Fishing is a great tool for connecting with nature, learning new things, and improving your physical and mental health. And of course, there are plenty of other benefits beyond those. If you’re an avid angler, you already know this and have a great passion for your hobby.
But if you’re new to the fishing world, I welcome you with open arms and aim to educate you about the fun of fishing. And today, I’m here to introduce you to one specific thing to try: Black Drum fishing.
A great species to target whether you’re an experienced or beginner angler, Black Drum is ever-popular. This species ranges in size, so it can be easy for new anglers to start with. But when they grow quite large, they test even the most experienced anglers.
And, as you can also harvest them, they provide a hearty meal at the dinner table after a fun fight. What more could you want from a fish? As we continue, I’ll be sure to give you all the information you need about this species and all the details that go into catching one. Let’s get started!
First Things First! Black Drum Fishing Regulations
Before you begin your Black Drum fishing journey, it is crucial to be educated on the rules and regulations when attempting to catch these guys.
You can find Black Drum in numerous states across the US, ranging from the northeastern coastal region down to South Florida, and up the coast again along the Gulf of Mexico side. You can also find them in other countries in the Atlantic.
With that being said, each region will have its own Black Drum community and their rules will differ from each other. Be sure to check with the conservation for the state you are fishing in. As I live In Florida, I’ll use my state as an example.
In Florida, Black Drum season is open year-round and each angler is allowed a daily bag limit of 5. The fish needs to be between 14 and 24 inches, and you’re allowed one Black Drum over 24 inches.
In addition to knowing the harvesting regulations for Black Drum, you’ll also need to secure a license to fish, as most regions require one. Black Drum are a saltwater species. Therefore, you’ll need a saltwater fishing license to catch or harvest them.
Interesting Facts about Black Drum
Before we dive into the how part, I’ll introduce you to some characteristics of these popular fish. While I already mentioned that they can range in size, here are a few other cool facts:
- They literally drum! Black Drum actually do “drum.” Not physically but they make a sound that resembles a drum when trying to attract mates or warn predators. Waterfront Florida residents that have heavy populations of Black Drums report hearing them drum during spawning season, even from inside their homes!
- They commonly have parasites. Yuck, I know. But Black Drum are commonly infested with parasites, especially Spaghetti Worms. However, there are a lot of fish that have parasites too, so don’t look at Black Drum any differently. Just be sure to do a thorough scan of your fillets if you harvest some.
- They lay millions of eggs. During spawning season, Black Drum can lay millions of eggs throughout the entire season. They can even reach upwards of 60 million eggs in total!
- Strong odors help to attract them. This may be more of a tip than a fact, but it’s beneficial to know. Black Drum have a very keen sense of smell, and their nose leads them to anything that smells yummy. Try throwing out some chum or slicing up your bait to produce a stronger odor, and make sure your cut bait is fresh. Bonus points if it’s dripping any blood or guts! Even though it sounds gross, it’ll be a great aid in getting a nice-sized Black Drum to bite.
Best Times to Go Fishing for Black Drum
So now onto the good stuff. While you can catch Black Drum anytime of the year, the early spring months are the most anticipated season. Why? Well, this is when Black Drum spawn. Plan your fishing trips around the early morning bite. During the quiet, lowlight hours, these fish are most active. Fishing for Black Drum is also productive during the night, but it requires patience and plenty of mosquito-repellant!
In addition, fishing for Black Drum around a high outgoing tide will up your chances. During outgoing tides, tasty bait fish will be flushed out into deeper waters. A lot of prey species that Black Drum are favorable of, including crustaceans, will pass by these predators that are ready to lunge.
Where to Go Black Drum Fishing
Black Drum swim in both shallow and deep waters. They like areas that have a lot of structure and rocky bottoms. When fishing on land or inshore waters, look around jetties, piers, docks, and bridges.
If you’re on a boat or a small craft, head to the inshore hotspots, such as oyster beds, flats, mangrove islands, and any rocky areas. In deeper waters, look around any structure such as pilings, markers, or wrecks.
Black Drum Fishing Gear
As mentioned previously, Black Drum range in size, but how big they get depends on the region they’re in. In Southwest Florida for example, they usually aren’t too big, and you can use light or medium-action setups. But up the Atlantic Coast – from South Carolina to the Delware Bay and beyond – they can reach over 100 pounds!
Here’s a breakdown of two types of spinning setups for different Black Drum:
Smaller Drums
- Light–medium rod
- 3000+ spinning reel
- 15 lb braid
- 20 lb+ fluorocarbon leader
- 2/0+ circle hooks
Larger Drums
- Medium–heavy rod
- 4000+ spinning reel
- 20+ lb braid
- 40+ lb fluorocarbon leader
- 4/0+ circle hooks
If you’re in an area that has a lot of rough structure, it’s beneficial to go higher on your leader. The higher you go, the better it will hold up against any structure that the line rubs against. This will help prevent your line from fraying down and eventually breaking.
Black Drum Bait
Black Drum are bottom feeders, so whichever bait you use, it will need to sit at the bottom. These guys will eat live, dead, cut bait, and artificials, so you have quite a few options to work with.
The best live bait for Black Drum are crab, shrimp, sand fleas, clams, mullet, ladyfish, and other similar bait fish. When fishing with these baits, you’ll need to add sinkers to the line to get them to reach the bottom. You can get most of these baits at local bait shops, or you can try finding some on your own. Looking around the shoreline on beaches or islands is a good start.
You can use the above-mentioned as cut bait as well. If they’re smaller, you can use the whole bait if dead. It’s best to have them freshly cut or dead, but frozen bait in bait shops or grocery stores work too.
For artificials, using jig heads with soft plastics is a very popular option for Black Drum. In fact, one of the most popular artificial baits for Black Drum is the Gulp! shrimp. This lure looks very realistic to a real shrimp, with the same body shape and little legs. It also has similar colors and even glitters for further attraction. These lures sit in a smelly liquid that produces a strong odor to further grab the attention of nearby fish.
In addition to jig heads and soft plastics, jigs, jerk baits, and topwater lures (when in shallow water) are also efficient for Black Drum fishing.
How to Fish for Black Drum
You now know the regulations, when and where to go fishing for Black Drum, the suggested gear, and the best bait. In this section, you’ll get to learn about the techniques and tips for actually getting one to bite. Once you have the above sections understood, you won’t have to do too much more to get your dream fish. The rest is simple!
The best method whether you’re on land or on a boat is to cast your bait along any structure and let your line out until you feel it reach the bottom. Once it reaches the bottom, remove any slack and keep your rod tip up and ready. Once you feel a thump, let the fish take it for a couple of seconds before you reel in to ensure the hook is set.
After that, you’ll need to strategically fight the fish to ensure it doesn’t rub too hard against any structure or create too much tension on the line. When the fish isn’t pulling your drag, reel it in as quickly as you can and try to pull it away from the structure.
For anglers with boats, you can use your fish finder when driving over structures to see what pops up. Slowly troll around the area to see where you should throw your bait. Fish finders also allow you to see what depth the mark is at, so you have a good idea of how far to drop your bait.
If you don’t have access to a boat or you prefer to have someone guide you through the process, the best choice is to book a fishing charter. Experienced guides will take you out, provide gear and bait (and a license in some cases), and will walk you through the process.
The Key to Success: Knowing How to Fish for Black Drum
I hope you’ve learned some cool facts or tips on fishing for Black Drum, even if you’re an experienced angler! Knowing how to fish for Black Drum is the key to your success at catching one. Hopefully, you’re already planning your next fishing trip for Black Drum, whether that consists of walking out to the canal in your backyard or looking at flights and stays at a tropical oasis!
If you’d like to read about other underwater residents, visit our Fish Species: The Ultimate Guide blog post.
If you have any cool facts or fishing stories about Black Drum that you want to share, leave them in the comment section below!
