New Jersey state waters, out to 3 miles
NJ DEP 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Past 3 miles: federal waters Different rule
Harvest of red drum is prohibited in Atlantic federal waters (EEZ); state waters rules govern inshore.
NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked 2026-09-20
Often mistaken for
Black drumHas chin barbels, no tail spot. Tell them apartKeep 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
Black spot (sometimes several) at the tail base, coppery-bronze back, no chin barbels. More on the red drum page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for red drum in New Jersey?
18 to less than 27 in slot. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many red drum can you keep in New Jersey?
1.
When is red drum season in New Jersey?
Open year-round.
What is the New Jersey record red drum?
55 lb, Great Bay (1985).
How current is this New Jersey red 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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