[gentle orchestral fanfare] - I was thinkin' about red drum.

It's just a powerful fish, isn't it?

It doesn't matter what time of year you catch 'em.

They don't quit.

Here he comes.

Yeah, I believe this one is a little better.

He didn't want-- he didn't want anything to do with this boat.

- [Ricky] Nah, he saw you and he didn't want nothing to do with you is what happened.

- [Announcer] The production of Carolina Outdoor Journal is made possible in part by: - [Female Announcer] Wildlife in North Carolina Magazine.

ncwildlife.org/winc.

- [Male Announcer] And by EZ Bait and Tackle, family owned and operated.

We've been fishing since 2003.

Come see the crew in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and we can hook you up for all your fishing needs.

[light instrumental music] ♪ - Hello, welcome to the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

Well today's program is gonna take us out fishing in mid January and Joe, it was just cold.

- It was, during that period of time back in the winter where we experienced some really cold temperatures and we were not sure if the fish were gonna be bitting.

You can find these fish and we're fishing the surf zone just south of Surf City, down towards Wrightsville Beach, we're looking for fish that congregate off our beaches in winter time, these were red drum anywhere from 22 to 30 inch fish but they school up in schools of 500 fish, I mean, that sounds like a lot of fish and it is and if you can find 'em, if they're feeding, you can have a lot of fun.

So, we're fishing with Captain Ricky Kellum that day who his specialty is speckled trout but he mixes it in with these red drum this time of year.

- What about the equipment we used?

- We'll go back in gear time, they'll show us the lures that they caught the fish on and the tackle.

You need something fairly stout, these are strong fish and that time year, even though the water's cold, if they're feeding, they're strong, you need something with some back bone and they'll share that with us.

- And Donna has got a recipe today using catfish, one of my favorites.

- Fried catfish, if you like catfish stay tuned, she's got a good recipe for us.

- You got a lot going on, so let's get to work here on the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

- [Ricky] Alright Dean, keep ya eyes open.

- Ya know, I been looking forward to doing this, it's kinda strange we're coming out off one of the hardest, coldest two weeks we've had in North Carolina in years and these drum are just stacked up on the beach here.

- They are, what we're gonna do is ride, about the middle of January now, water temperature's 45 degrees on the beach and we're just looking, a little bit early yet, suns poking out, we'll see 'em.

There's hundreds of 'em on the beach right now.

Done good yesterday, today's just like yesterday.

- The way you found 'em yesterday, the wave would lift the school up and you could see 'em in the sun.

- [Ricky] Yeah, just a big black spot, it's a beautiful sight to see.

- [Dean] What size fish were y'all seeing yesterday?

- From 27 to 32 inches, right in that range.

- Wow.

- Real nice fish.

Real fun to catch.

- That's great.

Well, this is Lee Island, it's an uninhabited island and for some reason those drum love to stay on those beaches where there's not any activity.

- Yeah, cause it's pretty much same way right on down towards Emerald Isle, same way.

- Back up towards Browns Inlet, Swansboro, that way.

- Yeah, it's been real good.

Alright Dean, hard part's done.

All we need to do now is hook up.

- [Dean] There he was, I bumped one.

- [Ricky] Let him pick it up.

Let me get out here and get bumped.

- [Dean] Didn't pick up that time.

- [Ricky] Oh man, they're right here behind the boat.

- [Dean] Behind the boat, yep.

- [Ricky] This whole flat's full of fish.

- [Dean] Where they at now?

There they are.

There they are, right back here, off the corner here.

- [Ricky] Did you see 'em?

- [Dean] Yeah, right here, right here over.

- [Ricky] Oh, I see the big school right here.

- [Dean] Right there is granddaddy.

[chuckles] Come on now.

- [Ricky] Alright.

- [Dean] I guess when it's cold like this sometimes they're a little.. - [Ricky] Yeah, you got to imagine, they're laying out there in the 40 degree water, they're not as aggressive as they would be if it was 70 degrees.

Just work ya a little slower and that's the good thing about the scented baits, they'll pick it up.

Look at 'em right here.

- [Dean] Right.

- [Ricky] Good night.

- [Dean] School's right here.

- [Ricky] Kinda breaks your heart to see 'em so thick and not biting every second.

If I was laying out there in 40 degrees, I wouldn't be as fired up either.

Alright Dean.

- [Dean] Alright, great, good.

- [Ricky] Right there, one that decided to eat me.

[chuckles] He's shaking like a trout.

Got a few trout running out here in the surf too.

Be a brave soul, look at him head shaking.

Yeah.

Pretty fish, pretty fish.

Oh, mercy.

- [Dean] Pretty fish, Ricky.

- [Ricky] Yes, sir.

Nice fish, he swallowed it, didn't he?

- [Dean] Yep, this one did what he's supposed to do.

- He wanted it.

Little bit better than yesterday, the water temperature's warmer than it was yesterday.

- [Dean] Look at that fish swimming around the boat.

- [Ricky] I know it.

It'll drive you crazy if you let it.

Best thing is just close ya eyes.

Thank you.

- [Dean] Beautiful.

- [Ricky] Yes it is.

- [Dean] Get back over there with ya momma.

Oh there he is, fish on.

- [Ricky] You sent the hook, didn't ya.

- They are shaking their head like that.

- [Ricky] Yes they are.

Beautiful.

Another 30 incher it looks like.

- [Dean] I think he's a little smaller.

- [Ricky] You picked it up a little better though.

- [Dean] Oh yeah, I mean, he went after it.

- [Ricky] He's got a lot of grass on his back.

- [Dean] That's probably a slot fish there.

- [Ricky] Oh yeah, yeah he is.

- [Dean] Beautiful, beautiful.

- [Ricky] I got you.

- [Dean] Looks like he might've had to run from a dolphin.

He's had to run from a, see right here.

- [Ricky] They're so thick it's probably another fish bumping into him.

There you go.

He's 22, 23 inch fish.

- [Dean] Get him on back out there with his momma.

- [Ricky] Watch that wave.

Just different school of fish running.

Alright, take yours, that one's ready right there.

[laughing] He don't even know he's hooked.

- [Dean] Ya know, last time I checked.

- [Ricky] He's not tired yet either.

- [Dean] The guide was the one supposed to be the one with the net every time.

- [Ricky] Watch, he's bowing that reel.

- [Dean] Whoa, whoa, he's coming all the way around.

Oh, he's going around, coming back.

He's got some pretty back spots on him, Ricky.

[laughing] - [Ricky] That's a 30 inch one right there.

- [Dean] He's nice, Ricky.

- [Ricky] He's a 30 incher.

- [Dean] I know.

Now, I know he's not the same one we just caught cause he's marked there.

- [Ricky] He's got a couple different spots on him, you'll catch 'em with multiple random spots every now and then.

- [Dean] Figure out what we got.

- [Ricky] Easy on my bait there.

- [Dean] He had the hook running back through it.

There we go.

- [Ricky] Got it?

- [Dean] Yeah, look there.

- [Ricky] Oh man, healthy fish.

- [Dean] Double spot.

- [Ricky] Two or three more out there.

- [Dean] There's a few.

Couple hundreds.

- [Ricky] Then show me one.

- I'm gonna try, if you'll quit catching 'em long enough and let me try.

[soft music] Ricky, these fish stay out here pretty much all winter?

- [Ricky] Yeah.

- Tight to the beach like this?

- We catch 'em pretty much year round, by winter time you can almost count on 'em, ya know.

Same pattern just about every day after weather, ya know, weather permitting, you just can't come out here whenever you want to, we're sitting right on the beach and a lot of times it's five, six foot waves crashing right here.

- [Dean] Right.

- But middle of January, every year, basically the same thing.

- Ya know, I guess a lot of people when it gets cold like it's been down in the 20s and teens and they think that the salt water fishing is over.

This is really my favorite time of year to fish.

- Oh yeah, lady at the store this morning thought we were crazy.

[laughing] Told her I'd been everyday this week.

But, it's cold, just gotta dress for it, which today's gonna be beautiful, it's already in the 40s.

- Another aspect to this thing that I really love, a lot of it is sight fishing, you're seeing the fish and casting to 'em and that's really just adds another dimension to it.

- It does.

Fella came yesterday, he was just about in shock when he saw, he couldn't even cast to 'em, he was so excited.

He spotted them perfect.

- He didn't play.

I think I got this one in the mouth, I can feel him shaking his head.

- Let me get this one out of the way.

Yeah, that was a good school of fish right there.

- And there's another big school, right up here, Ricky.

- Think that one's in the mouth, huh.

- Yeah, I saw him come up and shake his head.

- [Ricky] The fish are livelier today than they were yesterday.

- [Dean] Look at him.

- [Ricky] Got you a good fish this time buddy.

- [Dean] I think he's a little better.

Course that last one fooled me too.

That's the thing about red drum, it's just a powerful fish and it doesn't matter what time of year you catch 'em.

- [Ricky] They don't quit.

- [Dean] Here he comes, yeah, I believe this one is a little better.

He didn't want anything to do with this boat.

- [Ricky] Nah, he saw you and he didn't want nothing to do with you.

Pretty fish there Dean.

- [Dean] It is pretty.

Oh yeah.

He's got one, two, three, four, five.

- [Ricky] He's spotted up.

- [Dean] Six spots on that side, look at that, five around his tail, right there, six up here.

Look at that, he's pretty isn't he?

- [Ricky] Yes he is.

- [Dean] Alright, partner.

- [Ricky] Beautiful.

Pretty work, pretty work.

- They're running, they're kinda running down the beach.

- [Ricky] They're cruising, not in the surf.

There he is right there.

- [Dean] Alright.

- [Ricky] Oh yeah.

Head shaker.

- [Dean] Think I got my line over yours, Ricky.

- [Ricky] I wouldn't doubt that.

[laughing] Some good fish.

Good fish.

This fish is just cruising that beach there.

- [Dean] Just running up and down the beach.

- They're heading to that inlet, just like they did yesterday about the same time.

Alright, that's another good fish.

- [Dean] Absolutely.

- [Ricky] There we go.

- [Dean] Oh yeah.

- [Ricky] Slot fish.

- That one is a slot fish.

I got him.

He wasn't bashful, he swallowed it didn't he.

Cold weather hadn't got to him too bad.

- [Ricky] He's a new recruit.

Pretty fish, pretty fish.

- [Dean] Let go of my thumb there partner.

- [Ricky] Alright Dean, get you one, let me get the boat back out there.

Don't scare 'em off.

That fish hit good right there.

- [Dean] I think they're warming up a little bit now in the mood to eat.

- [Ricky] Gonna be riding the back side of these waves.

Usually when that waves comes up and breaks, see 'em right in the back side.

- [Dean] Those last ones we saw, that's how we saw 'em, a wave lifted 'em up.

- Just different school probably from what we were on earlier.

I just saw something right there, that might have been a porpoise right there.

We'll run into another school, they're just all over this shoal right here.

Look Dean, straight ahead to the left, right there, right there, right there.

Come on now.

- [Dean] Do ya job.

There he was.

- [Ricky] He thumped it.

- [Dean] There he is.

Got him.

[laughing] - [Ricky] That was my fish.

You wrung his neck, didn't ya.

- He couldn't have been in six inches of water.

- [Ricky] He was right over there in the breakers.

- [Dean] Yep.

- Wasn't too shabby of a hook set either.

- [Dean] Yeah, he swallowed it.

- [Ricky] The fish are just cruising this beach non stop.

- [Dean] That southeast breeze may of turned 'em on a little bit.

[laughing] He's spotted all up too.

- [Ricky] Beautiful fish.

Watch the waves there for me.

- [Dean] Okay.

Let's see him, how many spots does he got?

That one's kind of a horseshoe there, let's look at the other side.

That one's kind of a horseshoe.

- [Ricky] Beautiful.

- [Dean] Isn't he beautiful.

- [Ricky] Yes, they are.

- Joe it was a nice day but it was cold.

- It was cold and as you saw, the surf conditions were perfect, perfect meaning flat, the water needs to be clear to be able to find the fish, calm so you can fish that area and that's kinda a limiting factor when you try to do that type of fishing is you gotta have the good conditions, preferably a wind coming over land and making that surf zone stay calm.

But, given the conditions, you may find the fish and they may not bite and so there's no guarantees, any fish again, there's no guarantees but that particular situation where you've got 500 fish sitting underneath ya and they won't hit anything and can be frustrating.

That day we got lucky they bit, had a good morning.

- Most doubt, equipment is so important.

- Absolutely.

- Let's find out more.

Let's go to gear time.

[soft upbeat music] - Well, Ricky, I'll tell ya what, that was just a fabulous day today, we caught drum immediately and red drum.

What's so amazing is we're coming off of two of the coldest weeks, the weather that North Carolina has had or experienced in decades.

- Oh yeah, it's been cold, all week's been high 40s, it's been a chilly time but it's worth it when you can come out here and get on those reds like that.

- We actually had some trouts and kills up in some of the creeks and those fish, those drums came right up here on the beach feeding.

I guess they just gang up and swim up and down right close to the shore the start of the year.

- [Ricky] It's been like this for years, probably way before we even been around here.

- It wasn't that difficult to get 'em to bite, we were using the imitation shrimp, quarter ounce head.

We used a real heavy hook.

- Got to have it.

- Well, a lot of the times if you don't, when you trying to get out of that tough mouth of that drum, you'll break a hook and by having a heavy hook they don't break.

And your rod and reel.

- Oh yeah, seven foot Fenwick, medium action with a brand new Christmas present my wife got me, a Catalyst PT20 that's only two pound, two diameter, ten pound test braid, Sufix braid, all you need.

- I was using just a little bigger rod and reel.

This is like a 4000 Stradic and about an eight foot rod.

- More distance, you need to be able to cast cause lot of times you can't get close like we did today.

- That's right.

Well, I'll tell ya what, that was just a great day and thanks a bunch.

- Oh yeah.

- I'm looking forward to next January.

- Oh yeah, ain't gonna be that long.

- Buzz word is stout equipment for those of you that are gonna be headed out fishing.

If you need more information call the number you see on your screen or go to our website.

Now, let's catch up with Donna, she's got a recipe for catfish you're gonna like this one.

[upbeat music] - Hi, today in the kitchen we're making a Parmesan pecan fried catfish, it's a great recipe and it goes together really quick and easy.

Actually we're not frying it in the traditional way, we're gonna oven fry it, so it's a great way to have that crispy, crunchy coating on the outside but we're not gonna have to get the oil out and fry.

So let's go ahead and get started, I have my catfish that I've been soaking in some buttermilk which will add some great flavor to our fish as well.

Then we're gonna take our chicken bake and we're gonna place that into our bag and then we're gonna add some Parmesan cheese and about a cup of chopped or minced nuts.

So I just kind of put those in my food processor and chopped those up real finely and it's gonna add some great nutty flavor cause as you bake your, oven fry your fish, it's gonna also bake those nuts and all the oils are gonna come out of the nuts and add some great nutty, crunchy flavor.

So we have our mixture here in our bag and then we're going to take our fish and we're just gonna do one filet at a time and kinda close your bag.

I like to leave some air in it so that it moves around better, so we're just gonna give it a toss and coat it really well and then we're gonna put it out onto our lined baking sheet and I like to line mine with foil, just because it's easier for me to clean up then I can just take my foil, toss it and be finished.

We'll put our other one in, give this one a toss and then if you'd like you can add a little bit more of the coating on it, that's what I like to do.

I'll just pull this out.

And we're gonna bake this at about 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your filets that you have.

So I just kinda like to press mine in there and make sure that I get all of this yumminess on it.

And then while this is baking, we're gonna go ahead and make our relish that we're gonna top this with, it's a really simple relish, as well.

So we have 10 minutes in the oven, so let's put our relish together, we're gonna take one can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, so the green chilies aren't hot, they just add some great flavor, then we're gonna add some sweet onion that we chopped and the best, this pickled okra, it is gonna add lots of great tang to this recipe.

So just give this a toss and just let it sit until your filets come out and then we're gonna top it, our filets with the relish.

So let's take a look and see what it looks like when it's finished, you can see you got your fish, it's great, it's nice and golden brown, you can see the nuts on it, you're gonna add this great toasted nut flavor and then we've just topped it with our tangy pickled okra relish.

I hope you enjoy this fish and I look forward to seeing you next time here on Simple Cooking.

- Thanks Donna.

You can't go wrong with that recipe and that's a promise.

Joe, cold day, lot of good fishing.

- Yeah, we hit it just right, we hit the conditions right, we hit, the fish were on and just a nice class of red drum.

Most of that activity in the winter time has happened in the past from Cape Lookout south, this past winter and we think it's because of the extreme cold that we had back during December, January, a lot of the drum in the upper part of the Pamlico Sound, again the theory is, they moved out in the ocean and worked the beaches from Oregon Inlet south to Hatteras, it was one of the biggest runs of red drum along those beaches in recent memory, everybody was catching fish in all the slews, again, from Oregon Inlet all the way to Hatteras and even Ocracoke.

So this past winter was just a really good year for red drum fishing that time a year, it's real cold, you don't think too much about fishing that time of year but if you can get the conditions, Ricky does it every year, give him a call, if you've never done it, give it a try.

- And when the fish are on it's hard to think about how cold it is.

- Really, you forget about that.

- But y'all know me, I'm John Moore, thanks for joining us today on the Carolina Outdoor Journal.

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

- [Announcer] The production of Carolina Outdoor Journal is made possible in part by: - [Female Announcer] Wildlife in North Carolina Magazine.

ncwildlife.org/winc.

- [Male Announcer] And by EZ Bait and Tackle, family owned and operated.

We've been fishing since 2003.

Come see the crew in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and we can hook you up for all your fishing needs.

[light instrumental music] ♪