Black drumin North Carolina
Pogonias cromis
Also called Drum.
The rule in North Carolina
North Carolina’s own rule for black drum in state waters, out to 3 nautical miles.
One black drum over 25" TL allowed per person per day.
Measured as total length (TL): snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.
NC DMF 2026· checked Open
Often mistaken for, and their North Carolina rules
Keep the wrong fish and the rule that applies is the other one’s.
| Fish | Size | Bag | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black drumThis page. | 14–25" TL slot | 10 per person per day | Year-round |
| Red drumNo barbels, has the tail spot.Tell them apart | 18–27" TL slot | 1 per person per day | Year-round |
| SheepsheadBlack bars but sheepshead has human-like teeth.Tell them apart | 14" TL min | 5/day | Open year-round |
North Carolina state record
100 lb 1 oz, Cape Fear River, 1998. NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22
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 states
In the app
Point the camera at a black drum in North Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appBlack drum in North Carolina: the questions
What is the size limit for black drum in North Carolina?
14–25" TL slot. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.
How many black drum can you keep in North Carolina?
10 per person per day.
When is black drum season in North Carolina?
Year-round.
What is the North Carolina record black drum?
100 lb 1 oz, Cape Fear River (1998).
How current is this North Carolina black drum rule?
Source: NC DMF 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.