Black Drum
Pogonias cromis
Juvenile black drums, called "puppy drums," have 4-5 black vertical bars on their sides. (Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
The black drum is a silvery-gray, bottom-dwelling fish that visits the Chesapeake Bay from spring through autumn. It is one of the largest fish in the Bay.
Appearance:
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Dark, silvery-gray body with a brassy sheen
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Grayish belly
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Black fins
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High, rounded back
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Deep notch in the dorsal fin
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Many small barbels on the lower chin
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Cobblestone-like teeth plates
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Juveniles have 4-5 black vertical bars on their sides
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Grows to 40-60 inches long and weighs as much as 50-100 pounds
Habitat:
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Bottom-dweller
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Often found around oyster reefs, wrecks and piles in the Chesapeake Bay’s deep channels
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Juveniles more common in shallow waters
Range:
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Enters the lower Bay in April, eventually moving as far north as the Elk River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
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Leaves the Bay in late autumn for warmer southern waters
Feeding:
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Bottom-feeder
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Preys upon mollusks and crustaceans such as clams, oysters and crabs. Black drums use their strong teeth plates to crush the hard shells open.
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Uses its chin barbels to sense for prey
Predators:
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Sharks likely feed on black drums
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Juveniles are preyed upon by seatrouts, jacks and other large fish
Voice:
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
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Spawns in April-June in waters off Cape Charles, Virginia
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Females can lay eggs every three days during the spawning season
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After spawning, adults move further into the Bay to feed
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Eggs hatch within 24 hours
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After a few weeks, young take on the shape of adults
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Matures at 4 years old
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Can live as long as 40-50 years
Other Facts:
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One of the largest fish in the Bay
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Young black drums that weigh less than 8 pounds are also known as puppy drums
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Part of its scientific name, Pogonias, means “bearded.” This refers to the fish’s chin barbels, which look like a beard. Cromis means “to croak.”
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A member of the drum family, which includes spot, weakfish, red drum, spotted seatrout and Atlantic croaker. All drums are able to make a loud drumming or croaking sound by vibrating their swim bladder using special muscles.
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A popular sport fish
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The best time to catch a black drum is during a full moon using soft crab as bait
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The Chesapeake Bay record black drum, caught in 1973 off Cape Charles, Virginia, weighed 111 pounds
Sources and Additional Information:
