Size, bag and season for recreational red drum in North Carolina waters, as published by NC Division of Marine Fisheries.
Also on the agency page: Unlawful to possess red drum over 27" TL; unlawful to gig, spear or gaff red drum. DMF links its circle-hook rig requirement for red drum. Harvest must be reported to DMF.
Stale: this row was last checked Oct 10, 2026, past our 30-day limit. Treat it as history and go to the agency page.
Rules change in season, sometimes by emergency notice. This page summarizes the agency page on the date shown. If this summary and the agency page disagree, the agency page controls.
Most Atlantic states manage red drum with a slot, a minimum and a maximum. The upper limit protects big spawning bulls, and anglers used to minimum-only rules are the ones who get caught out. Not every state is a slot: New York sets no minimum, only a 27-inch maximum, and parts of Florida are catch-and-release only. Read your state's row.
North Carolina rules apply in state waters, generally out to 3 nautical miles. Harvest and possession of red drum are prohibited in Atlantic federal waters (the EEZ). The recreational fishery is a state-waters fishery. NOAA Fisheries · red drum ↗
Rules for the same fish change at the state line. If you run across it or land in the next state, those rules apply.
| State | Size | Bag | Status as of Oct 13, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 18"–26" (slot) | 3 per day | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Virginia | 18"–26" (slot) | 3 per person | Openas of Oct 13 |
| North Carolina | 18"–27" total length (slot) | 1 fish per person per day | Openas of Oct 13 |
| South Carolina | 18"–25" total length (slot) | 1 per person per day, not to exceed 2 per boat per day (state waters) | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Georgia | 14"–23" total length (slot) | 5 per person per day | Openas of Oct 13 |
Attributed operator claims, not verified catches. The full Bite Wire →
Jennette's Pier reported multiple red drum caught and released early on October 5, with ocean temperature at 72 degrees and northerly winds at 15 knots. The pier has been posting red drum activity consistently since late September.
The September regional report described billfish and mahi offshore, Spanish mackerel nearshore, and red drum activity inshore and along the beachfront.
