Mike Carter holds a drum he caught and released on Hatteras Island. April and May are prime months for catching a trophy red drum in the Outer Banks surf. Joe Malat photo

Most fishermen must pay their dues to catch a trophy fish of any species, and this is especially true when a giant red drum is the target. I know more than one angler who put a fifty-pound drum on the beach on their first try, but this is rare. Even if you fish the proven locations at peak times the odds are not good for success on a big fish.

Drum frequently get in a feeding mode when the surf is heavy, the wind is howling and the currents are running strong. These conditions are tough on anglers and dictate the need for tackle with enough brawn to do the job.

Revolving spool reels, filled with 275 yards of 20 to 25-pound test monofilament line, are standard among the pros. A "shock line" of 40 to 50 pound mono, secured to the main line with an Albright Hitch or similar knot will absorb the strain and sudden shock of casting. This shock line should run for the length of the rod, plus a few turns around the reel.

Drum fishing rods are designed for casting. They run from 10 to 12 feet in length, and can easily cast from 6 to 10 ounces of lead, plus terminal tackle and bait. The total weight of your payload could easily weigh ten ounces.

Most big drum are taken on fresh mullet and menhaden. Fresh is the key word. A fresh bait will put out more scent and oil than a frozen one. Drum frequently feed when the water is rough dirty and at night, so they are typically feeding by smell.

With smaller baitfish, you can use the head and tail halves. Larger mullet should be filleted, and the fillets cut into chunks or pieces suitable to the size of your hooks. Cut menhaden into steaks and run your hook through the chunk.

In the spring, hard crabs are shedding their shells and are a primary food source for drum. If they are available, try to put a few hard crabs, either fresh or frozen, in the bait box. Prepare a crab for bait by breaking off the top shell, cut the crab in half, or quarters. Hook the crab thorough a leg socket, and secure it to your hook with a rubber band.

Don't worry about the size of your bait. A fish that has a mouth large enough to inhale a grapefruit can gobble up a crab in short order. The problem with crustaceans is they do not cast well.

A fishfinder rig is the most popular rig for big drum and allows the fish to pick up the bait and move away with it without feeling the drag of a heavy sinker. But you won't see many locals using the standard fish finder that's made up of a small plastic sinker slide and metal connecting link. The force of a powerful cast can open the link or break the light plastic.

Rig like the pros and run your line through a 2/0 barrel swivel, clipped to McMahon snap and you will have a fishfinder that's virtually indestructible. An 8-inch mono leader completes this set up.

Drum do not have sharp teeth. Use a heavy mono leader in the 80 to 100 pound test range, and a Mustad beak style hook, #92553, filed to a needle sharp point.

Time of day and stage of the tide can affect the feeding habits of drum, just as those factors can influence any fish. A best-case scenario for a springtime drum bite on Hatteras Island is a rising tide in the evening, combined with a warm and blustery southerly wind.

A trophy drum can come from anywhere in the Outer Banks surf, but the spring consistently produces fish at the same locations every year. Cape Point at Buxton is "drum central," and the scene of epic catches. But the fishing pressure can be intense. Anglers can be stacked three deep, and tangled lines are a way of life. If that type of combat fishing appeals to you, go for it.

Since beach conditions and configurations can change dramatically from season to season, a visit or a phone call to one of the Hatteras or Ocracoke tackle shops may save the day.

For a lead on accommodations, contact the Outer Banks Visitor's Bureau or 1-877-OBX-4FUN (629-4386) and ask for a copy of the Outer Banks Travel Guide.