Drum

The latest issue of Kentucky Afield has an article on Drum. I was just wondering if anyone else uses a fly rod for them. I catch them with some regularity at the Falls of the Ohio. They are a blast on a fly rod, give a good fight and, if they can get to the fast current, they will. If a larger one gets to the current, it'll take you for a walk. Best of all, it seems like they are always there and always ready to hit.

What kind of flies do you catch drum with? I've only ever caught them on accident while catfishing with night crawlers. I have an excellent spot to catch them on the licking in pendleton county and a new 8wt. I'm game.

I tie a wooly bugger type fly. Use a size 4 or 6 hook, weighted with lead wrap and a bead head so it'll get down fast. I only tie white and yellow and use estaz wrap. Essentially, it looks like a lead head jig.

At the falls I drop it where falling water hits flat water and let it drift a few feet then strip it in.

An 8 wt. will be good. I use a 7 and can't turn bigger ones when they hit the current. I get broke off/cut off a lot. The smaller ones come in pretty quick but the bigger ones are like tieing on to a car.

That whooly bugger on an elongated hook works well on the ohio ,flouresent oragne yellow hackle on bass,pink on stripers,and the white one almost anything.
Oddly a shrimp fly with a bend in it works nicely on the stripers.
I did however use an 8wgt,and lead core line.Below greenup and galipolis dams normally.
Dahlburg diver got me a huge musky below galipolis dam.
Always wanted to fish the falls just never made it.

Thanks guys. I think I may go try those patterns/techniques this weekend on the licking.:)

Good luck Deaddrift.

I used to fish the Greenup dam a lot. Haven't fished it in 30 years but it was always a great place.

Thanks for the fly info, I'll have to try one for the hybrids/stripes.