UTERBlack drum fishing in Florida's Big Bend
In Florida's Big Bend, black drum peak December–April and are around year-round, spawning in February–March, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. February: On the oyster bars and river mouths with a crab.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Black drum in Florida's Big Bend, month by month
- JanuaryPeakThe rivers hold the fish: trout, reds and snook in the spring water. Work the spring runs and river bends slowly on the warmest part of the day. Sheepshead on the rock piles and channel markers.
- FebruarySpawningOn the oyster bars and river mouths with a crab.
- MarchSpawning
- AprilPeak
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberArrivingTrout and reds move toward the rivers; grouper closes end of month. Follow the fish toward the creek and river mouths as the fronts start. Last of the shallow gag fishing before the closure.
- DecemberPeakInto the rivers — the winter pattern sets up. River holes and spring runs on the falling tide; sheepshead on the markers and rocks; drum on the bars with a crab.
Where to fish black drum near Steinhatchee, Cedar Key, Crystal River
A hundred miles of undeveloped coast: vast turtle-grass flats, limestone rock piles and ledges in ten feet of clear water, spring-fed rivers, oyster bars and salt marsh. No passes, no barrier islands — the Gulf just starts.
Fish Scouter charts 6,872 grass flat, 55 dock / pilings spots in the The Big Bend & Nature Coast map area — the kinds black drum hold on.
What to use for black drum
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Fiddler crabsA #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait.
- Leader30–50 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook3/0–6/0
- Braid20–30 lb
Feeds in 48–78°F water, best at 54–70°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch black drum in Florida's Big Bend?
Peak season is December–April, with fish spawning in February–March (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Black drum are here year-round. February: On the oyster bars and river mouths with a crab.
Where do black drum hold in Florida's Big Bend?
Look on grass flat, channel edge — around Steinhatchee, Cedar Key, Crystal River, Homosassa.
What is the best bait for black drum in Florida's Big Bend?
Live bait: blue crabs, live shrimp, fiddler crabs. Blue crabs: Whole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 30–50 lb fluorocarbon, hook 3/0–6/0, braid 20–30 lb.
What are the rules for black drum in Florida's Big Bend?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and change — read the current rule at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.
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