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Black Drum

Black Drum

Black Drum are Virginia's largest member of the drum family, reaching over 46 inches and 120 pounds with lifespans up to 67 years. These powerful bottom-feeders are opportunistic with powerful jaws capable of crushing hard-shelled prey.

Scientific Name: Pogonias cromis

Physical Characteristics:
  • Distinguished by their dark silvery-gray bodies with brassy sheens, multiple barbels under their chins, and cobblestone-like pharyngeal teeth plates used to crush shellfish.
  • Juveniles display 4-5 vertical black bars that fade with age.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • In Virginia waters, Black Dr.um are distributed throughout the Chesapeake Bay system, from the lower bay near Cape Charles and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel complex, extending into tributaries like the York River where populations have been recovering.
  • They're also found in Eastern Shore seaside inlets and barrier island waters.

Key Locations

  • Prime Virginia locations include the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (especially 2nd and 3rd islands), Cape Charles area including Kiptopeake and the Cabbage Patch, buoys C-10 and C-12, York Spit area, and Eastern Shore seaside inlets.

Specific Spots

  • They prefer shallow to moderate depths around oyster reefs, shell banks, bridge pilings, channel edges, and soft bottom areas where prey is abundant.
  • Fish the shallow portions of channel ledges, oyster beds near drop-offs, and around any underwater structure.
  • Adults typically inhabit deeper waters while juveniles use estuarine shallows as nursery areas.

Black Drum FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Black Drum in Virginia?

Top baits include fresh blue crabs (whole or halved), sea clams, peeler crabs, and crab/clam 'sandwiches.' Live spot, croaker, and menhaden also produce. Fresh bait is critical as Black Dr.um have excellent scent detection. Cut bait to release more odor and blood.

What flies work for Black Drum in Virginia?

Heavy weighted patterns in dark colors (black, purple, dark green). Target shallow flats and grass beds with small buggy patterns that imitate crabs and shrimp.

When is the best time to fish for Black Drum in Virginia?

Peak Black Dr.um fishing in Virginia occurs from May through September, with the best action in May-June (post-spawn) and again in late June through August around structures like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

How do you catch Black Drum in Virginia?

Use a knocker rig (sliding sinker) to maintain bottom contact and detect subtle bites. When fishing from boats, use fish finders to locate schools over structure. For fly fishing, strip flies slowly along bottom to create puffs of sediment that attract feeding drum.

What do Black Drum eat?

Adults primarily consume benthic crustaceans (blue crabs, fiddler crabs), mollusks (clams, oysters), and occasionally surface-feed on menhaden. Juveniles start with smaller prey like amphipods, polychaetes, and small fish before transitioning to larger crustaceans and mollusks as their pharyngeal teeth develop.

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