Red Drum

Season in Virginia Beach

Peak months: Jun, Jul.

VSWFT red drum citations in Virginia Beach and Bay-mouth areas: Mar 2, Apr 23, May 99, Jun 373, Jul 520, Aug 88, Sep 122, Oct 129, Nov 3 (2024 to 2025); surf citations peak April to May and September to October. Puppy drum stay all winter in Rudee, Lynnhaven and Elizabeth River shallows (FishTalk January 2026). (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Bulls around the CBBT islands, east of the Bridge-Tunnel and in the Sandbridge and Eastern Shore surf; puppy drum in Rudee and Lynnhaven inlets, the Fisherman Island shallows and tidal creeks year round.

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

Slot fish only; release the bulls. Check VMRC rules.

Recipes for red drum

Typical: Slot puppy drum in the inlets. Large: Bulls from the low 30s to mid 40s in.

Limits

FishOS has not checked the VA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission before you keep a fish.

Sources

• VMRC Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament: 2024 Citations Year To Date (every trophy citation with species, catch date, area, technique) (Official source)
• VMRC Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament: 2025 Citations Year To Date (printed May 8 2026) (Official source)
• FishTalk Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 2026 (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Bay mouth) (Angler knowledge)
• FishTalk Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, May 2026 (Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle, Ocean's East Bait and Tackle) (Angler knowledge)
• FishTalk Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, July 2025 (Angler knowledge)
• FishTalk Way South Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, October 2025 (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)

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