Georgia · Georgia Coast
BLACK DRUM FISHING
IN TYBEE ISLAND
Tybee Island is a solid destination for black drum fishing, with peak season in April and good catches in March, May. Book a charter and target black drum with local experts.
About Black Drum Fishing in Tybee Island
A powerful bottom-feeding species found in bays and passes. Juveniles are excellent table fare.
Black Drum are powerful bottom feeders found throughout Gulf and Atlantic estuaries. Juveniles display 4-5 dark vertical bars on a silver body and are often confused with sheepshead, but lack the prominent teeth. Adults lose the bars and turn uniformly dark gray to black, with large specimens developing a pronounced hump and thick, rubbery lips for crushing oysters and clams. They are the largest member of the drum family.
Scientific name: Pogonias cromis
Black Drum Seasonal Calendar — Tybee Island
Month-by-month availability for black drum in Tybee Island, GA.
How to Catch Black Drum in Tybee Island
Techniques & Bait
Fresh-cut blue crab (halved or quartered) on a heavy Carolina rig is the go-to bait for big drum around passes and jetties. Shrimp, clams, and oysters on bottom rigs work well around structure. For juveniles (10-15 lbs), live shrimp under a cork or on a jighead works great around oyster bars. In Texas and Louisiana, sight-casting to tailing drum on shallow flats with shrimp or crab flies is an incredible experience.
Recommended Tackle
Medium to medium-heavy rod, 4000 reel, 15-20 lb braid, 30 lb fluorocarbon leader for bull drum. Medium-light tackle for juveniles. Circle hooks (4/0-6/0) are recommended for safe release of oversized fish.
Best Inshore Fishing Spots in Tybee Island
Top spots where local captains target black drum and other inshore species.
Lazaretto Creek
Lazaretto Creek separates Tybee Island from the mainland marsh system, creating a productive tidal waterway where redfish, flounder, sheepshead, and speckled trout hold along the dock pilings, oyster beds, and creek bends. The creek's strong tidal flow concentrates baitfish on moving tides, drawing gamefish from the surrounding marsh. The Lazaretto Creek boat ramp is the primary launch point for Tybee Island fishing, and anglers often catch quality fish before leaving the creek itself.
Tybee Creek
Tybee Creek runs along the south side of Tybee Island, winding through pristine spartina marsh where redfish, flounder, and trout feed on the abundant shrimp and crab populations. The creek's oyster shell banks and undercut marsh edges provide prime ambush structure for redfish cruising the shallows on rising tides. Low-tide sight-fishing for tailing redfish on the exposed mud flats along Tybee Creek is a quintessential Georgia Lowcountry inshore experience.
Bull River
The Bull River flows between Tybee Island and Wilmington Island through a wide tidal channel lined with spartina marsh and oyster beds that hold redfish, flounder, sheepshead, and black drum. The river's width and depth allow it to be fished from the bank, by kayak, or from larger boats, making it one of the most accessible inshore fishing spots near Tybee Island. Winter sheepshead fishing around the Bull River's dock pilings and bridge structure produces impressive catches.
Little Tybee Island Creeks
Little Tybee Island is an undeveloped barrier island south of Tybee accessible only by boat, and its network of tidal creeks and marsh flats provide pristine inshore habitat for redfish, speckled trout, and flounder. The island's lack of development ensures minimal fishing pressure and healthy populations of gamefish feeding on the rich marsh ecosystem. Kayak anglers paddle from Tybee across the creek to explore Little Tybee's secluded creeks for a wilderness fishing experience.
Other Species in Tybee Island
More fish you can target while visiting Tybee Island.
Black Drum Fishing in Tybee Island — FAQ
The peak months for Black Drum fishing in Tybee Island are April. During these months, Black Drum are most active and abundant in the Tybee Island area.
Black Drum fishing charters in Tybee Island are typically inshore trips. Prices vary by trip duration and group size. Most charters include all gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning.
Fresh-cut blue crab (halved or quartered) on a heavy Carolina rig is the go-to bait for big drum around passes and jetties. Shrimp, clams, and oysters on bottom rigs work well around structure. For juveniles (10-15 lbs), live shrimp under a cork or on a jighead works great around oyster bars. In Texas and Louisiana, sight-casting to tailing drum on shallow flats with shrimp or crab flies is an incredible experience.
No — when you book a charter in Tybee Island, your captain provides all required Georgia fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Black Drum regulations in Georgia include minimum size limits and bag limits that vary by season. Your captain will know the current regulations and ensure compliance.
While targeting Black Drum in Tybee Island, you may also catch Redfish, Sheepshead, Cobia, King Mackerel, Black Sea Bass. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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