Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Freshwater Drum

Would Freshwater Drum do good in pond and where would you buy them in the Houston area?

I don't know any hatchery who sells living freshwater drum. And, I have never met anyone who tried to raise them as primary species. Let us know how it works.

Norm Kopecky should weigh in here. I believe he stocks freshwater drum in his pond.

In South Dakota, freshwater drum are not considered a game fish. Thus, SD Game, Fish and Parks can give them to me. They get them when they are sampling lakes. They let me know when they are sampling a lake with drum or redhorse and I pick them up.

It is generally accepted that putting fish from other waters in our lakes is dangerous. I agree with that. I have sort of graded the potential danger of different waters. Smaller dams, rivers and lakes are definitely out. My favorite is the massive Lake Oahe. Huge amounts of water to dilute any potential pathogens. After that is a natural lake of about 2,500 acres called Enemy Swim. This is a very pure lake with mostly ranch land around it.

Other then getting them from the wild, I don't know of any sources of freshwater drum, goldeye, white bass and the various species of redhourses. I also got my pumpkinseeds and rock bass from Enemy Swim.

McDonald, sorry about not answering your question about desirability in a small lake. I certainly like them. To me, they are about the same as catfish in a lake. They occupy about the same niche. They are as good or even better as fighters. They taste about the same as saltwater red drum. The only downside that I can tell is that no one raises them for stocking.

So where can you catch them?

mcd - Norm is from South Dakota.

For information on your local freshwater drum fishing opportunities, I suggest you talk to your local game warden for suggestions of where to fish. He should know all the favorite "hot" spots for drum in your county or area. In some areas of the country they are not real common.

Thanks for the information

I have often wondered about fresh water drum as well...Well they survive in the warmer climates like North GA?? I have always caught them in the Tennessee area...

big pond, they will survive in a warm climate. I live in N. Texas and we have lots of freshwater drum. In the spring they are easy to catch in the spillways behind dams, crawfish for bait or any shad looking lure.

I think I can help you a bit. My freind of many years father, owns many ponds, heck we all do round here. One of his ponds is a crawfish pond where he raises them. He told us years back that his daddy used to catch numbers of drum with crawfish for bait. So the first thing that came to his mind when he built it was drum. Now I dont know how many, but I know they have some nice ones in there. I also know these were caught at ross barnett reservoir and transported. They have been in there for at least 7 years since i was like 15. Never had any problems that I can see. But then again he never lets anyone fish it, go figure.. just thought i'd add my 2 cents.

I was wondering if drum will take fish pellets?