Waterlands

Species guide · Florida

Red drum fishing in Florida

Sciaenops ocellatus, an inshore species also called redfish, reds and puppy drum. Listed for the South Florida and the Keys, Eastern Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Peak season, about 17 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound at 75, one of 31 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Peak season
Where it's scoring nowAll Florida waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

South Florida and the Keys

Peak season, about 17 more weeks
  1. Jan: Peak season
  2. Feb: Peak season
  3. Mar: Shoulder season
  4. Apr: Shoulder season
  5. May: Shoulder season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Off season
  8. Aug: Off season
  9. Sep: Shoulder season
  10. Oct: Peak season
  11. Nov: Peak season
  12. Dec: Peak season

Peak: Oct to Feb. In season (shoulder or peak): Sep to Jun.

Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region

Everglades backcountry, Florida Bay and Flamingo fish best in the cooler months. Summer water on shallow flats gets too hot and fishing shifts to early morning and deeper edges. Seasonality here is guide consensus, not agency data.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Eastern Gulf

Peak season, about 4 more weeks
  1. Jan: Shoulder season
  2. Feb: Shoulder season
  3. Mar: Shoulder season
  4. Apr: Shoulder season
  5. May: Shoulder season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Shoulder season
  8. Aug: Shoulder season
  9. Sep: Peak season
  10. Oct: Peak season
  11. Nov: Peak season
  12. Dec: Shoulder season

Peak: Sep to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): all year.

Research notes, Eastern Gulf region

Fall is peak as spawning schools form near passes and inlets from late August to November. Winter low tides push fish into creeks, spring-fed rivers and oyster bar edges. Harvest is prohibited in federal waters.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

South Atlantic

Peak season, about 4 more weeks
  1. Jan: Shoulder season
  2. Feb: Shoulder season
  3. Mar: Shoulder season
  4. Apr: Shoulder season
  5. May: Shoulder season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Shoulder season
  8. Aug: Peak season
  9. Sep: Peak season
  10. Oct: Peak season
  11. Nov: Peak season
  12. Dec: Shoulder season

Peak: Aug to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): all year.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

Resident in Florida east coast lagoons, Georgia and South Carolina marsh year-round, with winter schools on clear low-tide flats. Pamlico Sound bull reds run July through September and the Outer Banks surf peaks in October and November.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 31

Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's red drum score this hour.

1
75Great
Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (75) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (87) · 126 named spots

2
75Great
St. Andrews Bay Waterways

Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (75) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 AM (80) · 79 named spots

3
74Great
Coastal Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (74) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 12 AM (80) · 24 named spots

4
73Great
Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 Nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (73) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 8 AM (83) · 39 named spots

5
73Great
Tampa Bay waters

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (73) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (85) · 195 named spots

6
72Great
Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (73) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (84) · 22 named spots

7
72Great
Eastern Choctawhatchee Bay

Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (74) · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 4 PM (84) · 13 named spots

8
72Great
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (72) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 4 PM (82) · 109 named spots

9
71Great
Coastal waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (71) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (84) · 81 named spots

10
71Great
Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (71) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (83) · 131 named spots

11
69Great
Apalachee Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River Fl out to 20 Nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (69) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 8 PM (84) · 49 named spots

12
69Great
Pensacola Bay Area including Santa Rosa Sound

Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (69) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 6 AM (82) · 46 named spots

13
68Great
Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton Beach out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (68) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (83) · 20 named spots

14
68Great
Western Choctawhatchee Bay

Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (68) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 6 AM (79) · 23 named spots

15
67Great
Bayside and Gulfside from Craig Key to West End of Seven Mile Bridge

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (68) · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 7 AM (81) · 199 named spots

16
67Great
Coastal waters from Jupiter Inlet to Deerfield Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (69) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 12 PM (80) · 6 named spots

17
66Great
Biscayne Bay

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (69) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (83) · 82 named spots

18
66Great
Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (66) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 4 PM (80) · 92 named spots

19
63Good
Mona Passage Southward to 17N

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (63) · Best day Wed, Nov 11 at 6 PM (69)

20
61Good
Caribbean Waters of Puerto Rico from 10 NM to 17N, including the Coastal Waters of Saint Croix

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (61) · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 6 AM (70)

21
61Good
Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (61) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 4 PM (78) · 4 named spots

22
60Good
Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (60) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (82)

23
60Good
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (61) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (81)

24
57Good
Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (59) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 9 PM (76) · 16 named spots

25
54Good
Coastal Waters from Cabo San Juan to the waters between Anegada Island and Virgin Gorda and North 10 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (54) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (71)

26
54Good
Lake Okeechobee

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (54) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (64) · 11 named spots

27
53Good
Coastal Waters east of Puerto Rico, around Vieques, and around and just north of Culebra and Saint John

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (53) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 4 PM (72)

28
47Good
Atlantic Waters of Puerto Rico AND USVI from 10 NM to 19.5N

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (49) · Best day Wed, Nov 11 at 4 PM (69)

29
45Good
Anegada Passage east of Virgin Gorda and Saint Croix south to 17N

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (45) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (58)

30
44Fair
Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (44) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 4 PM (79) · 21 named spots

31
30Fair
Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (30) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 12 PM (77) · 88 named spots

How and where it feeds

Water temperature
Feeds from 52°F to 92°F, best between 65°F and 84°F.
Water depth
1 to 40 ft of water.
Structure
Flat, oyster, marsh, grass, channel, pass and surf, in that order of preference.
Tide and current
Prefers incoming tide and outgoing tide, with moderate current.A flooding tide lets reds push onto grass flats and into flooded marsh to feed, where they often tail. A falling tide pulls bait out of creeks, so fish creek mouths, drains and oyster bar points. Very low winter tides concentrate fish in potholes and creek channels.
Light
Bites best around dawn and dusk; feeds at night too.
Pressure
Tends to feed as pressure falls ahead of weather.
Wind and sea limits
18 kt of wind and 3 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Redfish feed on shallow grass flats, oyster bars and marsh edges, often in 1 to 4 feet of water, and drop into channels, deep holes and tidal creeks when the water turns very hot or cold. Work a live shrimp under a popping cork or a soft plastic along the grass line on a rising tide, then fish creek mouths and drains as the tide falls. Bull reds over 30 inches school in the surf, passes and jetties in late summer and fall, where cut mullet or a live crab on the bottom is the standard approach.

Methods
sight casting, popping cork, bottom fishing, surf fishing, fly fishing, wade fishing
Lures
gold spoon, soft plastic paddle tail, soft plastic shrimp, jighead and grub, topwater plug, shallow-running plug, crab or shrimp fly
Bait
live shrimp, finger mullet, mud minnow, blue crab, cut mullet, pinfish, Atlantic croaker

Regulations

FWC saltwater regulations Buy a Florida fishing license License types

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Oct 31, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

Panhandle (red drum)Retention open

1 per day · Slot 18 to 27 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Big Bend (red drum)Retention open

1 per day · Slot 18 to 27 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Tampa Bay (red drum)Retention open

1 per day · Slot 18 to 27 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Sarasota Bay (red drum)Retention open

1 per day · Slot 18 to 27 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Charlotte Harbor (red drum)Retention open

1 per day · Slot 18 to 27 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Southwest (red drum)Retention open

1 per day · Slot 18 to 27 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Southeast (red drum)Retention open

1 per day · Slot 18 to 27 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Indian River Lagoon (red drum)Catch & release

No retention

Season: No closed season on file

Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Catch-and-release only in the Indian River Lagoon region.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Northeast (red drum)Retention open

1 per day · Slot 18 to 27 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Volusia County waters south of Lytle Avenue/South Causeway in New Smyrna Beach, including Mosquito Lagoon, are in the Indian River Lagoon region, where red drum is catch-and-release only. Hook and line or cast net only. No spearing, gigging, bowfishing, snatch hooking, or multiple hooks with natural bait. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Red Drum (Redfish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Other Florida species