This member of the drum family is a large grey to silver fish with four to six black bars that are more prominent when the fish is young. They have a high arched back and a down-turned mouth. They have small barbels or whiskers similar but shorter than a catfish’s. They have large scales and make a drumming sound by vibrating muscles against their swimbladder. This can be heard both in and out of the water.
The black drum is a bottom feeder, rooting about for crabs, mollusks and shrimp. Â They live in coastal and inshore waters and can travel into brackish waters at times.
Black drum are normally caught using crab, shrimp or clams for bait. Soaking a bait on the bottom is the best method. Black drum will often enter shallows where they may be sight-fished and sometimes fooled with lures and flies.