What this deep water rig is all about:
Red and black drum are game fish that live in the Atlantic. These two fish are cousins. The red drum is known for its reddish color with a black dot at the tail. The black drum is, in general, the bigger of the two and can weigh from 5-30 pounds and, as you have guessed, have a blueish, blackish color. Both of these species of fish are good to eat. Read on to learn about this specific Carolina rig used to catch these fish in deep waters.
Here is a list of materials/items that you will need to construct this rig:
Links include pricing info on Amazon.
– 30 pound fluorocarbon leader line
– scissors/nail clipper to cut the line with
– 1 Owner’s Mutu Light Circle hook (2/0 size)
Optional recommended equipment:
– Penn Squadron 410 Inshore Spinning Rods
– Penn Battle II Spinning Reel
How to use this rig:
This rig is specifically for fishing deeper waters anywhere up to 70-80 feet deep. There is no need to cast the line. All you have to do is release the reel and allow the egg sinker to bring the bait down to the bottom of the water. Once you’ve felt the sinker reach the floor, reel the line up about three or four revolutions of the reel to prevent the line from getting tangled.
The absolute best bait to use for red and black drum with this rig is live shrimp. Hook the shrimp in the tail about an inch from the end of the tail. This will keep the shrimp alive the longest.
Black drum are known to mouth natural bait so it’s advised to wait a few seconds before setting the hook.
Setup guide:
- Slide the sinker onto your main fishing line such that it is free to move. Then, slide the red bead on after the sinker. This bead is to help prevent the knot that you will make with your line from unraveling. Also, the impact between the egg sinker and the bead will create some noise to attract the fish.
- Attach the end of your main line with the sinker on to the barrel swivel using whatever knotting technique works for you. I recommend the following knot called a palomar knot.
Now, your setup should look like this:
The sinker and the bead should be free to slide along the main line.
- Cut a 3-foot (excluding scope for two knots) section of the 30 pound fluorocarbon leader line. Attach one end to the swivel.
- The last step is to tie the hook on with a sturdy knot. Use the Owner’s Mutu Light Circle hook (2/0 size)
for the best results.
That’s it in 4 simple steps. Let me (and the fishing community) know if this rig is working for you and rate this rig at the top of this article. Check out the finished product below:
