Range and Identity
Sciaenops ocellatus is the Red Drum identity used here. Tail spots are useful, but their number varies, so exactly one spot is not a universal rule. Body color can range from bronze to more silvery tones depending on the fish and setting.
Habitat and Behavior
Young fish use bays and protected coastal waters, while larger adults often occur in Gulf and nearshore settings. Regional movement patterns should not become a rule that every individual leaves an estuary at the same age. Feeding fish may expose the tail while searching the bottom.
Food and Life History
Crabs, shrimp, worms and fishes are recorded foods, with prey use changing as fish grow. Upper references are 155 centimeters total length and forty-five kilograms. Drumming sounds involve muscles acting on the swim bladder. Regional spawning months are not presented as a universal calendar across the whole range.
Field Note
Record whether a fish was tailing or simply moving through the area. The visible tail can indicate bottom feeding, while a swimming fish may be engaged in a different activity.
All Lakes With Red Drum
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Red Drum records in our database, listed alphabetically.
Showing 1–21 of 21 lakes · Page 1 of 1
- Big Lake Cameron, LA
- Big Mar Plaquemines, LA
- Braunig Lake Bexar, TX
- Caillou Lake Terrebonne, LA
- Calaveras Lake Bexar, TX
- Grand Lake Cameron, LA
- Lac des Allemands St. John the Baptist, LA
- Lacassine Pool Cameron, LA
- Lake Arthur Cameron, LA
- Lake Boudreaux Terrebonne, LA
- Lake Cataouatche St. Charles, LA
- Lake Colorado City Mitchell, TX
- Lake Lery Plaquemines, LA
- Lake Mechant Terrebonne, LA
- Lake Nasworthy Tom Green, TX
- Lake Pontchartrain St. Tammany, LA
- Lake Saint Catherine Orleans, LA
- Lake Salvador St. Charles, LA
- Lake Shelby Baldwin, AL
- Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir McLennan, TX
- White Lake Vermilion, LA