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Red drum · Puppy drum · Channel bass · Bull red · Spot tail

Redfish

Red drum lying on concrete, copper-gold with a black spot at the base of the tail
Geeklikepi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Recognition

Iridescent silver-gray with a copper cast, darker above. One or more black spots on the upper side near the tail. The chin has no barbels.

SC DNR

Waters

Tidal creeks, oyster reefs, marsh edges, open mud flats beside salt marsh, jetties, the mouths of bays and sounds, and beaches near inlets.

SC DNR · SC DNR

Months

Year-round

Present in South Carolina waters year-round. Georgia DNR names fall as best for small school-size fish and spring and fall for large fish.

SC DNR

Months present, by species
SpeciesJanJFebFMarMAprAMayMJunJJulJAugASepSOctONovNDecD
RedfishJan: presentFeb: presentMar: presentApr: presentMay: presentJun: presentJul: presentAug: presentSep: presentOct: presentNov: presentDec: present
  • Present
  • Peak
  • Not stated

Bait

  • Live menhaden
  • Finger mullet
  • Fresh cut mullet
  • Live or dead shrimp
  • Small crabs
  • Mud minnows
  • Blue crab

GA DNR

Size and bag limits