Red Drum
Sciaenops ocellatus
Also called Redfish, Puppy drum, Channel bass, Spottail bass.
How to tell it
Black spot (sometimes several) at the tail base, coppery-bronze back, no chin barbels.
Often mistaken for
One fish that gets called red drum, and what gives it away.
- Black drum: Has chin barbels, no tail spot. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16-26 in total length slot | 3 per person, slot only | Open year-roundAL MRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Connecticut | 27" maximum | 1 per angler | Open year-roundCT DEEP 2026 · checked | Open |
| Delaware | 20-27 in slot | 5 per day | Open year-roundDE DNREC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 18–27 in slot | 1 per person · Indian River Lagoon: release only | Open all year · Indian River Lagoon: release onlyFWC 2026 · checked | Check |
| Florida (Gulf) | 18-27 in slot | 1 per person; vessel limit 2 (Tampa Bay through Southeast) or 4 (Panhandle, Big Bend, Northeast) | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Georgia | 14–23 in slot (15–24 in from Jan 1, 2027) | 5 per person (3 from Jan 1, 2027) | Open year-roundGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Louisiana | slot 18–27 in total length | 4 per person; none over 27 in | Open year-roundLDWF 2026 · checked | Open |
| Maryland | 18-26 in TL slot | 3 | Open year-roundMD DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Mississippi | 18–30 in total length slot | 3 per person per day | Open year-roundMS DMR 2026 · checked | Open |
| New Jersey | 18 to less than 27 in slot | 1 | Open year-roundNJ DEP 2026 · checked | Open |
| New York | No minimum; max 27" | No limit under 27" | Open year-roundNY DEC 2026 · checked | Open |
| North Carolina | 18–27" TL slot | 1 per person per day | Year-roundNC DMF 2026 · checked | Open |
| South Carolina | slot 18–25 in total length | 1/day, max 2/boat | Open year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Texas | slot 20–28 in total length | 3 | Open year-roundTPWD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Virginia | 18-26 in slot | 3 per person | Open year-roundVMRC 2026 · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 45 lb 9 oz | 2013 | Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Delaware | 75 lb | 1976 | DNREC Delaware Fishing Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Florida | 52.31 lb | 1996 · Cocoa | FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Georgia | 46 lb 7 oz | 1986 | GA DNR CRD Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Louisiana | 61 lb | 1992 | LOWA Louisiana State Fish Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Maryland | 74.4 lb | 1977 · Tangier Sound | MD DNR Sport Fish State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Mississippi | 52 lb 2.4 oz | 2016 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| New Jersey | 55 lb | 1985 · Great Bay | NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife State Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-09-04 |
| North Carolina | 94 lb 2 oz | 1984 · Hatteras Island | NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22 |
| South Carolina | 75 lb | 1965 · Murrells Inlet | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 59.5 lb | 2000 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Virginia | 85 lb 4 oz | 1981 · Wreck Island | VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04 |
How anglers catch it
A gold spoon or a soft plastic on the grass flats, cut mullet on the bottom in the surf, and a fly to tailing fish.
On the table
Very good inside the slot; big over-slot drum are coarse.
In the app
Point the camera at a red drum and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about red drum
What is the size limit for red drum?
It depends on the state. Alabama: 16-26 in total length slot; Connecticut: 27" maximum; Delaware: 20-27 in slot; Florida (Atlantic): 18–27 in slot; Florida (Gulf): 18-27 in slot; Georgia: 14–23 in slot (15–24 in from Jan 1, 2027); Louisiana: slot 18–27 in total length; Maryland: 18-26 in TL slot; and more in the table above.
How many red drum can you keep?
Alabama: 3 per person, slot only; Connecticut: 1 per angler; Delaware: 5 per day; Florida (Atlantic): 1 per person · Indian River Lagoon: release only; Florida (Gulf): 1 per person; vessel limit 2 (Tampa Bay through Southeast) or 4 (Panhandle, Big Bend, Northeast); Georgia: 5 per person (3 from Jan 1, 2027); Louisiana: 4 per person; none over 27 in; Maryland: 3; and more in the table above.
How do you tell red drum from black drum?
Red Drum: Black spot (sometimes several) at the tail base, coppery-bronze back, no chin barbels. Black drum: has chin barbels, no tail spot.
How do you catch red drum?
A gold spoon or a soft plastic on the grass flats, cut mullet on the bottom in the surf, and a fly to tailing fish. Methods: casting, bottom, sight, live bait, fly. Baits: mullet, shrimp, menhaden, crab, cut bait. Lures: soft plastic, spoon, popper, bucktail, fly.
What is the record red drum?
94 lb 2 oz in North Carolina (1984), Hatteras Island. Other states’ records are in the table.