Black Drum the bigger of the two drum species which also includes the Red Drum. Though most specimens are generally
found in the 5-30lb range, some can get as big as 90lbs. They are often black and/or gray in color with juvenile
fish having distinctive dark stripes over a gray body. They have rounded teeth and strong jaws that can crack
shellfish and crabs. Smaller fish are decent table fare but larger fish are not considered good eating. Black
Drum migrate up and down the Atlantic coast of the US and enter bays and rivers to feed and spawn. The current IGFA
world record is 113 pounds 1 ounce, caught by Gerald M. Townsend on September 15, 1975.
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Black Drum like the ones in the photos above (Steve Kendall on the left and Brett Swindell, right) provide some of the hardest pulling fishing you'll encounter on the Chesapeake Bay. Anglers rely on clams and peeler crabs to attract these giant black drum.