Mississippi · Gulf Coast
BLACK DRUM FISHING
IN BILOXI
Biloxi is an excellent destination for black drum fishing, with peak season in February, March and good catches in January, April, May. Book a charter and target black drum with local experts.
About Black Drum Fishing in Biloxi
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 — Biloxi
Month-by-month availability for black drum in Biloxi, MS.
How to Catch Black Drum in Biloxi
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 Biloxi
Top spots where local captains target black drum and other inshore species.
Back Bay of Biloxi
The Back Bay of Biloxi is a shallow tidal estuary stretching north behind the city, offering year-round inshore fishing for speckled trout, redfish, and flounder along its oyster-lined shorelines. The bay's grass beds and dock pilings concentrate baitfish on moving tides, creating prime ambush zones for predators. Fall and spring produce the most consistent action as fish push onto the flats to feed during mild water temperatures.
Deer Island Grass Flats
Deer Island sits just south of Biloxi's shoreline in Mississippi Sound, and its surrounding grass flats hold excellent populations of speckled trout, redfish, and flounder. The island's protected lee side provides calm-water fishing even when winds build across the open sound. Sight-casting to tailing redfish on the shallow sand and grass bottom around Deer Island is one of the premier inshore experiences on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Biloxi River Mouth
The Biloxi River empties into the Back Bay of Biloxi through a series of marshy bends and tidal creeks that hold redfish, speckled trout, and sheepshead year-round. The freshwater outflow creates a nutrient-rich mixing zone that sustains large populations of shrimp and mullet. Anglers work the river mouth's deeper bends and oyster shell points during falling tides when gamefish ambush baitfish flushing out of the marsh.
Point Cadet Harbor
Point Cadet Harbor at the eastern tip of the Biloxi peninsula provides sheltered inshore fishing around the marina docks, rock jetties, and bridge pilings that hold sheepshead, flounder, redfish, and black drum. The harbor's proximity to Mississippi Sound means fresh tidal water flushes through on each cycle, keeping baitfish populations healthy. Winter sheepshead fishing around the barnacle-crusted pilings is a local favorite that produces reliable catches.
Other Species in Biloxi
More fish you can target while visiting Biloxi.
Black Drum Fishing in Biloxi — FAQ
The peak months for Black Drum fishing in Biloxi are February, March. During these months, Black Drum are most active and abundant in the Biloxi area.
Black Drum fishing charters in Biloxi 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 Biloxi, your captain provides all required Mississippi fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Black Drum regulations in Mississippi 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 Biloxi, you may also catch Redfish, Speckled Trout, Sheepshead, Red Snapper, Flounder. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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