UTERBlack drum fishing in Indian River Lagoon
In Indian River Lagoon, black drum peak December–April and are around year-round, spawning in February–March, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Big drum schools on the Mosquito Lagoon and Banana River flats in the clear winter water.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Black drum in Indian River Lagoon, month by month
- JanuaryPeakBig drum schools on the Mosquito Lagoon and Banana River flats in the clear winter water.
- FebruarySpawningSpawning schools in the lagoon.
- MarchSpawningTopwater trout at dawn; reds strong; the beach wakes up. Dawn topwater on the flats for trout, reds all day, pompano and Spanish off the beach and at the inlets as the water warms.
- AprilPeak
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberArrivingFlounder run at Ponce and Canaveral; trout and reds on the flats; pompano. Flounder through the inlets on the outgoing; trout on every flat; pompano in the surf; the first drum schools.
- DecemberPeakWinter sight fishing begins; snook closes mid-month. Cold clear water: reds and drum on the flats on sunny afternoons, trout in the troughs, sheepshead on the pilings.
Where to fish black drum near Melbourne, Cocoa, Titusville
Mosquito Lagoon, the Banana River and the northern Indian River Lagoon — shallow, clear, grass-and-sand flats famous for sight-fishing tailing redfish and giant trout — plus Port Canaveral and Ponce Inlet, the beaches, and the nearshore reefs.
Fish Scouter charts 225 dock / pilings, 113 grass flat, 48 bridge spots in the The Space Coast Lagoons 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 Indian River Lagoon?
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. January: Big drum schools on the Mosquito Lagoon and Banana River flats in the clear winter water.
Where do black drum hold in Indian River Lagoon?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, grass flat, channel edge — around Melbourne, Cocoa, Titusville, Port Canaveral, New Smyrna Beach.
What is the best bait for black drum in Indian River Lagoon?
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 Indian River Lagoon?
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/.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
Fish Scouter scores black drum for this hour on this water, draws every reef, wreck and access point near you, and keeps your spots. $9.99 a month, 14 days free.
Start 14 free daysMore
All about black drum · The Space Coast Lagoons, the whole year