UTERBlack drum fishing in South Carolina Coast
In South Carolina 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 drum gather at the inlets and the Charleston jetties.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Black drum in South Carolina Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchSpawningBig drum gather at the inlets and the Charleston jetties.
- AprilSpawningSpawning drum in the sounds; crab or clam.
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberPeakDocks and creek mouths through the fall.
- DecemberAround
Where to fish black drum near Hilton Head, Beaufort, Edisto
Port Royal and St. Helena sounds, the ACE Basin, Charleston Harbor and its jetties, Bulls Bay, Winyah Bay and the Grand Strand beaches — spartina marsh and oyster rakes behind barrier islands, with live-bottom ledges, artificial reefs and the Georgetown Hole and Gulf Stream offshore.
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 South Carolina 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 drum gather at the inlets and the Charleston jetties.
Where do black drum hold in South Carolina Coast?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, grass flat, channel edge — around Hilton Head, Beaufort, Edisto, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, McClellanville.
What is the best bait for black drum in South Carolina 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 South Carolina Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and change — read the current rule at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/regulations.html before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/licensing.html.
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