Black Drum regulations
Virginia · Curated reference from cited public sources · listings, not permission to fish or retain a catch · This selected Virginia saltwater reference subset is not a complete rulebook.
SPECIES LINKS
FIELD GUIDE
Pogonias cromis
speciesBASICA drum of the western Atlantic off the coasts of North and South America, black or gray with distinctive stripes on juveniles. Powerful jaws crush oysters and shellfish; produces drumming tones during spawning.
HABITAT
Western Atlantic coastal waters and estuaries from North to South America.
SIZE
most 5–30 lb (2–14 kg)
TEXT CONDENSED FROM WIKIPEDIA, AVAILABLE UNDER CC BY-SA 4.0
Black Drum identification is educational; species identification does not establish legal applicability for Virginia.
- LAST LISTED/REFERENCE LIMITS
- 1 per person · minimum 16 inches
- APPLICABILITY
- No closed season is listed on the VMRC recreational page.
- SOURCE AUTHORITY
- VMRC Virginia's Recreational Fishing Regulations, Regulation 4 VAC 20-320-10 et seq. (Black Drum)
UPDATED April 1, 2026 · CHECKED Sep 10, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC · EFFECTIVE YEAR 2026
VMRC recreational saltwater fishing rules ↗The VMRC page is an informational summary; the applicable state regulations are authoritative.
LAUNCH SITES
Curated launch sites in Virginia (1)
This reference does not grant permission to fish or retain a catch. Location, method, vessel, species identification, and emergency closures can change what applies. Verify the applicable official rules.