2008 Redfish Tracking Project

Life History ...

Redfish, or Red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), are one of Florida’s most popular sport fish. The common name red drum comes from the “drumming” sound they make during spawning or when taken from the water.

Redfish spawn inshore close to tidal inlets through which the young are transported into estuaries. Spawning occurs in late summer and fall. Redfish have an elaborate courtship ritual. Males, sometimes many, follow females for hours at a time, drumming loudly and butting them. Male color intensifies during courtship and climaxes just after dark when eggs and sperm are released. Females may shed a million eggs at a time. Tiny larval fish hatch in 20 to 30 hours. Larval redfish feed mostly on microscopic plankton, which is their main food while floating into the estuarine nursery areas. The larval stage ends in about 2 1/2 weeks and salinity tolerance starts to be acquired.

Inside the estuary, juveniles settle along the edges of seagrass beds and other vegetation. This habitat protects the small fish until their fins develop enough to avoid predators. At approximately one inch long, redfish school. They are now growing at a rate of one inch or more a month, and reaching 13-14 inches by the end of the first year. Redfish continue to increase length throughout their lives. However, after 3-feet-long they add little length and lots of girth as they age. Redfish mature around 2 to 4 years in age and live for 25 to 35 years.

Young-of-the-year juveniles move in and out of backwater channels and canals as they develop and may remain in the estuary for up to four years. As adults, Redfish move out of the estuaries and move into inshore areas to spawn. Thus, repeating the cycle of Redfish life.

Data recovered from tagged redfish on the Gulf Coast, indicates that these fish do not travel for a from their birth area as 50% to 85% of tagged fish were recaptured within six miles of their original release site.

Source: Redstart website, FWRI-Sea Stats.