Species
Black Drum
Pogonias cromis · family Sciaenidae
Live · updated
The red drum’s heavier, bottom-grubbing cousin — a deep-bodied sciaenid that roots crabs and shellfish off mud and oyster bottom across the Gulf and South Atlantic. "Puppy drum" in the slot are excellent eating; the giant bull black drum that mass to spawn around passes and jetties in late winter and spring can top 80 lb. A staple of Louisiana and Texas inshore fishing alongside redfish and speckled trout.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 55–85°F (ideal 72°F)
- Tide
- incoming
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 2–40 ft
- Active months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Best black drum conditions today
Mosquito Lagoon (Titusville)
Boca Grande (Charlotte Harbor)
East Beach (Galveston)
Galveston Seawall
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Surfside Beach (TX)
South Padre Island Beach
Pirates Beach
Sea Rim State Park
Sebastian Inlet
Matagorda Beach
Tampa Bay
Padre Island National Seashore
Mobile Bay
Galveston Bay
Bay St. Louis Beach
Everglades (Flamingo)
Mustang Island State Park
Port Aransas Beach
Calcasieu Lake (Big Lake)
Port Aransas (Mustang Island)
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Orange Beach
Boca Chica Beach
Lake Pontchartrain (Fontainebleau)
Venice (Plaquemines)
Grand Isle State Park
Delacroix (St. Bernard)
Cocodrie / Dularge (Terrebonne)
Biloxi Beach
Gulfport Beach
Pass Christian Beach
Dauphin Island Public Beach
No locations match that filter.
What anglers are reporting about black drum
From the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report, published May 27, 2026.
Lower Bay
Deeper waters along channel edges are being targeted by anglers jigging with soft plastic jigs or by trolling with umbrella rigs down along the 30-foot edges. It is a good idea to place a few Drone spoons behind inline weights for the bluefish that are in the region. The steep channel edge of the Potomac from St. Georges Island to Piney Point, the lower Patuxent and the eastern side of the bay from Buoy 76 to Buoy 72 are worth exploring. Red and black drum are being found on the eastern side of the Bay from the Middle Grounds up past the Target Ship and Tangier Sound. Finding them on depth finders and dropping soft crab baits to them is the most popular way to fish.
Species mentioned: black drum, bluefish
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
Surf anglers are enjoying good fishing off the beaches of Ocean City and Assateague Island. Anglers fishing with large cut baits are catching large striped bass, red drum and bluefish. Most of the striped bass measure over the maximum slot size of 31 inches, but provide exciting catch-and-release action, as do the large red drum. Black drum are being caught on sand fleas and clams. At the Ocean City Inlet and Route 50 Bridge area, anglers are catching striped bass by casting soft plastic jigs and paddletails . A fair number of the striped bass being caught are falling within the 28-31 inch slot.
Species mentioned: black drum, bluefish, red drum, striped bass
Excerpts are anecdotal and reflect a single week's observations from DNR biologists and reporting anglers — not predictions. Use as one signal among many; verify against current conditions before planning a trip.
Regulations by jurisdiction
LA
gulf
- Min size
- 16"
- Max size
- 27"
- Creel
- 5
Louisiana: 16–27" slot, 5/person/day; no more than one over 27".
Source · verified 2026-06-03
TX
gulf
- Min size
- 14"
- Max size
- 30"
- Creel
- 5
Texas: 14–30" slot, 5/person/day; one over 52" allowed and counts toward the bag.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
MS
gulf
- Creel
- no daily limit
Mississippi: no size or bag limit on black drum.
Source · verified 2026-06-03