Red Drum Fishing Guide

The red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) is the iconic inshore game fish of the US Gulf and South Atlantic coasts, celebrated for powerful runs on light tackle and distinctive large black spots at the base of the tail. Adults are reddish-bronze to copper colored with one or more (occasionally many) black 'eyespot' ocelli on the tail — the function of which is likely to confuse predators about which end of the fish is the head. Red drum are anadromous in reverse — juveniles live in tidal estuaries and nearshore reefs, while large adults (called 'bull reds') move offshore to spawn in the fall. The 'redfish' craze of the 1980s, following Paul Prudhomme's 'blackened redfish' phenomenon, nearly wiped out Gulf populations before strict regulations restored them. Texas has one of the most carefully managed and productive red drum fisheries in the world.

Red Drum is a saltwater species.

Habitat

Tidal estuaries, grass flats, marshes, and nearshore reefs from Virginia to northern Mexico; most abundant from North Carolina through Texas. Juvenile and sub-adult fish ('slot reds') inhabit shallow grass flats, oyster reefs, and marsh edges; large bull reds move to nearshore Gulf structure and offshore rips in fall for spawning.

Diet

Crabs, shrimp, and small fish over shallow grass flats and oyster reefs; large adults primarily eat mullet, menhaden, and other large baitfish. Tailing red drum feeding in very shallow water — visible as the fish root through the grass with their backs out of the water — are one of the most exciting sights in coastal fishing.

Fishing Techniques

Best Seasons

Fall, Spring

Size & Records

Average weight: 10 lbs. World record: 94.2 lbs (Avon, North Carolina, USA (1984)).