UTERBlack drum fishing in Georgia Coast
In Georgia Coast, black drum peak March–May and November and are around year-round, spawning in March–April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. March: Big black drum at the St. Simons pier and the sound mouths.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Black drum in Georgia Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchSpawningBig black drum at the St. Simons pier and the sound mouths.
- AprilSpawningSpawning drum in the sounds; blue crab or clam on the bottom.
- MayPeakDrum on the docks and the bridge pilings.
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberPeakDocks and oyster bars; fiddler or shrimp.
- DecemberAround
Where to fish black drum near Savannah, Tybee Island, Richmond Hill
Endless spartina marsh and tidal creeks behind the barrier islands — Tybee, Wassaw, Ossabaw, St. Catherines, Sapelo, St. Simons, Jekyll and Cumberland — cut by big sounds (Wassaw, St. Catherines, Doboy, St. Simons, St. Andrew), with shell rakes everywhere, artificial reefs nearshore and Gray's Reef and the Gulf Stream offshore.
Fish Scouter charts 26 grass flat, 14 dock / pilings, 1 bridge spots in the The Golden Isles 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 Georgia Coast?
Peak season is March–May and November, with fish spawning in March–April (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Black drum are here year-round. March: Big black drum at the St. Simons pier and the sound mouths.
Where do black drum hold in Georgia Coast?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, grass flat, channel edge — around Savannah, Tybee Island, Richmond Hill, Darien, Brunswick, St. Simons Island.
What is the best bait for black drum in Georgia 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 Georgia Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Georgia DNR) and change — read the current rule at https://coastalgadnr.org/RecreationalFishing before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://georgiawildlife.com/licenses-permits-passes.
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