Species
Redfish Fishing Charters
Redfish (red drum) live in shallow bays, marshes, flats and passes along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and are a mainstay of inshore charters. 401 captains and guides in 49 towns list redfish. Here is where, and the months it is in season where we have a published calendar.
Key facts
About the redfish
Copper to nearly silver, most often reddish-bronze, with one large black spot near the base of the tail (sometimes several, rarely none). Unlike its relative the black drum, it has no chin barbels.
- Scientific name
- Sciaenops ocellatus
- Also called
- Red drum, channel bass, spottail bass, puppy drum (young fish), bull red
- Family
- Drum family (Sciaenidae), related to Atlantic croaker, spotted seatrout and black drum
- Typical catch
- Texas anglers land fish averaging about 23 inches and 4.7 pounds; the South Carolina average is about 18 inches and 2.6 pounds. Fish mature at about 30 inches and then spend most of their time in nearshore ocean and Gulf waters.
- How big they get
- Adults can live over 40 years, reach five feet and exceed 80 pounds (Texas Parks and Wildlife). The all-tackle world record weighed 94 pounds 2 ounces, caught off Hatteras Island, North Carolina, in 1984.
- Where they live
- Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Tuxpan, Mexico. On the Atlantic side, few have been reported north of Chesapeake Bay in recent years.
- Habitat
- Young fish live in estuaries: tidal creeks, marsh grass edges, oyster reefs and grassy shallows, moving to deeper river channels in winter. Larger fish use big creeks, rivers and barrier island beaches. Fish older than about four move to deeper nearshore ocean and Gulf waters, usually over sand or sandy mud.
- Diet
- Young fish eat small shrimp, crabs and marine worms; larger fish add small fish. Adults eat menhaden, spot, anchovies, blue crabs and other crabs.
- Lifespan
- Known to live at least 50 years; the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission says they may reach 60 years.
- On the table
- Valued for its meat; Texas Parks and Wildlife describes its 'delectable flavor.'
Where
Where to catch redfish with a charter
Counts are captains who list redfish, as of October 2026. Months come from the state wildlife agency or local captains’ published calendars where we have one; seasons and limits change, so check current rules.
Before you go
What to know about redfish fishing
Things to know
- No harvest or sale is allowed from federal waters (the moratorium dates to 2007); fishing happens in state waters, and each state sets its own size, slot and bag limits – check your state wildlife agency.
- Atlantic states use a maximum size limit, so large breeding fish must be released.
- Spawns in late summer and fall near inlets and passes; males make a drumming sound with the swim bladder, which gives the fish its name.
- A 2024 Atlantic assessment found the northern stock (New Jersey to North Carolina) healthy, but the southern stock (South Carolina to east Florida) overfished and undergoing overfishing.
- Texas banned commercial netting and made red drum a game fish in the late 1980s, and stocks about 30 million fingerlings in its bays each year.
How charters catch them
- Sight casting to schools of tailing fish in shallow water
- Drifting a float rig with live or dead shrimp or small crabs in estuaries
- Live finger mullet or mud minnows on open mud flats next to marsh grass
- Surf fishing near inlets in spring and fall for big fish, using cut mullet or blue crab on large circle hooks
Related fish
Fish caught on the same kind of trip
Questions
Redfish questions
Is a redfish the same as a red drum?
Yes. Red drum is the official common name; redfish, channel bass and spottail bass are other names for the same fish, and young fish are called puppy drum.
How do I tell a redfish from a black drum?
Redfish have no chin barbels and usually show a black spot near the tail. Black drum have barbels under the chin.
Can I keep a redfish caught in federal waters?
No. Harvest and sale of red drum from federal waters is prohibited; only state-water fish can be kept, under state rules.
Facts on this page come from official fisheries and wildlife sources, checked October 2026:
Size and bag limits and seasons change and differ by state. Check the state agency before you keep a fish.
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