UTERBlack drum fishing in The First Coast
In The First Coast, 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: The big drum spawn in the St. Johns and Nassau Sound — crab halves on the bottom at the bridges.
Fall peak: reds, trout and flounder everywhere; the Flounder Pounder. Reds and trout in every creek on the falling tide as the water cools; the flounder run through the inlets and creek mouths; kings return nearshore.
Black drum in The First Coast, month by month
- JanuaryPeakSheepshead on the jetties and docks; winter red schools in the creeks. Fiddlers on the Mayport jetties and every dock for sheepshead; clear-water red schools in the creeks at low tide; trout deep in the river bends.
- FebruarySpawningThe big drum spawn in the St. Johns and Nassau Sound — crab halves on the bottom at the bridges.
- MarchSpawningThe kings start; trout and reds spread through the marsh. Last of the sheepshead; the spring kingfish run starts late month on the nearshore reefs; trout and reds move out onto the marsh edges.
- AprilPeak
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAroundFall peak: reds, trout and flounder everywhere; the Flounder Pounder. Reds and trout in every creek on the falling tide as the water cools; the flounder run through the inlets and creek mouths; kings return nearshore.
- NovemberArrivingFlounder run peaks; trout in the creeks; sheepshead return to the pilings. Flounder on the outgoing at the inlets and creek mouths; trout stacked in the deeper creek bends; sheepshead back on the docks and jetties.
- DecemberPeakWinter pattern: sheepshead, clear-water reds, deep trout. Jetties and docks for sheepshead; low-water creek reds on sunny days; trout in the deep river and ICW bends.
Where to fish black drum near Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, Jacksonville
Spartina marsh, oyster-lined creeks and the Intracoastal from Ponce Inlet to the Georgia line, the St. Johns River and the Mayport jetties, St. Augustine and Matanzas inlets, and the beaches. More like Georgia's lowcountry than the rest of Florida.
Fish Scouter charts 351 dock / pilings, 233 grass flat, 51 bridge spots in the The First 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 The First Coast?
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: The big drum spawn in the St. Johns and Nassau Sound — crab halves on the bottom at the bridges.
Where do black drum hold in The First Coast?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, grass flat, channel edge — around Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Mayport, Fernandina Beach.
What is the best bait for black drum in The First Coast?
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 The First Coast?
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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