New Jersey state waters, out to 3 miles
NJ DEP 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 New Jersey: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
New Jersey state record
NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife State Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-09-04
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 New Jersey?
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 New Jersey?
3.
When is black drum season in New Jersey?
Open year-round.
What is the New Jersey record black drum?
109 lb, Delaware Bay (2008).
How current is this New Jersey black drum rule?
Source: NJ DEP 2026, last checked Sep 7, 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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