Virginia Puppy Drum Fishing

As the 2013 Virginia saltwater fishing season moves into high gear, anglers are expecting a good season for red drum, especially smaller fish, known as puppy drum.

Virginia recreational anglers caught and released an astounding 2.5 million puppy drum in 2012, according to data from the federal Marine Recreational Information Program.

Early catches of puppy drum in Virginia could be a sign of more good fishing in the coming months. In May, flounder fishermen were surprised as keeper sized puppy drum appeared in good numbers around seaside inlets on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

In the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia's seaside bays, puppy drum often appear in shallow water around aquatic grasses and oyster beds. Puppy drum are often caught by casting or jigging soft-bodied plastics. Puppy drum are also caught with live minnows or other baits fished on the bottom or suspended under popping cork-type floats.