Species
Red Drum
Sciaenops ocellatus · family Sciaenidae
Live · updated
Also called channel bass, redfish, or (as juveniles) puppy drum. Summer and fall target around the lower Bay shoals and the Eastern Shore coastal bays. Big "bull reds" cruise the surf in fall.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 65–85°F (ideal 75°F)
- Tide
- incoming
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 3–20 ft
- Active months
- Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
Best red drum conditions today
Indian River Inlet
Fenwick Island — Surf Fishing
Delaware Seashore State Park
Fenwick Island State Park
Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty
Assateague State Park
Assawoman State Wildlife Area
South Padre Island Beach
Assateague Island — MD Surf
Assateague Island National Seashore
Cape Henlopen State Park
Slaughter Beach
Public Landing Beach
Padre Island National Seashore
Boca Chica Beach
Naples Beach
Marco Island Beach
Bay St. Louis Beach
Everglades (Flamingo)
Haulover Beach Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Clearwater Beach
Deal Island Wildlife Management Area
Roaring Point Waterfront Park
Tyaskin Wharf
Cove Road Beach
Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access
Elms Beach Park
New Smyrna Beach
Venice (Plaquemines)
St. Simons Island Beach
Sanibel Island Beach
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Boca Grande (Charlotte Harbor)
St. Pete Beach
Solomons Island Fishing Pier
Wrightsville Beach
Carolina Beach
Kure Beach
Surf City Beach
North Topsail Beach
Holden Beach
Oak Island Beach
Atlantic Beach (NC)
Emerald Isle Beach
Indian Beach
Pawleys Island
Nags Head Beach
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Ocracoke Beach
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach
Garden City Beach
Surfside Beach (SC)
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Deerfield Beach
Pompano Beach
Pensacola Beach
Port Aransas Beach
Port Aransas (Mustang Island)
Sebastian Inlet
Tampa Bay
Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach
Belle Isle State Park
Smith Point Beach
Mustang Island State Park
Matagorda Beach
Biloxi Beach
Gulfport Beach
Pass Christian Beach
Delacroix (St. Bernard)
Cocodrie / Dularge (Terrebonne)
Grand Isle State Park
Lake Worth Beach
Ocean View Beach
Hilton Pier Park
Anderson Park
Point Lookout State Park
Sandbridge Beach
False Cape State Park
Cocoa Beach
Cape Canaveral Beach
Mosquito Lagoon (Titusville)
First Landing State Park
Buckroe Beach
Mexico Beach
Mobile Bay
St. Augustine Beach
Navarre Beach
Panama City Beach
East Beach (Galveston)
Galveston Seawall
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Surfside Beach (TX)
Pirates Beach
Sea Rim State Park
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Orange Beach
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Calcasieu Lake (Big Lake)
Lake Pontchartrain (Fontainebleau)
Galveston Bay
Jacksonville Beach
Hilton Head Island
St. George Island
Daytona Beach
Folly Beach
Destin Beach
Tybee Island Beach
Charleston Harbor
No locations match that filter.
What anglers are reporting about red drum
From the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report, published May 27, 2026 · 46 days old — a newer report may be available.
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
Maryland (tidal)
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
tidal bay
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 27"
- Creel
- 1
Chesapeake Bay: 18–27 inch slot, 1 per day. All fish outside the slot must be released. ASMFC red drum addendum — re-verify annually.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 27"
- Creel
- 1
Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 18–27 inch slot, 1 per day. Release all fish outside the slot.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Delaware (tidal)
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
tidal delaware
- Min size
- 20"
- Max size
- 27"
- Creel
- 5
Delaware Bay and tidal tributaries: 20–27 inch slot, 5 per day. Noticeably looser than MD (18–27 in slot, 1/day) — DE allows a higher creel and a narrower (higher) minimum size. Release all fish outside the slot.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 20"
- Max size
- 27"
- Creel
- 5
Delaware Atlantic coast and Inland Bays: 20–27 inch slot, 5 per day. All fish outside the slot must be released.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Virginia (tidal — VMRC)
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
tidal bay
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 26"
- Creel
- 3
Virginia tidal waters (lower Chesapeake Bay, including the Eastern Shore seaside creeks): 18–26 inch slot, 3 per day. 4VAC20-1400. Note the slot is TIGHTER than MD (18–27 in) by one inch on the top end, but the creel is higher (3 vs. MD's 1). Fish outside the slot must be released.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 26"
- Creel
- 3
Virginia Atlantic coast: 18–26 inch slot, 3 per day. Same rule as tidal Bay. All fish outside the slot must be released. Popular fall surf fishery along the Eastern Shore seaside and Virginia Beach.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
NC
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 27"
- Creel
- 1
18–27" slot, 1 fish/day. Anything over 27" must be released.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
SC
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 15"
- Max size
- 23"
- Creel
- 2
15–23" slot, 2/person/day (max 6 per boat).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
FL
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 27"
- Creel
- 1
18–27" slot, 1/person/day (vessel limits vary by region; catch-and-release only in the Indian River Lagoon). Harvest prohibited in federal waters.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 27"
- Creel
- 1
18–27" slot, 1/person/day (vessel limits vary by region; catch-and-release only in the Indian River Lagoon). Harvest prohibited in federal waters.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
TX
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 20"
- Max size
- 28"
- Creel
- 3
20–28" slot, 3/person/day. One oversized red drum over 28" per license year with a Red Drum Tag.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AL
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 16"
- Max size
- 26"
- Creel
- 3
16–26" slot, 3/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
MS
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 30"
- Creel
- 3
18–30" slot, 3/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
LA
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 16"
- Creel
- 5
16" minimum, 5/person/day; no more than one over 27".
Source · verified 2026-05-29
GA
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 14"
- Max size
- 23"
- Creel
- 5
14–23" slot, 5/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29