Red Drum

Red Drum Current Regulations in Florida state waters

*6 fish per person transport limit applies when traveling in a vehicle on land away from a fishing site.

Red Drum Management Regions

• Northwest: Escambia through Fred Howard Park Causeway near Pasco county.
• Northeast: Nassau through Flagler counties. 
• South: Pinellas through Monroe counties on the west coast and Miami-Dade through Volusia counties on the east coast.

*New* regulations went into effect February 1, 2012

A recent stock assessment showed red drum were exceeding the management goals in the two northern areas of the state. At the November 16, 2011, Commission meeting FWC Commissioners approved the following new regulations for red drum effective February 1, 2012:

• "Northeast region," "Northwest region" and "South region" were created
• Bag limit will increased from 1 fish to 2 fish in the Northeast and Northwest regions
• These bag limits will also apply on land in the areas adjacent to the fishing site (such as adjacent parking lots, docks, piers, bridges, beaches and boat ramps) in all regions
• Statewide vessel limit of 8 red drum applies to all vessels on state waters
• Transport possession limit of 6 red drum per person (applies statewide when red drum are being tranported on land in Florida. For example, the transport possession limit would apply when transporting red drum from the fishing site to a private home in one's vehicle.)

Grand Slams in Florida

The Grand Slam Club celebrates the variety of Florida sport fishes and the achievement of anglers catching a particular set of three species in one day.  There is a different slam for each of the state's four geographic regions, and red drum is included in three of them.

Regional grand slam fishes

North Florida- Red drum, spotted seatrout, and cobia
West Coast- Red drum, snook, and tarpon
East Coast- Red drum, spotted seatrout, and tarpon
South Florida- Tarpon, bonefish, and permit

The Grand Slam program is conducted in collaboration with the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) and requires anglers to fill out an application.  For more information on this program, visit the Grand Slam and Fishing Records page.

Red Drum Management

Management of red drum in Florida is considered a success story.  In the late 1980s red drum was overfished, thus several emergency closures were established to reduce fishing pressure.  In 1989, the slot limit of 18-27 inches, the bag limit of 1 per person, and a closed season from March-May were put in place.  Since then, the only major regulation change has been the elimination of the closed season.  Red drum stocks have rebounded and are currently meeting or exceeding the FWC's management goal of 40% escapement in most parts of Florida.  Escapement is the proportion of fish that survive through age four relative to the fish that would have survived if there was no fishery.  Florida's escapement goal for red drum was raised from 30 to 40% in 2007 largely because of stakeholder input that called for managing the fishery for an abundance of larger fish.

Recent Red Drum Commission Meeting History

At the Commission meeting in June 2007, staff presented management options resulting from the 2005 red drum stock assessment.  The Commission voted to change the escapement rate goal, from 30 to 40%.  After this meeting, staff recommended to wait on any further management changes until the 2008 stock assessment was completed.  At the Commission meeting in June 2009, staff presented the results of the statewide 2008 red drum stock assessment.  The Commission directed staff to re-evaluate the stock assessment by looking at four management areas.  At the Commission meeting in September 2010, staff returned with the results of the regional analysis of the 2008 stock assessment.  Staff presented recommendations to create three management areas and to raise the bag limit to two fish in the two northern areas.  Staff were directed to hold public workshops to present management options and also to consider a vessel limit.  In February 2011, staff presented a draft rule with proposed rules for red drum and a summary of public input on the proposed rules.  FWC staff presented these proposed rules for the final public hearing at the April 2011.  The Commissioners ruled to postpone a decision on these rule modifications until the November 2011 Commission meeting, following the red drum stock assessment report due in fall 2011. At the November 16, 2011, Commission meeting, FWC Commissioners approved the following new regulations for red drum effective February 1, 2012:

• "Northeast region," "Northwest region" and "South region" were created
• Bag limit will increased from 1 fish to 2 fish in the Northeast and Northwest regions
• These bag limits will also apply on land in the areas adjacent to the fishing site (such as adjacent parking lots, docks, piers, bridges, beaches and boat ramps) in all regions
• Statewide vessel limit of 8 red drum applies to all vessels on state waters
• Transport possession limit of 6 red drum per person (applies statewide when red drum are being tranported on land in Florida. For example, the transport possession limit would apply when transporting red drum from the fishing site to a private home in one's vehicle.)

For more information:

• FWC News Release - November 2011 Commission meeting
• November 2011 Commission Meeting Presentation
• April 2011 Commission Meeting Information
• 2008 Red Drum Stock Assessment
• Analysis of the 2008 Red Drum Stock Assessment

Biology

Red drum inhabit the nearshore and offshore waters throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Key West.  Juvenile red drum inhabit rivers, bays, canals, tidal creeks, and passes in estuaries for up to four years, after which they usually move to nearshore or open ocean waters as adults.  Red drum in Florida can reach lengths of 45 inches and weigh up to 51 pounds.  The oldest recorded red drum in Florida was aged at 40 years.  Males mature at 1-3 years and females mature at 3-6 years.  They spawn near passes and inlets in late summer and fall, triggered by cooling water temperatures and decreasing daylight hours.  Spawning season lasts from August to mid-November, peaking in September in the Gulf, and from July through December, peaking in September or October on the Atlantic coast.

Learn more about red drum biology: Red Drum Sea Stat

Fun Red Drum Facts

• Red drum are also called redfish, channel bass, spottail, red bass, or just "reds."
• Red drum are named after the "drumming" sound the make during spawning and when taken out of the water.  The sound is produced by muscles rubbing against the inflated air bladder.
• Red drum usually have one spot on their tail. However, the amount of spots can vary from no spots to several to hundreds of spots on a single fish.
• The world record red drum was caught off North Carolina waters in 1984 and it weighed 94 pounds, 2 ounces.

Also visit:

Redfish Catch, Hold and Release Tournament Exemption Permit page