Red drum rules in Virginia
Size, bag and season for recreational red drum in Virginia waters, as published by Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
- Size
- 18"–26" (slot)
- Bag
- 3 per person
- Season
- No closed season listed
Also on the agency page: Virginia tidal waters; size limits are total length. Page lists no closed season for this species (seasons shown only where specified).
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.
What to know before you keep one
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.
State water or federal water
Virginia 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 ↗
Across the state line
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 20"–27" (slot) | 5 | Openas of Oct 13 |
| 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 |