The Secret to Catching Black Drum on Artificial Lures
- By: Matthew Lanier
- on
When the temperatures heat up, so does fishing for black drum and it’s a fun time of year to catch them on artificial lures!
However, if you’re not keeping their biology in mind, you can put the right lure smack dab in front of them and they still won’t eat it.
In this video, Coach Matt offers some tips on what he uses, how to present them, and the critical element that’s keeping you from catching black drum on artificial lures!
The Secret to Catching Black Drum on Artificial Lures
Essential Gear
- Berkley Gulp! Shrimp
- Z-Man Kicker CrabZ
- Dr. Juice Inshore Slam Formula
- Hoss Helix Weighted Hooks
- Z-Man Texas Eye Weedless Jigheads
Recommended Setup
These two combos are perfect for targeting shallow water black drum:
➡️ Most Popular Combo: TFO Pro/Daiwa Fuego LT 2500D-XH
➡️ Premium Combo: Slot Machine Custom/Daiwa BG MQ 2500
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Matt the big ugliest love chilling under bridge south side Ochlocknee Bay across from Masha Sands
How right you are, Rob! There sure are some big ones over there! I tried to catch some one day from the dock with no success but I just saw a recent report of some bigs caught there, just wasn’t my day when I went. lol
Thanks for watching buddy!
For the life of me I can’t catch on these kicker crabz. I sight cast for drum and reds and sheepshead and I’ve tried them mercilessly to where I power poled down after I couldn’t get anything to bite and they all spooked off, switched to my usual 3” scented shrimpz and started catching after that. Have several colors and use the same scent I on everything else. The Shrimpz and scented paddlerz have been the best for me. I have emailed a few times for them to make me some shrimpz in the redfish toad or Alabama leprechaun color to no avail. Let me know if y’all have that available in that same material.
That sure could be frustrating! What are you rigging the Kicker Crabs on? Maybe I can help!
We do not have any of those scented shrimps in that color as those are exclusively produced by ZMan, but profile is usually more important than color.
Great video and great info, love fishing for these monsters
Thanks for watching, Gary! Glad that you enjoyed it!
Love catching the big uglies!
They sure are fun! Thanks Carl!
Great advice, thnx
You got it Chad!
Thanks Matt for that video & tips, and yeah those drums are fun to catch
So glad to help Nick!
Good Stuff, Matt!
Thanks Greg! We appreciate you watching! 💪💪
Great tips, great fish !!
Thank you Eduardo! It was a fun time for sure! 💪💪
Yea matt to me both reds and black drum are the hound dogs of inshore fish meaning because hounds use there very keen sence of smell to do there hunting both reds and black drum do as well although really the black drum are more like a blood hound then just a regular hound like a beagle because there sence of smell is even somewhat better then a redfish and bloodhounds pretty much have the best sence of smell of all canine species but for me I have only caught 2 black drum in my life both somewhat small about 5 lbs each great eating size and believe it or not both were caught using a zman spinnerbait one by a grassline with scattered oysters fishing for reds and flounder the other under a dock doing the same thing but I have never seen one tailing in fact that I can count I have only seen about 3 reds in my life tailing probably because the water here in jacksonville fl I’d always so murky making sight fishing almost impossible and you should know because I remember you doing a report on fishing in chicopit Bay here in jacksonville in the winter for redfish I believe that is when you first started using and fishing with the zman kicker crabs I bought some when they first came out but have yet to really use them but most recently I did see a YouTube video with capt ca Richardson in his flats class talking about fishing the kicker crab under docks for reds and somewhat recently I have seen a few reds under docks at night in the area I have been fishing on a regular basis and have tried paddletails plastic shrimp with only a couple small reds and a few hits to my credit so was thinking on how much reds love crabs if maybe they just might work under the docks plus because it’s weird on this area gets very little fishing pressure at night a crab lure is probably a bait that they doubtfully have seen before anyways you get my meaning gonna try it this sun night into mon morning since I’m usually off Sundays and mondays and see what happens thanks for the info as usual and all you do😀👍
The Kicker Crab works phenomenal in that Jax area! Trust me!
I’m amazed how many black drum are active feeders this time of year. I’ve caught lots of them fishing a scented jerk shad along shorelines.
They get very active in the summer as they are much less affected by the temperature change in the water. Thanks for watching buddy!