flavor. Moreover, when it comes to flesh texture, they are pretty firm.
How do you catch a puppy drum surfing?
Surf fishing is one of the best options to grab a puppy drum. It is recommended to go with a long rod and ensure that its length should never be less than ten feet. A rod of such a length can assist you in catching more fish as it will cover more area.
Is a puppy drum the same as a red drum?
There is not much difference between these two. We can say that the puppy drum is identical to the red drum but smaller. So, these minor changes can assist you in spotting differences between both of them.
What does puppy drum taste like?
The color of their flesh is white, and it tastes a little bit like that of the sea. You will surely enjoy the taste when you fry a fresh one.
Final Thoughts
Well, that’s all about puppy drum fishing. We have given you all the information that an angler needs to make the fishing experience wholesome. If you still have questions in your mind, you can ask.
However, if you are an experienced angler, it’s your turn to share your secret tips regarding drum fishing. So, move to the comments section and share your insights with beginners.
