# Black drum frustrations



## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

I've been able to get a few on the fly rod over the last few years but not with any consistency. Had 2 eats today (my GF was on the bow for both), the only reason I know they ate was because I watched it suck in the fly from the poling platform. The eats were so quick that she wasn't able to get the hook set. Anyone else notice that they take the fly really lightly? Or were these just difficult fish. Oh and here's the fly we were chucking.


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

I usually only catch them when they show up on a "redfish flat". They are harder than permit in some ways... imo. We target them for a certain tournament and it is by far the hardest fish of the seven. I have tried some crazy $hit to hook them. Some of it works...every once in a while. Crab imitations are the go to, with leeches/worms next. I caught one on a white snook fly once. Go figure. When you figure it out, PM me and I'll pay you to show me.


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

Haha thanks man, I'm sure some people have it down to a science but not me. I'll let you know if I end up figuring anything out worth mentioning.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Your fly is too big for regular sized drums. You need a shrimpy or crab patter half that size. Put it on their nose, strip VERY slow, like a permit strip. Just enough to barely keep it moving and the line tight. No fast strips. I have spots where they are stacked and they are a slump buster for me. That tactic has proved to work.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Different strokes for different folks. No way I would say that fly is too big. When I am targeting blacks I always use a big crab pattern. Now perhaps its about the size of the fish. Most of the drum I see are over 20# and many are over 30#. 

But coconutgroves advice on stripping is sound. Get it under their mouth and barely move it.


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

Thanks guys, tied up a smaller crab pattern as well. About to hook the boat up and go harass them for a few hours. I'll let y'all know how it goes.


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

They really won’t track a fly like a redfish will so putting it under their nose is key. If you’re finding that a strip set is pulling it out of their mouths, try more of a trout set being conscience of the direction the fish is pointed. Set the fly in to their mouth by lifting towards their tail.


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## Matts (Sep 2, 2015)

If you can, put the fly in front of them before they get close. Then wait for them to be almost on it and barely move it. Crabs or weighted crabby- spoons have worked for me. I like natural and small flies for them.


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

thanks guys, small green crab fly dropped right on their head did the trick. Really really slow strips until you feel a little pressure then a slow strip set did the trick. Had about 8 eats and landed 3 after i figured out how to set


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## Matts (Sep 2, 2015)

AZ_squid said:


> View attachment 152630
> thanks guys, small green crab fly dropped right on their head did the trick. Really really slow strips until you feel a little pressure then a slow strip set did the trick. Had about 8 eats and landed 3 after i figured out how to set


Awesome!


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

The ones I have caught you really have to feed them, close proximity and slow retrieve I don’t think the fly hardly matters.


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

Now that's a donkey! @Drifter we have a few of those around but finding them up shallow is a rarity.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, really helped to nail a piece of the puzzle together today.


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## not2shabby (Sep 14, 2016)

@coconutgroves nailed it. There are flats here in the summer that stack drum in the evenings. You can almost always catch a few on a quick wade, but you have to have the right fly and a long slow strip. I don’t stop the fly, just one long slow drag in front of their faces. When you feel tension, move the rod tip toward their tail as recommended by @Surffshr and strip tight.

my best & most memorable trips targeting drum have been on white or natural colored shrimp or very sparsely tied clousers. I’m not saying crabs won’t work, but I don’t throw them. I also hear a little spoon fly can get them to eat.

I find them much more challenging to catch from the skiff than on foot. In any wind, I don’t have the control to be able to pace the fly like I want to from the skiff. On foot, I think they’re pretty easy.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

I have had almost as much luck with watching the line and leader. When it starts to move then a little strip strike. Much like bass fisherman watch their line.


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## Matts (Sep 2, 2015)

I absolutely love chasing these down south in the summer when they are in schools by the thousands.


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## 35036 (Apr 26, 2020)

Drifter said:


> The ones I have caught you really have to feed them, close proximity and slow retrieve I don’t think the fly hardly matters.
> View attachment 152631
> View attachment 152631


The background of your photos looks like the area I grew up fishing....so does that drum lol


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

alan feeser said:


> The background of your photos looks like the area I grew up fishing....so does that drum lol


Where was that?


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

not2shabby said:


> @coconutgroves nailed it. There are flats here in the summer that stack drum in the evenings. You can almost always catch a few on a quick wade, but you have to have the right fly and a long slow strip. I don’t stop the fly, just one long slow drag in front of their faces. When you feel tension, move the rod tip toward their tail as recommended by @Surffshr and strip tight.
> 
> my best & most memorable trips targeting drum have been on white or natural colored shrimp or very sparsely tied clousers. I’m not saying crabs won’t work, but I don’t throw them. I also hear a little spoon fly can get them to eat.
> 
> I find them much more challenging to catch from the skiff than on foot. In any wind, I don’t have the control to be able to pace the fly like I want to from the skiff. On foot, I think they’re pretty easy.


I can definitely see how on foot it easier than from the skiff, you take a huge variable out of the cast.


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## 35036 (Apr 26, 2020)

AZ_squid said:


> Where was that?


I grew up fishing the west central Florida coast around Crystal river and Ozello….I saw the mangroves in the background and slightly stained water.


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

alan feeser said:


> The background of your photos looks like the area I grew up fishing....so does that drum lol


Its up by St. Joes. This one was in about a 10 mph side wind as a rolled over a oyster bar. I need to figure out how to stop double posting pictures.


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## 35036 (Apr 26, 2020)

Drifter said:


> Its up by St. Joes. This one was in about a 10 mph side wind as a rolled over a oyster bar. I need to figure out how to stop double posting pictures.


Gotcha, also a very cool place....lots of oysters though


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

alan feeser said:


> Gotcha, also a very cool place....lots of oysters though


Yeah it was crazy windy an I drove my ride into a oyster bar just to the west of the far west outlet goin full blast. First time I have done that. About half an hour after I caught that drum.


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## 35036 (Apr 26, 2020)

Drifter said:


> Yeah it was crazy windy an I drove my ride into a oyster bar just to the west of the far west outlet goin full blast. First time I have done that. About half an hour after I caught that drum.


Bummer brother...I owned a like-new Ranger Phantom 168 for the last couple years I was in Charleston with the military. The 6 foot tides they have there take some real know-how but after a couple tours with the coast guard there I knew the place pretty well and prided myself on being able to run that area without error in a perfect skiff that was rigged to the gills with accessories....august 30th of last summer had a full moon with an 8.1 foot tide that i decided to fish the flood tide on fly.... I did the same thing and found a single oyster hump that's usually a foot exposed, about 6 inches under the surface and I came to a sliding stop. I raised the engine mostly in time when I saw it coming but it dented my pride and humbled me lol.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

There should be a support group for those of us who target drum on fly. It's maddening. @paulrad knows what I'm talking about.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

For many years I was in the frustrated club with black drum on fly - but we finally found a way...








Lots of big black drum on the flats that are really, really tough to feed - but if late in summer you find big tarpon up in a river that drains into the coast you might want to look up under the mangroves that line that same river... Who knew?

The best part is that these big fish (some are a lot bigger....) are there every summer and willing to eat the same big, black flies the tarpon do... Like I said, who knew?


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

lemaymiami said:


> For many years I was in the frustrated club with black drum on fly - but we finally found a way...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've been throwing big purple tarpon toads at them lately. One day I'll get that eat.


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## NealXB2003 (Jun 8, 2020)

My frustration with black drums is that I accidentally hook one of the nasty bastard every now and then 🤮


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## KimmerIII (Feb 9, 2017)

They are usually very lethargic fish and won't move unless you almost run them over or line them across the back. The fly size really doesn't matter from my experience. They usually just sit there and look like an old car tire or crab trab debris in the water until you get close to them. The big ones you have to sit it right in front of their dang nose and go slow and half the time they still won't eat. The Mississippi state record my dad caught was 58 lbs and that thing almost got hit in the face before it would eat.


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## gchatani (Mar 21, 2014)

I’ve been throwing crabs at them. The fly has to sink down on a dinner plate. If they don’t see it sink down pick it up and hit them again. They will give you lots of shots. Once they react to the fly I just crawl it and watch for their maw to flare. They miss it often but I have connected with a ton of big uglies. These are Florida fish which in my experience are way tougher than LA drum. The Alphexo Crab was a game changer for me.


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## Capt.Ron (Mar 5, 2014)

@coconutgroves whats a black drum?


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

I kept my boat in a covered lift delacroix crab buyer shed. If i wanted to catch those drum anytime drop a shrimp r crab where they cull crabs n fish on!


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

While I'm extremely jealous of these nice fish. Is it my imagination or is geography is a huge variable? The TX and LA guys _seem_ to have fish that eat better. The upper FL gulf coast, maybe next happy. The fish we target are way south of those and we see them over grass, not shell/mud/sand/etc. Makes fly selection hard because the fly just sinks into the grass. The alphexo crab needs some of my time, but if it sinks too quickly, no bueno. 

Great info on this thread, thanks OP!


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

Agreed @mwolaver the alphlexo needs some of my attention also, pretty cool fly. This thread has been overwhelming with the responses and the help people have offered. With some awesome pics of big fish!


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

I've caught a number of big drum and in my experience, if they're cruising they won't eat. You generally need to find them feeding and even then you have absolutely got to wipe their nose with the fly. They will not deviate 6 inches from their path to eat a fly and even if you do manage to drop it into that tiny window they'll still ignore it sometimes. I once had one that had to be pushing 60# completely ignore a fly I put right on his nose 5 or 6 times, literally bump into the skiff, and even then he didn't spook he just sort of casually changed his path and kept on mudding along.

This one went 46# and is my personal best. @Capt.Ron will attest:


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

I know where to find them, and my old lady has no trouble getting them to eat jigs, but she won't pick up a long rod, and I can't make them eat a fly.


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## Capt.Ron (Mar 5, 2014)

I hooked a fiddy right in the stink hole this morning


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## Mike Geer (Nov 22, 2018)

In Texas we have had an explosion in the BD population. I always see commercial lines out, but there are a ton of them. If you want to target them, you can probably get 100+ shots a day, but you have to move/not move the fly properly. I need to see the fish the entire time and either cast right on their nose or swing/drag the fly slowing into their mouth.
i have even caught them on tarpon toads when presented correctly.

mike


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> I've caught a number of big drum and in my experience, if they're cruising they won't eat. You generally need to find them feeding and even then you have absolutely got to wipe their nose with the fly. They will not deviate 6 inches from their path to eat a fly and even if you do manage to drop it into that tiny window they'll still ignore it sometimes. I once had one that had to be pushing 60# completely ignore a fly I put right on his nose 5 or 6 times, literally bump into the skiff, and even then he didn't spook he just sort of casually changed his path and kept on mudding along.
> 
> This one went 46# and is my personal best. @Capt.Ron will attest:


He pretty much nailed it regarding big black drum. They use those barbels on the chin to feel for food, you've got to get the fly on the bottom directly in the path of their mouth, they won't move much out of their way to eat a fly, and they need to be actively feeding, they aren't nearly as opportunistic as redfish. I don't think they care much what a fly looks like, again they are feeling for food, just make sure it's got some lead. I do like to throw dark flies for them because they are usually stirring up mud, and if it does come down to needing them to see the fly, dark colors present a strong silhouette in murky water. Smaller drum, say 5-8 pounds, will aggressively chase a fly like a redfish, but the big donkeys are lazy. This past Friday I saw 2 beg redfish coming down a point, I made a perfect cast in front of them, made one strip of the fly, and a 21 inch black drum darted out and ate the fly, cock blocking me from the big reds...


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Put some ProCure on that fly!


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## skinnydip (Mar 27, 2016)

in Texas small black and/or pink spoon flies work as well as a crazy hot pink arctic fox over red clouser bucktail size 4 with black bead chain eyes that i call the tranny, when they are on the sand. Golf ball size eat zone right on their nose. better fleeing than from the side with leprechaun slow strips.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

DBStoots said:


> Put some ProCure on that fly!


We ran a test in FL back a couple of months ago. We actually tried that. Got zero eats doing that. The only eat we got was a crab pattern dang near cast into the fishes mouth.....lol


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

Haha, post a pic of the tranny fly!


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

I came back looking for a tranny fly pic...I ain’t gonna google that shit!


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## Capt.Ron (Mar 5, 2014)

SomaliPirate said:


> View attachment 153035
> View attachment 153036
> 
> I know where to find them, and my old lady has no trouble getting them to eat jigs, but she won't pick up a long rod, and I can't make them eat a fly.


throw heavy shit


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## Lee Singleton (Jul 3, 2018)

AZ_squid said:


> I've been able to get a few on the fly rod over the last few years but not with any consistency. Had 2 eats today (my GF was on the bow for both), the only reason I know they ate was because I watched it suck in the fly from the poling platform. The eats were so quick that she wasn't able to get the hook set. Anyone else notice that they take the fly really lightly? Or were these just difficult fish. Oh and here's the fly we were chucking.
> View attachment 152555










A 7wt helps getting it under there nose...


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## skinnydip (Mar 27, 2016)

sorry guys dont have pic of the tranny. recipe size 4 black bead chain eyes clouser style red bucktail with hot pink arctic fox on top, no flash. been off the grid for while.t


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Capt.Ron said:


> throw heavy shit


I've thrown rods, hats, drink cups, kicked the cooler, etc. Doesn't seem to help!


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## Capt.Ron (Mar 5, 2014)

more accurately


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

SomaliPirate said:


> I've thrown rods, hats, drink cups, kicked the cooler, etc. Doesn't seem to help!


They suck. LOL


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## AggieFlyGuy (Jun 12, 2018)

You just have to be patient with drum, at least here in South Texas. They do like smaller flies, however, and you have to literally strip the fly directly in front of their noses to elicit a grab. They are not difficult to feed down here and it is certainly not difficult to find them in numbers. I use small pink "puff" flies when targeting drum specifically.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

I got on a school of BD that covered at least 5 acres from top to bottom and could not get one fish to eat a fly, my wife foul hooked one on a jig. I threw just about every fly pattern I had at them, I feel your frustration!


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## AZ_squid (Mar 14, 2018)

Pretty cool seeing a ton of them isn't it. Even if it's frustrating as heck.


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## skinnydip (Mar 27, 2016)

maybe South Texas drum are not as smart as their eastern cousins?


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

Steve_Mevers said:


> I got on a school of BD that covered at least 5 acres from top to bottom and could not get one fish to eat a fly, my wife foul hooked one on a jig. I threw just about every fly pattern I had at them, I feel your frustration!
> View attachment 156405
> View attachment 156405


Steve, that school looks like it's cruising. One thing about big bleks, they aren't the opportunist that redfish are. Generally if big BD aren't actively feeding, you won't get the eat, whereas redfish tend to be greedy and will take advantage of an opportunity to eat.


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

Just here to add what a lot have already said. The small black drum act much like reds do. Once they get big, they get very lazy. A heavy fly pretty much under their nose gets me the most eats. Although they won't move much for a fly, they don't spook relatively easy either. They will give me more shots than any other fish and still eat. Sometimes it takes a few casts though to get it right in there so I guess that's a good thing. 

I have found that the few black drum that will chase a fly are the same ones that will fight more like a redfish. The lazy ones that won't move to eat a fly are the ones that fight like a wet towel. 

Don't get me started on the slimy, stinky ones.

Hey @redchaser , why don't you tell them about the towel you used to clean up the black drum slime but didn't wash as soon as you got home.....


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

kjnengr said:


> Just here to add what a lot have already said. The small black drum act much like reds do. Once they get big, they get very lazy. A heavy fly pretty much under their nose gets me the most eats. Although they won't move much for a fly, they don't spook relatively easy either. They will give me more shots than any other fish and still eat. Sometimes it takes a few casts though to get it right in there so I guess that's a good thing.
> 
> I have found that the few black drum that will chase a fly are the same ones that will fight more like a redfish. The lazy ones that won't move to eat a fly are the ones that fight like a wet towel.
> 
> ...


I let me brother use a towel to hold a pretty nasty black drum for a picture. When I got home I grabbed jackets and hats and stuff in a big armload and the towel was in there, I tossed all of it in a laundry hamper in my room and woke up in the middle of the night because the whole room stank of putrid canker ridden black drum. I still love them though, they can save a slow day and they are actually pretty predictable. Find a spot where they like to hang out and they are usually there consistently.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

redchaser said:


> Steve, that school looks like it's cruising. One thing about big bleks, they aren't the opportunist that redfish are. Generally if big BD aren't actively feeding, you won't get the eat, whereas redfish tend to be greedy and will take advantage of an opportunity to eat.


There had to be a million pounds of them as far as I could see, they were just milling around, I am guessing they were spawning.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

I've caught a few. I get the fly on the bottom and wait for them to be directly above it then give very very slight twitches. Its not consistent though. They eat oysters here in the marsh so maybe try whole oyster fly?


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

Steve_Mevers said:


> There had to be a million pounds of them as far as I could see, they were just milling around, I am guessing they were spawning.


Tough to eat when you're screwing


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## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

redchaser said:


> Tough to eat when you're screwing


says who?


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## Poontangler (Jul 13, 2017)

It’s weird, the only ones I have ever caught were fishing for other things, the last two larger ones were caught on basically black and purple ep baitfish flies, 3-4 inches on a tarpon hook, one was under a bridge casting to feeding tarpon, and the other casting to 4 ft snook in a foot of water, saw something smaller come up behind a snook, thinking just a smaller snook, and it smashed it, turned out to be a black turd! I don’t see many where I’m at, but we do get those big 500 fish schools in the deep flats, that everybody and their mom hits, and you just throw a bigger chartreuse Clouser type thing and that usually works if your one of the first ones on them.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

AZ_squid said:


> Pretty cool seeing a ton of them isn't it. Even if it's frustrating as heck.


very cool,


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## plisser (Sep 8, 2020)

25lber on a black and purple clouser.


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