Red Drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

The red drum is a fish with a reddish-bronze body and a silvery-gray to white belly. Adults have:

• One or more large black spots at the base of the tail.
• A squared tail fin.
• Scales with a dark center, forming poorly-defined lines.
• No chin barbels.

Red drums usually grow to about 20 to 30 inches, but can be as long as 5 feet and weigh as much as 90 pounds.

Where does the red drum live?

Red drums can be found in the Chesapeake Bay from May through November. Schools of red drums are common near the Bay's mouth in spring and fall during the coastal population's migrations. Young move up into the middle Bay, as far north as the Patuxent River. Red drums are usually found in waters near the shoreline.

What does the red drum eat?

Red drums feed on small fish, especially menhaden, but will also forage for crustaceans and other benthic creatures.

How does the red drum reproduce?

Red drums spawn from late summer through fall in coastal waters near the shore. Young red drums can be found in the Chesapeake Bay in August and September. They move farther up the Bay into shallow, fresher waters, where they feed on zooplankton and small invertebrates.

Other facts about the red drum:

• The red drum is also known as the channel bass.
• Red drums can live up to 35 years.
• Some scientists believe the purpose of the spot(s) on the red drum's tail is to mimic an eye. This fools predators into attacking the wrong end of the fish, giving the red drum a chance to escape.
• The red drum is a member of the drum family, which includes spot, weakfish, black drums and Atlantic croakers. Each of these fish is able to make a loud drumming or croaking sound by vibrating its swim bladder using special muscles.
• In 1984, a Virginia man caught the 59-inch, 94.2-pound world record red drum off the coast of North Carolina.