Damn Good Black Drum Fishing Charters

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Recently Booked Black Drum Fishing Charters

Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore Fishing Charter in Orange Beach

Hooked On Fun: 2hr Kid Fishing

94% (18)
25 ft 1 - 6 People From $350
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Jetty Fishing Charter in Galveston

Bay/Jetty Fun! - 33'

100% (7)
33 ft 1 - 12 People From $550
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore Fishing Charter in Santa Rosa Beach

Inshore Insanity

100% (2)
24 ft 1 - 6 People From $400
Damn Good
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Jetty, Flats Fishing Charter in Port Aransas

Corpus Christi Flounder Gigging

100% (8)
20 ft 1 - 5 People From $650
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore Fishing Charter in Pensacola Beach

Half Day Gulf Classics

100% (4)
24 ft 1 - 6 People From $575
Veteran Operated
This trip is managed by a veteran of the US armed forces.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore Fishing Charter in Orange Beach

Orange Beach Half-Day Hookup

100% (8)
21 ft 1 - 4 People From $500

Top Cities for Black Drum Fishing

Top Species for Black Drum

“Our Damn Good Guides go above and beyond, and we’ve handpicked every single one. We’re passionate about the outdoors and look forward to getting you out on the trip of a lifetime, every time.”

Jonathan and Attison   |   Co-founders   |   Austin, Texas

More Black Drum Fishing Charters

Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Nearshore, Jetty, Flats Fishing Charter in Port Aransas

Epic Inshore Fishing

100% (2)
26 ft 1 - 4 People From $550
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Jetty Fishing Charter in Galveston

Bay And Jetty Trip - 26' Century

100% (9)
26 ft 1 - 6 People From $610
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Flats Fishing Charter in Rockport

Inshore Guided Trip

100% (16)
22 ft 1 - 5 People From $550
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Nearshore, Jetty, Flats Fishing Charter in Corpus Christi

North Padre Texas Classic

100% (7)
24 ft 1 - 8 People From $495
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore Fishing Charter in Galveston

Galveston Trout And Redfish Roundup

100% (7)
24 ft 1 - 4 People From $450
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore Fishing Charter in Destin

Destin Rod-Bender

100% (2)
25 ft 1 - 6 People From $800
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Everything to Know About Booking a black drum fishing charter

What are the best black drum fishing charters?

Why should I book a black drum fishing charter with Captain Experiences?

Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 628 black drum trips, and the most popular trips are Hooked on Fun: 2hr Kid Fishing guided by Donald, Bay/Jetty Fun! - 33' guided by Jeff, and Inshore Insanity guided by Hunter.

Our guides are rated a 4.89 out of 5 based on 3660 verified reviews on Captain Experiences.

All guides on Captain Experiences are vetted by our team. You can access their reviews, click through trip photos, read bios to get to know them, and preview trip details like species, techniques, group sizes, boat specs and more.

Looking for kid friendly black drum guides / fishing lessons? Check out our beginner and family friendly black drum guides.

What types of black drum fishing charters are common?

Deep Sea fishing is the most popular type of fishing for black drum as well as inshore fishing, flats fishing, and nearshore fishing.

The most common fishing techniques are light tackle fishing, live bait fishing, and artificial lure fishing but bottom fishing and drift fishing are popular as well.

How much do black drum fishing charters cost?

Prices for black drum can range anywhere from about $500 to $1,800, but the average price for a half day trip for black drum is $845. The average price for a full day trip for black drum is $1,284.

Is booking a fishing guide worth the money?

Hiring a guide provides a number of benefits and many choose to book a fishing guide for a combination of experience, local knowledge, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.

Working with experienced fishing guides who know the best local spots and techniques can dramatically increase your odds of a great day. Having someone who is on the water every day and knows the area like the back of their hand is going to give you the best chances of success.

Booking a guide is also more cost effective, especially if you only get out a handful of times per year. When you consider all of the costs you would incur on your own such as the price of a boat, maintenance, insurance, gas, high-quality gear and tackle, repairs, and more, you’ll find that DIY is sometimes not worth the expense.

Even if you’ve got a great setup already in your home waters, booking a guide also provides a great opportunity to experience new techniques, new locations, or even a chance at a new target species to knock off the bucket list.

What month is best for black drum fishing?

The most popular season for black drum fishing is summer, and most anglers book their trips 14 days in advance.

Do I need a fishing license for black drum and what are the bag limits for black drum?

See here for more information on black drum fishing licenses, black drum bag limits, and fishing season regulations for black drum. When in doubt, your fishing guide will always know the right black drum rules and regulations.

What is a Black Drum?

While not quite as recognizable as its more famous cousin the redfish (or red drum), black drum are a saltwater fish from the croaker family that are so named because they can produce loud noises with their air bladder between 100 and 500 Hz when performing mating calls, and you’ll often hear this “drumming” when you pull the fish out of the water.

Young black drum are often mistaken for sheepshead due to their black and silver stripes, but they generally grow out of this as they reach maturity and adopt a more even silver-gray color. Their teeth are rounded and located in the back of their throat, and used to crush oysters, shellfish, and other mollusks and crabs. Because of this, they are often found patrolling oyster beds and shell bottoms. 


Black drum are a nearshore and inshore fish found in many of the same areas as redfish. Juvenile drum will be caught inshore while more mature fish can be found further out. They are generally a robust fish, tolerating a wide variety of water conditions and temperatures, although their range is not huge, extending only through the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

How big do Black Drum get?

Black drum have a strongly arched back almost resembling that of some trevally, and as mentioned above their coloring will fade as they age and reach around 12-24 inches. Black drum can grow to 60+ inches and over 100 pounds, although more commonly are found around 15-20 pounds with inshore juveniles being at most a few pounds.

The black drum is the largest member of its family and while some bull redfish can reach massive sizes, record black drum have been bigger. This is all the more impressive for a fish that spends most of its life close to shore.

Their growth rate is highest while they are young and they reach maturity at around 2 years, but these fish can continue to grow for a long time - potentially reaching upwards of 50 years, so it’s no wonder you can find some large specimens.

What's the biggest Black Drum ever caught?

The world record black drum was a whopping 146 pounds.

Where is the best place to catch Black Drum?

Black drum live throughout the mid-western Atlantic and are common in the Gulf states, and they are an inshore-nearshore schooling fish. They can be found from Nova Scotia to Argentina, but are most common from Virginia to Texas and in particular love the Texas coast.

They are often found near rocky jetties, piers, or pilings, or otherwise can be found near their one true love: oysters. They are also known to frequent brackish estuaries and channels, and larger fish will prefer saltier water.

When should I catch Black Drum?

The best time to target black drum is February and March when they come inshore to brackish waters in large numbers for their annual spawn. They like current and structure, so you’ll find them in channels or by any sort of pilings or jetties.

You can also night fish for black drum with some success, and otherwise stick to structure and you can’t go wrong.

How do you catch Black Drum?

Black drum are not particularly good fighters pound-for-pound, but they make up for this by reaching gargantuan sizes for an inshore fish, and they will use their heft to their advantage. They won’t make crazy runs, but they will fight you like a bulldog and refuse to surface (they sometimes even feel like a shark that is just continually pulling).

Black drum are bottom feeders, so you’ll want to drop your line to the bottom or suspended a few feet above. Jigging is a common method. Shrimp works well as can squid, and crabs are great if you have them, and you can use a circle hook (no need to set the hook!).

Since black drum usually feed based on scent, feel free to up the size of your tackle to make sure you wont break the fish off.

Are Black Drum good to eat? What are the best Black Drum recipes?

Black drum are generally only kept at the low-end of the slot limit, or about 14-15 pounds. Below that weight the have a moderate taste similar to a redfish. Above that, larger drum typically have tougher meat, have tougher scales that can be hard to remove, and can often attract some parasites as they age (especially since they can live for so long).

Smaller drum are tasty and the only challenge is generally removing the large scales, so its generally best to fillet them and remove the skin as well, and many regulars invest in an electric fillet knife.

Recent Reviews

  • ★★★★★
    Capt. Jeff put us on some fish!! Took us to a few places that each produced. I’d definitely go fishing with Jeff in the future.

    Saul M. | October 28, 2024

    Trip: Matagorda E/W Bay Half Day

  • ★★★★★
    Ruben was amazing! He knew the areas to go to catch fish, but we got so much more. We saw dolphins swimming, learned more about the area, and caught so many fish! His recommendations for where to take our fish for dinner was also great! We will book another trip with him!

    Stan A. | October 27, 2024

    Trip: Laguna Madre Shallows Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Chad took my wife and I out for a four hour inshore fishing trip around the Biloxi Bay. We had a great time, and caught a variety of species. Chad is a very knowledgeable local fisherman who caters to all angler levels. We learned so much about the ecosystem around the Biloxi MS gulf coast, and how to use different fishing techniques. Spotted some dolphins too. We left with a cooler full of sheepshead, black drum and southern flounder filets. Thanks again Chad!

    William L. | October 25, 2024

    Trip: Biloxi Inshore Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great day, fishing with Capt. Scott. Took his tome explaining how to feel the bite, and put us on some fish.

    Steve W. | October 25, 2024

    Trip: Real Deal Rockport

  • ★★★★★
    Kyle did a great job! AWESOME TRIP!

    Ron K. | October 24, 2024

    Trip: Corpus Christi Flounder Gigging

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Charles really took care of us today. He knew great spots to fish and my father-in-law and I both caught our limit for the day. Would definitely go with Charles again!

    Mike B. | October 22, 2024

    Trip: Great Inshore Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    The Captain was wonderful. He helped these two old ladies catch lots of fish. He did the majority of our casting too. Will call on him again. Thank you, Cappy!

    Sandra E. | October 22, 2024

    Trip: Laguna Madre Magic

  • ★★★★★
    Kyle was an awesome flounder gigging guide out of Port Aransas. We had less than ideal weather conditions, but Kyle busted his butt to get us on some fish. We had a great time. We’ll definitely do it again!

    Jimmy M. | October 22, 2024

    Trip: Corpus Christi Flounder Gigging

  • ★★★★★
    My husband and son had a great time with Blake. There were definitely enough fish biting to keep my son's attention for the 4 hour trip.

    Andrea M. | October 21, 2024

    Trip: Galveston Bay Trophy Hunt

  • ★★★★★
    Eric was great we were catching fish the entire time. I wanted to catch a tarpon and in 10 minutes we had landed one. Exceptional trip tarpon snook and grouper. I would recommend to anyone who wants to catch fish

    Walter L. | October 21, 2024

    Trip: Back Country Bonanza

  • ★★★★★
    The fishing trip we took was great, we caught some fish and one good one got away, but the trip was good, we ran into a little weather but it comes with the territory, but I would recommend you go with this company

    Norman M. | October 19, 2024

    Trip: Coastal Bend Live Action!

  • ★★★★★
    Wind and moon wasn't in our favor. Gabriel worked hard to get us on the scattered fish

    Roland H. | October 19, 2024

    Trip: Coastal Bend Honey Holes

  • ★★★★★
    Awesome trip. Alex was most helpful. My wife and I limited on nice Reds, along with several catch and release juveniles.

    Jack S. | October 18, 2024

    Trip: Coastal Bend Inshore Slam

  • ★★★★★
    Max is the man! Had a great day chasing reds in the flats and creeks. 10/10 will be booking with Max next year!!!

    Andy B. | October 18, 2024

    Trip: 8-Hour Inshore

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Charles is a phenomenal guide. He was punctual, polite, operated his boat professionally, and made us feel comfortable. He put us on the specks right away. our first cast landed a keeper spec as soon as it hit the water. we ended up with 7 keeper specs and 2 drum. we caught a 19' 8" redfish but it was just a little shy of a keeper. Captain Charles really knows where they are and puts you on them! I highly recommend Captain Charles!

    Alan M. | October 17, 2024

    Trip: Great Inshore Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Mike did an excellent job as our guide. I highly recommend him.

    Fred L. | October 17, 2024

    Trip: Texas Flounder Gigging Adventure

  • ★★★★★
    Bill is very knowledgeable and put us onto multiple different kinds of fish. We had a great time.

    Jason W. | October 16, 2024

    Trip: 4 Hour Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Kyle was an excellent guide both me and my wife had a great experience. We caught five fish with one being over 20 inches. We would recommend him to anyone who wants a great time fishing.

    Forrest M. | October 16, 2024

    Trip: Corpus Christi Flounder Gigging

  • ★★★★★
    Captain James was amazing! Several fish and memories caught today! Hope to return next year!

    Diana K. | October 15, 2024

    Trip: South Padre Island Bay Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Great captain. We had an amazing experience!! Thanks so much!

    Shanda W. | October 15, 2024

    Trip: Port Aransas Inshore Adventure

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