Red drum
Sciaenops ocellatas
(A.K.A. Redfish, Channel Bass)

Key Distinguishing Markings:

• General coloration is iridescent silvery-gray overall, with a coppery cast that is usually darker on the back and upper sides.
• One (or more) black ocellar spots on the upper sides near the base of the tail.
• Chin without barbells.
• Inferior horizontal mouth.
• Body elongate and robust.
• Dorsal fin continuous but deeply notched, with 10 spines in the anterior portion and with 1 spine and 23-25 soft rays in the posterior portion.

Size:

• Maximum adult size is nearly 5 feet (1.5 meters) total length.
• The largest recorded red drum was 59 inches and 98 pounds.
• The Maryland state record was caught in 1977 in Tangier sound and weighed 74 pounds 6 ounces. (This record will stand for the foreseeable future, since red drum over 27 inches are not currently legal to keep).

Distribution:

• Historic distribution of red drum on the Atlantic coast is from the Gulf of Main to northern Mexico.
• This species has become uncommon north of New Jersey.
• Red drum are more abundant in the Gulf of Mexico than along the Atlantic coast.

Habitat:

• Adult red drum occur in Chesapeake Bay from May through November and are most abundant near the bay mouth in salinities above 15 parts per thousand.
• Juveniles are most abundant in estuarine waters and inlets, while fish older than age-5 primarily inhabit coastal and offshore waters, often in large schools.
• Found in the Chesapeake Bay during spring and summer, mostly concentrated midway up estuary at about 18 ppt salinity.

Food Preference:

• Juveniles feed on zooplankton and invertebrates such as small crabs and shrimp.
• Red drum expand their diet to include fish and larger invertebrates as they grow into adults.

Spawning:

• Males first spawn between ages one and two (21 inches in length), while females mature at ages three to four (36 inches in length).
• Spawning occurs at night in the summer and fall in nearshore waters.
• Large females can produce up to two million eggs in a single season.
• Following their first spawn, red drum spend less time in the estuaries and more time in ocean waters.

Fishing Tips:

• The recreational season for catching red drum is open year round.
• Currently, red drum must be at least 18 inches but no more than 27 inches to keep, and recreational anglers are permitted 1 fish/person/day.
• For current recreational size and creel limits, see Maryland's updated regulation page.
• Surf casters along the 35 miles of Maryland’s Atlantic coast catch large red drum in late fall and may occasionally catch legal size fish.

Fun Facts:

• Red drum derive their name from the croaking or drumming sound they produce by resonating their large swim bladder.
• The oldest recorded red drum was 62 years old.
• Due to their unusual growth pattern, a 36-inch red drum may be anywhere from 6 to 50 years old.

Illustration by Duane Raver, USFWS