Know your target

Black drum fishing around Tampa Bay

Black drum use sensitive chin barbels to find crabs, shrimp and shellfish along Tampa Bay bottom. Pier supports, rocky causeways and oyster shorelines give shore anglers defined places to soak scented baits, especially in cooler months.

Also known as: Drum

Harvest status today: Open (as of Oct 26, 2026)

Season: Open year-roundSlot: 14" to 24" slot, with one fish over 24" allowedBag: 5 per harvester per day (may include one over 24")

Black drum, side view — Photo: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Reference Standard Sequence Library) · Public domain (U.S. government work) · Source

FWC regulations (Tampa Bay region)

Season	Open year-round
Slot/size limit	14" to 24" slot, with one fish over 24" allowed
Bag limit	5 per harvester per day (may include one over 24")
Special rules	No multiple hooks with natural bait for harvest; snatching prohibited

Source: FWC: Black Drum · Checked Oct 2026

“Checked” is the dataset reference date.

Regulations change; always confirm with FWC.

Fishing license: who needs one

When they're biting

Best months and baits are general guidance, not official.

JanPeak

FebPeak

MarPeak

AprGood

MayGood

JunFair

JulFair

AugFair

SepGood

OctGoodThis month

NovPeak

DecPeak

Swipe or scroll the table to see all months. General guidance: 0 = Rare, 1 = Fair, 2 = Good, 3 = Peak. Current month: Oct. Harvest status as of 2026-10-26 (America/New_York), at build time.

Month-by-month shore fishing guide
Species	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	OctThis month	Nov	Dec
Black drum	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Good	Peak	Peak

winter: Soak cracked crab or shrimp on bottom beside pier structure and oyster edges during manageable tidal flow.
spring: Continue fishing crab baits around bridge and pier structure, allowing larger fish room to run clear of supports.
summer: Try deeper reachable pier water early or late with fresh shrimp rather than hot shallow flats at midday.
fall: Return to oyster margins and rocky bay shorelines with scented bottom baits as the water cools.

Top baits

Best months and baits are general guidance, not official.

live

Live shrimp
Small live blue crabs

cut

Blue crab halves
Fresh peeled shrimp
Clam meat

artificial

Image credits

How to catch

General guidance; adapt tackle to conditions and follow current rules.

Hook: 3/0-5/0 inline circle hook
Leader: 30-40 lb monofilament
Weight: 1-3 oz sliding egg sinker
Rig: Fish-finder/Carolina rig: use an egg sinker above a swivel and a short 18 inch leader to anchor crab or shrimp on bottom.
Technique: Cast beside structure rather than into it and let the bait rest with light tension. Allow steady pressure to develop, then reel into the circle hook without a sharp strike.
Best tide: Early incoming or late outgoing with enough flow to carry scent but keep the bait still
Time of day: Cool-season daylight; dawn or dusk in warm weather

Crack crab shells and expose the hook point through a firm edge.
Carry a large landing net so fish do not need to be lifted by the leader.
Use firm tackle and support the belly when releasing a heavy drum.

Where to go

Habitat suggestions, subject to access. Check each spot's status before going.

Belleair Causeway Boat Ramp Fishing Pier The Intracoastal pier and nearby bridge offer bottom structure to fish with cracked-crab scent. Open
Philippe Park Shoreline Oyster shoreline habitat matches black drum feeding on bottom-dwelling shellfish. Open
Courtney Campbell Causeway — Clearwater Trail Shoreline Rocky causeway edges let shore anglers place shrimp on bottom beside hard cover. Call ahead
St. Pete Pier Fishing Deck Bay pilings provide a clear reference for positioning a stationary drum bait just outside snagging cover. Open
Clearwater Harbor Marina Fishing Pier Marina docks and the Memorial Causeway bridge area hold sheepshead and snapper around pilings in cooler months. Open