Red Drum migration calendar.
Resident year-round in most southern range but with strong seasonal movement between flats, marsh, and deeper holes. Fall bull red schools in Mid-Atlantic and Carolina inlets are a major event. Cut mullet, live shrimp, and gold spoons are workhorses; sight fishing tailing fish on flats is the iconic pursuit.
Stable in most ranges. Federal commercial harvest is closed in federal waters since 2007 — recreational only management with state-set bag limits.
Where the red drum are this year
Region-by-region presence. Sorted by current month — regions where red drum are at peak or good status this month appear first.
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake Bay (Lower) Mid-Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Virginia Coast & Eastern Shore Mid-Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Alabama & Mississippi Coast Gulf Coast | ||||||||||||
| Central Florida East Coast South Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Florida Nature Coast & Big Bend Gulf Coast | ||||||||||||
| Florida Panhandle Gulf Coast | ||||||||||||
| Georgia Coast South Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Louisiana Coast Gulf Coast | ||||||||||||
| North Carolina Outer Banks Mid-Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| North Carolina Southern Coast Mid-Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Northeast Florida South Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| South Carolina Coast South Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Southeast Florida South Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Southwest Florida & Everglades Gulf Coast | ||||||||||||
| Tampa Bay & Charlotte Harbor Gulf Coast | ||||||||||||
| Texas Lower Coast & Laguna Madre Gulf Coast | ||||||||||||
| Texas Middle Coast Gulf Coast | ||||||||||||
| Texas Upper Coast Gulf Coast |
Temperature triggers
- Preferred: 60–80°F
- Avoid below: 50°F
- Avoid above: 88°F
Read the water temperature, not the calendar — fish move when the water hits these thresholds, not when the date does.
Primary baitfish
- Mullet
- Menhaden
- Shrimp
- Crabs
Predators follow prey. Track the bait — find the bait, find the red drum.
Regulation & sources
Each coastal state sets its own slot and bag limits. Bull red (>27" or state-defined oversized) regulations differ from slot fish. Trophy red regulations vary substantially state to state.
Track red drum arrivals on your coast.
Bield: Fish notifies you when water temperatures and bait movements line up for your home region — so you're on the water the day they show up, not the week after.