Top 10 Tips for Black Drum Fishing

Black drum are some of the most exciting fish to target on the Atlantic coast. They are the largest drum species commonly found on the Gulf Coast, Florida, Texas, all the way to the Carolinas. 

They can live for quite a long time, with many living up to 35 years old and reaching a weight of 100 pounds or more. The biggest black drum ever caught weighed a whopping 146 pounds. They can run big and put up a fight, making them a favorite among anglers who like a good challenge.

Fishing on the Atlantic coast soon? Make sure to include the black drum in your bucket list and other inshore fishing favorites like redfish or red drum, speckled trout, and snook. Here are a few tried and tested tips for a productive black drum fishing experience:

1. Find Black Drum in the Inlets and Passes

Black drum are brackish water species that naturally gravitate towards passes and inlets connecting the ocean to the inshore. They also like the moving tide, following the flow movement that holds forage. Fishing in moving waves in the inlets can be quite dangerous, though, so the ideal time to target black drum in these spots is before and after the tidal flow when there’s still movement but not quite as volatile. 

2. Look for Oysters and Mussels

Black drum like to feed on crunchy hard-shell creatures, so the easiest method to spot them for the angler is by looking for their forage of choice. Go where the oysters and mussels are. That means not just oyster bars and mud flats but also docks, piers, jetties, and bridges where pilings abound and attract crunchy marine life.

3. Head to Rivers Mouths and Surfs

River mouths and surfs are prime hot spots for black drum fishing, so don’t neglect them. Rivers emptying into bays will usually hold schools of black drum, especially where there’s structure. 

Targeting big black drum? You’ll find them mostly in the surfs in the breaking waves. Make sure to use some heavy-duty surf fishing tackle and use crabs as bait, rigged with enough weight to stay at the bottom.

4. Use Smelly Bait

Black drum are known for their sense of smell. They have four nostrils which means they can spot and follow food for miles and miles. Therefore, the most effective way to lure them in is by using smelly bait. Natural live bait is the best choice — oysters, mussels, blue crab, and shrimp. They can also go for minnows if these are common in your fishing area. Live bait too expensive? If you’re using frozen shrimp, remove the head to let its scent out. With black drum, the smellier, the better.

Using artificial lure? Fishing for black drum with artificials can be quite a challenge, but it can be done. To make your bait attractive, don’t forget to scent it.

5. Use a 1/8 ounce Jig Head in Shallow Water

Sight fishing for big black drum is a favorite among anglers. If you’re targeting these big uglies in waters less than 4 feet deep, the best rig to employ is a 1/8 ounce jig head with a live shrimp bait. 

6. Use Tiny Circle Hooks to Catch Black Drum

Black drum can be huge, but they have tiny and soft mouths, so targeting them with small hooks is best. You can target a 50-pounder with a #2—no need for thick hooks. Black drum do put up a fight, but they’re not strong especially considering their usual weight. Many anglers recommend using a 4/0 or 5/0 circle hook when using half a blue crab as bait and a 2/0 circle hook with smaller bait like live shrimp or clams. Circle hooks come highly recommended because they’re the ideal hook to use if you want to practice safe catch-and-release, especially for the giant black drum that doesn’t make good table fare.

7. Target Black Drum in February and March

Black drum are available all year round, so you won’t have trouble finding them no matter what time of year you fish. However, they are especially active during their annual spawning season around spring. This is when schools of them head inshore to brackish water spots. Take note that this can vary for every region. 

8. Catch Small Black Drum for Tasty Table Fare

Black drum can grow to be huge, but that doesn’t mean good table fare. The flesh of big and old black drum can get tricky because their muscles become quite heavy. Aside from that, the older black drum can be full of parasites, making them unsafe for consumption. Therefore, the best black drum table fare would be those in the 14- to 15-pound range. They can be challenging to clean because their scales are tough to remove.

9. Keep Your Bait Still and On the Bottom

Black drum are bottom eaters, so anglers need to keep their bait at the bottom or suspended a few inches from the bottom to make sure they are hooked.

10. Go Fishing at Night

Black drum like to feed at night since they don’t need their eyes to hunt for food, what with their keen sense of smell. So the best time to target them is at night. You can start in the late afternoon. Night fishing at surfs, lighted bridges, and docks are the most productive.