But they have mystique, and they pull hard when hooked.
Black Drum, Pogonias cromis. Anglers typically use cut bait, shrimp, sand fleas or blue crabs as bait, and it is very important to keep the bait on the bottom where the drum feed.
The Florida record is a 96-pound black drum fish. Generally found in the 5-30 lb range, some fish have been known to reach weights up to 90 pounds. Very fresh Red Drum Fish have an emerald green tint to the raw flesh, while larger fresh Red Drum Fish have a red tint.
Find out popular fishing spots in different regions of Florida for catching Black Drum. These fish can get quite large – 100 kg (45 lbs) and their low frequency “drumming” can transmit a lot of energy over long distances. Black Drum, Pogonias cromis.
They can be quite large with the world record being over 100 pounds, but the normal range for fish caught is around 2-15 pounds.
Thirty and forty pound Drum are common in many areas around the south. Their favorite foods include crabs, shrimp, clams, oysters and small fish.
Fishing Tips and Facts: The vertical bars on juvenile black drum are somewhat similar to those on sheepshead and spadefish.
The ideal way to target black drum is around the oyster beds with crustaceans. A hardy fish which can tolerate a wide range of water conditions from clear to muddy, fresh to salty, hot to cold, and shallow to deep. The Black Drum can live for over 30 years. Florida Sportsman's 50 Favorite Sportfish of Florida: Black Drum. Similar Fish: Red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus; the vertical bars on juvenile black drum are somewhat similar to those on sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus; and spadefish, Chaetodipterus faber. But, you should not eat them all, and even though Florida State allows you to keep a fish bigger than 24″, we STRONGLY recommend you don’t bother.
Smaller black drum are known as "puppy drum" and average about five to 10 pounds.
Black Drum is one of the best-tasting Florida fish you can eat. They are especially abundant off Texas and the largest fish can be found between Florida and the Delaware Bay.. Popular Black Drum Fishing Charters in Miramar Beach, Florida. Black drum, also known as banded drum, drum fish, big drum or gray drum, depending on local parlance, are growing in popularity among inshore anglers. West Central Black Drum Fishing Spots. Popular with anglers looking for Black Drum fishing charters in Miramar Beach The captain’s vessel is a 24’ Skeeter Bay Boat, powered by a 300 HP Yamaha engine so you can reach the fishing grounds in just 10 minutes. Southwest Florida residents living along canals frequently hear black drum calls in their homes during the spawning season. Black Drum Fish have a mild, sweet flavor with firm flesh and large, moist flakes. They tend to get large in northeast Florida, but it is more common to catch them in the 30- to 50-pound range. The flesh of Black Drum Fish lack these hues of color and are simply white.