The black drum is the largest sport fish of the Chesapeake Bay. Adults can weight 100 pounds or more.
The black drum is similar in appearance to red drum, but has a deeper body and darker coloration. Like their relatives, black drum produce a deep “drumming” sound.
In spring, black drum enter the bay in schools. They usually appear first near the mussel beds from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge – Tunnel to Cape Charles, Virginia. As the waters warm, they move northward, dispersing into smaller groups.
Juvenile black drum, known as “puppy drum” are also found in the Chesapeake Bay, most often in shallow backwaters, rivers, and creeks.
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