[piano intro] - Alright Dean, I think we got this one.

- [Dean] Uh oh, let me get the net.

- He ain't huge or nothing, let's see what we got.

Yeah he's pretty good.

That's what we're looking... - [Dean] I'm gonna get that net right quick.

- [Rick] Get him in there.

- [Dean] There you go.

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- [Male Announcer]: And by EZ Bait & Tackle.

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- Hello, welcome to the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

Well, today's program, we're gonna be fishing for black drum.

Our captain today is Ricky Kellum.

Joe, it was a good day of fishing.

Nothing really big, but still a good day.

- Right, it was not a large class of drum.

These fish do grow over 100 pounds.

I think the state record is over 100.

And we've got black drum up and down the coast.

They look a lot like sheepshead if people are not familiar with them.

They have stripes and they have a lot of similarities of a sheepshead as far as where they like to hang out.

Today we're fishing at the base of a bridge on the new river.

One of Captain Kellum's favorite places to catch black drum.

At the beginning of the summer.

And using, one thing he really stressed, was the freshest shrimp you can find.

He thinks that makes the difference between having a successful morning with them or not successful is using really fresh bait.

And have the right tackle to handle these fish.

They're round structures so you got to, once you set the hook, be able to control or they'll take you down and cut you off.

A lot of fun today.

- Yeah, gear time today, we're gonna talk more about the tackle and that fresh shrimp.

- Right, right, he'll emphasize that.

Again, a good stout tackle that'll hold a fish of this caliber.

That day I think the biggest thing we caught was probably pushing 4 pounds, maybe 5 pounds.

And you'll see, they do give you a tug.

- And our recipe today, a recipe with sea bass.

- Yeah, black sea bass, they're caught off our coast.

Very tasty fish and she's got a special recipe for us.

- Well we got a lot going on so let's go and take of a little fishing business today on the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

- [Dean] Ricky, this is the first time I've ever fished for black drum this way.

I always fished with bottom rigs, with just cut bait.

And I've been looking forward to this.

- Yeah, I tell you, it's the middle of June.

Black drum's been doing real well.

We've been catching trout fish.

So we focused on em a little bit.

But we're gonna focus on them a lot today.

We're just gonna use some, basically, live shrimp.

Fresh as you can get, not frozen.

- Right.

- Never frozen if you can get fresh.

Fresh is always gonna outfish.

Fish been ranging 3 to 5 pound and occasionally a big one.

We got the gear and we're ready.

- Well, it's been awful hot.

It was 99 degrees yesterday.

- 102 today.

- And we're early so maybe we can get us some fish before it gets too hot.

- Let's do it.

- Alright.

- Alright Dean, I think we got this one.

- Uh oh, let me get the net.

- He ain't huge or nothing, let's see what we got.

Yeah, he's pretty good... That's what we're looking.

- [Dean] Let me get that net right quick.

- [Rick] Get him in there.

- [Dean] There you go.

- [Rick] Dean, he bit funny.

Real light, the tide's changing.

- [Dean] Okay, there you go.

- [Rick] Good looking fish, that would be a small one compared to what we been catching.

But that's good eating, some good eating fish right there.

Hear him grunt?

- Yup.

- He got his name honest.

The drum, look at that dorsal.

Hard to believe they grow 100 pound, isn't it?

- I know it, good job.

- Let's see one today.

- Let's get us another one.

- Yeah, he, totally different hit that what those pinfish do.

You need a bait?

- No, I'm good, put him right back there.

- Alright, Dean.

- [Dean] Alright, good deal.

- I was all up against the pilings that time.

See what we got here.

I don't think he knows he's hooked yet.

He's away from that bridge, though.

That's the main thing.

- Oh yeah, nice fish.

- [Rick] Tell you what, your TFO's feeling good.

The tide's running to you.

- [Dean] There you go.

- [Rick] That fish took it good, Dean.

- [Dean] Good one, Ricky.

- The tide's getting right and things are liable to bite.

You see them, you wonder where all that power comes from?

- Yeah, yeah, he's got a pretty broad tail on him.

- Oh yeah, yeah he's nothing but muscle.

Alright, buddy row.

Let's get it on.

- You know these fish we been catching have been about 3, 4 pounds.

That last one you caught was about 4.

I know they get a lot bigger.

I've seen em bigger in the ocean.

But your granddad was famous for catching big black drum.

- Yeah, he's got one on the wall there.

My cousin's antique barn, 75 pound.

- Goodness gracious.

- Early 60's, he used to use all wire, all the way.

Leader line to the spool, yeah.

- They even named a street after him in Jacksonville.

- Yeah, Drummer Kellum Road.

- Wow.

- He used to catch so many he'd haul em to the downtown seafood market back in the 50's, 60's in the boot of that cadillac.

No cooler, no nothing, just throw it in and ice the whole trunk down.

- In the trunk?

- Big blocks of ice back then, you know?

- That's crazy.

- Old big cubes... Lookie here.

We're due another one now, it was two real quick.

Oh, there he is, what you got?

Let me guess.

Show me a black drum.

Oh, and it is, too.

Alright.

I got one biting this.

Oh, there he is.

Oh, son, come on.

He ain't goin nowhere.

I got you.

Good one, good one.

- Good deal.

- Look here, Dean.

This one right here, when I jab him, he did not like it.

And I'm gonna tell you that.

Go ahead and handle him, he ain't going nowhere.

- That's a pretty fish too now.

This one right here don't know he's hooked yet.

- Good night, caught my grandaddy's fish.

- You got your grandaddy's fish on there?

- I don't know whose fish I got.

- Hold on a second, my hook.

- You alright.

- Went all the way through the net.

- He ain't going nowhere, he's, oh yes sir.

That's a beaut.

Beauty.

- [Dean] Can you get him?

- [Rick] Oh yeah.

Nice, nice.

- [Dean] Nice.

- [Rick] These thing turn on, you can catch one right after another.

That's just good quality fish.

- Yeah, nice, nice.

Two at a time.

- Beauties, pull, man they pull good.

Alright let's let em back in the water.

Nice.

- He went around the corner?

- Yeah, he tried to under the bridge on me.

Tell you what, they're biting it good.

- Yep.

- Oh, son.

- Oh man, a little string music.

Go on and get him on up here.

- I'm doing all I can do.

- That's a good one, that's bigger than the last one.

There we go.

- [Rick] Tell you what, Dean, I don't want one no bigger than that.

- [Dean] Now, that's a nice one.

- Might have stayed, elementary school.

It's hit him right there good.

Is that not pretty?

- [Dean] Pretty fish.

- He's pure posing.

He took me for a ride, now.

There they are.

I got enough in the freezer, 1 pack's all I need.

Alright, tide's right.

(laughter) - I like that, hook set.

Whatcha got there Dean?

- It's a smaller one, it's black drum.

See those little ones are a little more striped up.

- Oh yeah.

He's got a shrimp in his throat.

- He'll grow up.

- That is not the fish I hooked, now.

I don't know what you did to that fish.

- This is some hot weather we've been having.

And these fish are biting awful good.

Is this primarily a warm weather fishery for these black drum?

- This year Dean, it's been about the first of May, I started noticing we got a lot of guys, all they fish for is black drum.

You can tell when they show up.

About the first of May.

And they'll bite, we'll catch em through September probably just depends on what order temperature.

Man that was one right there.

And the weather, rain'll push em off sometimes.

But she's a really good summer bite.

You know, catching trout early and then hitting the black drum.

Having a real good day.

Lookie there, good night.

Tell you what, that tide's running a little better now.

- He can turn the side to you a little better can't he?

- They know what, good, lookie there.

Check the warranty out on this thing.

- [Dean] He's trying to hide under the boat now.

That's a good fish.

- Yeah, he is.

- There you go.

- [Rick] Alright, this is another good quality fish Dean.

- [Dean] Yeah, pretty.

- Just right there.

Yes, sir.

Pretty one.

- Nice.

- Alright.

- Made him happy.

- Yes, we did.

- Here's your bait back if you want.

- Yeah, I will, I'll catch another one on that.

They don't care as long as it's fresh.

That's the good thing about em.

Clams, shrimp sand fillers they don't care.

They're just looking for something to eat.

- [Dean] Ricky, tide is coming in pretty strong right now.

- Right.

- Do you have better luck on these fish on particular tide, rising?

- I tell you, we called it right this morning.

We called it still it still falling.

Tide changed right at daylight.

Just can't get any better.

We have been doing better on falling tide.

But these fish are usually around this bridge somewhere.

Falling, incoming it really doesn't matter.

You know, just a matter of finding em in certain places.

And this is a kind of a ledge right here.

Falls off to 20 foot.

Goes from 6 to 20 foot.

And they like bottom changes like that.

You know we had to change to a 2 ounce sinker to hold bottom now cause it's running a little harder.

- Right.

- Which is fine, they don't care.

Just makes it more challenging, that's all.

We like that, don't we?

- Yeah, we like challenges.

He hit it when it drifted back out here away from... - Get out of your way right now.

- It's another smaller one, but... - That's alright.

This is what we're looking.

Bring him right here.

This is what we're looking.

They gotta be 14 inches.

Ain't quite make the cut.

He'll be pretty next year though.

- [Dean] He thumped it good though.

- Oh yeah.

- Get another one.

- Practice makes perfect.

- Joe, you're absolutely right.

Stout tackle, you gotta have it.

- Well, in that situation especially.

Because at the base of that bridge there's lots of structure.

And that's where they like to live.

That's where they hang out and a good place to catch em.

But you better have a rod that can handle the...

Especially the initial strike and the first part of the fight.

They'll pull a drag on you, but again, in that situation, he does emphasize, and he'll do it in gear time, the freshest bait, the better the bite.

- Alright, gear time, let's go find out more about fresh bait and the tackle.

- Well Ricky, that was a great morning.

We had a great time catching those black drum.

- Yeah, it was.

- We got started early.

It's hot right now but we got out about 6:30.

Tide was getting ready to change.

Tide's important when we go.

- Perfect, right at daylight.

The end of the fall and the beginning of the rise is always one of the best times to catch anything.

Especially the drum.

- That's great, we got on pretty quick.

And of course we were having a fish around those bridge pilings and there's a lot of debris and barnacles and rocks in there.

And you had us rigged up with... - Yeah that 40 pound mono on that 20 pound braid.

Just a good combination around that structure.

- And that's just something you tied up yourself?

- Simple drop rig, 2 ounce because of the tie.

You know, whatever it takes to hold bottom.

One awl hook, fresh shrimp and that's all you need.

Get you a good rod like this TFO medium action.

2500 series pin.

Good combination, lightweight.

You can have all the fun you want and still handle a good size fish.

- Yeah about the biggest fish we caught today was probably pushing 5 pounds.

- And that's been the average.

And you can stumble upon a 15, 20 pounder but I feel like you could handle him with this.

Get him away from the bridge and have a good time with him.

- Right, well that was a lot of fun.

And I'm looking forward to the next time we go.

- Oh yeah, looking forward to it.

- Thanks a lot, I enjoyed it.

- Stout tackle and fresh shrimp, that's the key.

Here's Ricky Kellum's number on your screen for you.

Give him a call, he will take you, and I can almost promise you'll have a great day.

Now speaking of a great day, how do you like your black sea bass?

Well, Donna's got a recipe in our kitchen today.

I think it's one you're gonna like.

So let's catch up with Donna, she's in the kitchen with today's recipe.

- Hi, today in the kitchen we're making a black sea bass with a summer succotash.

This is a great recipe, quick and easy.

That has lots of beautiful colors in it.

And you can make it any time of the year.

You can make it in the summer when all your limas and your corn is fresh.

Or, if you got a hankering for it in the middle of the winter, frozen vegetables work just as well and are just as great and a little bit easier.

So what we're gonna do is, we're going to go ahead and get our pan here.

You can either grill your bass if you want, or you can pan-fry it, poach it whatever you like to do.

Whatever's easiest for you.

So I'm gonna take mine and I've got some little oil in the pan.

And I just cut mine into little fillets, little pieces.

And I'm just going to put it in my pan.

Since I don't have a grill.

And then we're just gonna put some salt and pepper on it.

And just kinda pan-fry this.

At home I would normally probably just throw this on my grill.

So we're just gonna let that cook.

So, while that's cooking, we're gonna go ahead and start our succotash.

So I've already cooked the bacon and pulled it out of my pan.

So I still have some drippings in there.

We're gonna saute some onion.

And you can use, if you don't wanna dice all these onions yourself.

They do make some in the store that are already diced for you.

Trust me, I'm all about a convenience item.

Then we're going to add some corn.

And I just use frozen corn like I said.

It's quick and it's easy.

And I just usually keep those in my freezer.

And some beautiful limas.

And you can use these, you don't even have to let them thaw.

You can just them in frozen and they'll steam up and cook all by themselves.

You can see this is such a beautiful dish.

Smells really great too.

We're gonna give that a stir.

And then we're going to add some cherry tomatoes to this that we just cut in half.

And a little bit more salt and pepper.

And just give that a stir.

And we're gonna a few herbs to this.

We're gonna add some fresh dill that we're gonna chop.

And some chives.

So I've already chopped my chives.

And we're just gonna add those in there.

These will add some great flavor.

And then our dill.

And I'm just gonna chop my dill.

Just a little rough chop.

And it'll be just some great flavors and great smells.

Cause it's all about looks, if it looks beautiful and smells beautiful it's gotta taste beautiful.

So we're gonna give that a stir.

You can see it looks great already.

And then what we're gonna do is we're gonna add a little bit of vegetable stock to this.

So we're going to add 2/3 cup of vegetable stock that we made in here.

Just pour that over.

And then we're just gonna let this cook.

And it'll start to bubble and thicken up a little bit.

So while that is kinda cooking here and bubbling.

We're going to turn our fish and sear the other side.

And then we're pretty much ready to go.

We'll get that to sear on the other side.

You don't want to cook it too much.

But you can see it's got a beautiful skin on it.

So it's gonna have some great flavor to it as well.

We're gonna let this bubble and simmer a little bit.

Then we're gonna add back our bacon to it.

So you're gonna get that too.

And then we're ready to go.

So it's a quick and easy meal that you can put together.

On the weekends or during the week even.

And you're family's gonna get some great veggies and it's gonna be quick and easy for you.

So this is what it looks like.

This is how I served mine, in a cast iron skillet.

Which is so you can go straight from the stove to the table.

Which is great.

I just put my fish on the top.

Topped it with a little more bacon.

And you are ready to go.

So I hope you enjoy this black sea bass.

And succotash, and I look forward to seeing you next time here on Simple Cooking.

- Thanks Donna for another great recipe.

Now that recipe and a whole lot more.

They are available in our favorite cookbook.

In fact it's some of mine and Joe's favorite recipes.

It's available online at carolinaoutdoorjournal.com Now Joe, let's go back to the New River.

Fresh shrimp, stout tackle, you can get it done.

- You can get it done.

And Captain Kellum showed how to do it today.

Again we've got black drum up and down the coast.

They prefer to hang around structure.

Bridge pilings are probably the number one spot to find em.

But piers, rock jetties...

But the pilings of piers seem to be a good place to find em.

As you find sheepshead.

They hang around in the same area.

And just like sheepshead, they've got teeth.

So you have to have the right tackle.

Good stout tackle, good line, but like the Captain emphasized, the freshest bait is gonna be the best because the bite's going to be better.

If you go in with frozen bait, and he's tried it before.

The bite doesn't seem to be as good.

So good fresh bait, find you a good bridge with pilings.

The pilings have structure on em and these fish will go down in the structure and cut you off.

So get good strong tackle and you can get it done.

- Now, and you can catch one of these up to 100 pounds.

- Yeah, the record here in North Carolina is over 100.

I'm not sure exactly what it is, but well over 100 pounds.

And unlike the red drum, world record on red drum is 90.

94, I think.

Yeah, great fish, good to eat on the table.

If you never caught em before, go try em.

- I wish all our viewers today the best of luck catching that 100 pound fish.

For Joe Albea, I'm John Moore.

Thanks for joining us today on the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

- [Male Announcer]: Make sure to visit our website for more information.

The Carolina Outdoor Journal is brought to you by: - [Female Announcer]: "Wildlife in North Carolina" magazine.

- [Male Announcer]: And by EZ Bait & Tackle.

Family owned and operated.

We fish from fresh to saltwater.

We provide fishing supplies and advice to every type of angler.

For all your fishing needs, EZ Bait & Tackle.

And by contributions from PBS North Carolina viewers like you.

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