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

Is it possible to have these fish in a pond? I love to catch these fish because they put up an excellent fight. If I can put them in it, what do I put for forage. Would perch and crawdads work?

Man I was wondering the same thing?? Will they work here in GA...??I seem to only catch them in Tenn. I would like to put them in my pond as well.

Just curious, Why do you want them? I have never heard of anyone going drum fishing.

They fight like a redfish and get just as big. They are also just kind of an novelty to have in a pond because not many people have them.

I have them in our 4+ acre lake in SE South Dakota and they are a tremendous game fish. You are right, they fight just like redfish in salt water and taste just as good. In SD, they are considered a nongame fish and so Game, Fish and Parks gave me a bunch and I love them. Their forage is the same as channel catfish. I dond't know of any one raising them so you will probably have to get them from the wild. As your state fisheries dept. for help. They probably will not reproduce in a small pond but don't let anyone talk you out of them.

Hi all,

My first post...

I have read in a few places that freshwater drum will eat Zebra mussels. I suspect the fish have to get to be a moderate size to do this. The local fish and game guy has said the same but they would likely NOT make a significant dent in the mussel population. They grow slowly too.

Odd though I would think you could raise them exclusively on Zebra's, get them to the right size and a school of them could do some real value in eliminateing these pests in a pond (until they breed again of course)

The last one I caught up here in Pittsburgh was not worth eating -- very taugh. Perhaps it was the cook (me)

Good question, unknown answer.
Lots of work to do about zebra mussels.
It will revolve around this concept...if drum eat zebra mussels, how many zebra mussels can a drum eat? Then, how many drum can the water body support? Then, how fast will zebra mussels replace themselves after drum eat them? Then, what impact will big numbers of drum have on that environment?
So, any answers right now are speculation.

Freshwater drum have been reported to get up to 31 to 35 lbs. However most of those caught in Lake Erie are one to 5 pounds. They tend to swim in lose schools.

Real small drum feed on small crustaceans and zooplankton. As drum grow (1"-2"), insect larvae are important in the diet. Larger fish eat lots of midge & bottom living larvae, leeches, crayfish, snails, small mollusks, and a few small fish that are captured on or near the bottom. Troutman says larger fish feed by moving rocks with their snouts, capturing crayfish, aquatic insect larvae, & small fish. Zebra mussels have been found in stomachs of Lake Erie drum. I wonder about the percentage of z.mussels in the typical drum diet.

Ave growth of drum in the Miss. Rv is 1yr=5", 2yr=9.5", 3yr=12.5", 4yr= 15", 5yr=16.5", 6yr=17.5", 7yr=19.2". Some can live 10-17 yrs depending on region.

Spawning occurs in open water and eggs have a large oil droplet which allows it to float mostly in or on the surface film or real high in the water column until hatching in 24 - 48 hrs. When able to swim at about 10mm long, larvae leave the surface film. And spend most of their life close to the bottom.

Realatively good fried or smoked the fillet of large flakes tends to dry out when cooked too long. Compared to beef or chicken the protein content is about the same but the fat content is lower. Smaller fish are more palatable than large fish.

But how well will these fish do in southern pond enviroment??

I come across wild stocks of drum from time to time in lakes we manage. Some lakes, as 570 acre Lake Kiowa, has drum to 25 pounds, along with many other species.
Other lakes, with proximity to rivers and public lakes, also have small populations of drum. In smaller ponds, drum are typically overwhelmed by existence of managed predator fish such as largemouth bass, so those drum stocks are low in number, and usually small in size.
However, if drum are at the top of your food chain, expect them to grow fairly large, at least 8-15 pounds. The biggest question will be how they interact with all other fish, and how other fish interact with your drum.

Is there a place to buy these fish in texas?

But will they survive in warmer waters?

we catch quite a few drum when bass fishing near memphis TN . wow, what a fight....it makes you feel like you got a huge bass on....great fight...doubt i'd eat it...but then again i mostly catch and release. mark

I wonder where I can get some of these? I would stock these over channel cats, or cut about half of the numbers of channels and stock some of these in there place..

big pond I shocked 165 diff ponds in the SE in the last 3 years and only once did I shock up drum. It was a 22 acre lake in calhoun. I seriously doubt you can find a hatchery source. If I shock up some more I'll let you come and pick them up.

Greg if some one has Drum in their lake, they are there for a reason, they want them.....by the way did you see the article on winter 2004 on raising trophy Channels?