Delaware state waters, out to 3 miles
DE DNREC 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Red drumNo barbels, has the tail spot. Tell them apart
SheepsheadBlack bars but sheepshead has human-like teeth. Tell them apartNot listed by Delaware: the default applies (No size limit, no daily limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
Delaware state record
DNREC Delaware Fishing Records · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Chin barbels, high arched back, gray-black bars on juveniles that fade with age. More on the black drum page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Black drum in other states12 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for black drum in Delaware?
16 in min. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many black drum can you keep in Delaware?
3 per day.
When is black drum season in Delaware?
Open year-round.
What is the Delaware record black drum?
115 lb (1978).
How current is this Delaware black drum rule?
Source: DE DNREC 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
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