Two species of drum fish lurk in the waters around Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. Both fish migrate along the coast in spring and again in fall, and are sometimes found together. In addition to more familiar spring and fall fishing, a few drum of both species take up residence in the bays and coastal waters for the summer.
Black drum are among the best known members of the drum family. Black drum are heavy bodied fish with barbels or whiskers under the chin. Younger fish have four or five dark vertical bars on their sides but the stripes tend to fade with age. The coloration of backs and sides varies although drum usually have a white belly. Black drum sometimes exceed 100 pounds although most fish landed in the surf and coastal bays are around 10-35 lbs.
Red drum, also known as channel bass, redfish or spot tail bass are another large member of the drum family. The fish are shaped similar to black drum but are more sleek and have a reddish-copper color. Like black drum, they can be quite large, often exceeding 50 lbs. They prey on fish and crustaceans.
In 2007, President George W. Bush designated the Red Drum as a protected game fish. The red drum is also the state fish of North Carolina.