Comprehensive Description

The Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) is an important game fish, popular with surfcasters, that is found from Massachusetts (U.S.A.) to northern Mexico. Red Drum travel in schools during their spring and fall migrations. They are known as Redfish in Florida and along the Gulf Coast and as Channel Bass in many other regions. Large specimens (which are usually well under 1.5 meters) are knowsn as "bullreds", while smaller ones are known as "ratreds". (Boschung et al. 1983; Robins and Ray 1986)