Red Drum: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for South Jersey Shore, NJ.

Fishing region

Season in South Jersey

JFMAMJJASOND

Uncommon this far north: puppy drum in Cape May back channels in June 2026, a 21 in red reported from the Avalon back bay (July 2017 reader). Few around. (Our inference)

Season by region

Myrtle Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
South Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
Delmarva	JFMAMJJASOND
Virginia Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Outer Banks	JFMAMJJASOND
Southern NC	JFMAMJJASOND
Charleston	JFMAMJJASOND
Georgia	JFMAMJJASOND
Northeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Space Coast	JFMAMJJASOND
Southeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Florida Keys	JFMAMJJASOND
Southwest Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Tampa Bay	JFMAMJJASOND
Big Bend	JFMAMJJASOND
Panhandle	JFMAMJJASOND
Alabama	JFMAMJJASOND
Mississippi	JFMAMJJASOND
Louisiana	JFMAMJJASOND
Upper Texas	JFMAMJJASOND
Middle Texas	JFMAMJJASOND
Lower Texas	JFMAMJJASOND

Where to find them

Back channels and back bays near Cape May and Avalon; uncommon.

Often in the first trough, sometimes right at your feet in the wash.

What to look for

Darker water of a deep trough, a gap where waves are not breaking (a cut), mullet moving along the beach.

What to throw

Bucktail or jighead with a 4 to 5 in paddle tail1/2 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in tail. Slow hops along the bottom: lift, drop, let it touch, repeat.

Gold spoon (weedless style)1/2 to 3/4 oz, 2.5 to 3 in. Slow to medium wobble with occasional pauses near the bottom of the trough.

Jighead with a scented soft-plastic shrimp or mullet (Gulp style)1/4 to 1/2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Slow drag and hop on the bottom with pauses; scent does the work.

Popping cork with a soft plastic or live shrimp1/8 to 1/4 oz jighead under the cork oz, About 4 in soft plastic shad or shrimp (Cedar Key used a 4 in Sea Shad). Pop the cork sharply, pause while the bait settles, repeat; with tripletail, cast just past the target and reel back with a small pop.

Bait

Cut mullet or menhaden, Live finger mullet, Fresh shrimp, Blue crab (quartered). Fish-finder rig, 3 to 4 oz sinker, 18 in 40 to 60 lb leader, 5/0 to 8/0 circle hook (circle hook required with natural bait at 4/0 and up).

Leader

18 to 24 in of 30 to 60 lb mono or fluorocarbon, heavier for bull reds.

Common mistakes

Casting over the fish into the outer bar when they are in the first trough
Setting the hook hard on a circle hook; just reel tight
Keeping a bull red: anything over 25 in must go back

Landing

Use waves to slide the fish up; for big fish keep it in the wash, unhook, and release quickly.

Handling

Heavy, strong fish; sharp gill rakers

Support big fish horizontally, keep them wet, release quickly. Do not hold up oversize bulls by the jaw.

Keep or release

Uncommon this far north; check NJ rules.

Recipes for red drum

Typical: About 18 in, 2.6 lb. Large: Bull reds 30 to 45 in. SC record 75 lb (1965).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the NJ limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife before you keep a fish.

Sources

On The Water: Southern New Jersey Fishing Report, June 11 2026 (Angler knowledge)
On The Water: South Jersey Fishing Report, July 27 2017 (Riptide, Fin-Atics, Tony's, Creekside) (Angler knowledge)
ASMFC 2017, Atlantic Sciaenid Habitats (Habitat Management Series 14): Red Drum chapter (Official source)
SCDNR species profile: red drum (Official source)
Fisherman's Post North Myrtle Beach / Little River reports 2025-2026 (Angler knowledge)
Gregg Holshouser Grand Strand fishing reports, 2019-2020 (mirror) (Angler knowledge)
SCDNR Saltwater Fishing Trends (pier operator forecasts) (Angler knowledge)

All the fish of South Jersey

Red Drum