what is the best saltwater lure for catching drum. area is on the intercostal has a lot of mangroves near the shoreline.(wonder if fish hang out among the branches? tidal spots have Strong swilling currents that take your line out to sea, without even casting or trolling. wonder if that a good idea to fish there. the coach

If you are fishing amongst the mangrove branches in the Gulf I am going to assume you are talking about Red Drum, also referred to commonly as Redfish. The best lure for catching this species in the jig. But not just any jig, you want a specialized jig for fishing for Red Drum. It should be a rather large jog, certainly much larger that you would use for Crappie or Largemouth bass. I prefer bright colors such as orange or chartreuse. It should also be a weight forward jig. When you retrieve the jig the head of the jig should hit the bottom first. When the head of the jig is resting on the bottom you want the body of the jig to be positioned vertically in the water. You definitely want to cast your offering right into the mangrove branches as the fish often lie in ambush directly underneath the branches. You will also want to employ a very slow retrieve. It is often best to use your rod tip to lift the jig from its position and allow it to settle back to the bottom. While you do this keep a close attention to your line for indication of a pickup. When a fish does pick up your lure it is imperative that you move it away from the mangroves quickly. Once a Redfish takes your bait deep into the branches your chance of catching it is reduced greatly. Once horsed away from the obstructions the fish can be fought and landed but not without a great fish from this very worth sport species.