Bruce, That is a big drum - sheephead. Those fish fight pretty hard and similar to a big walleye. I bet you thought you really had a prize fish with that one on the line.
Yes!! These things are a blast to catch! They readily attack artificial presentations. Due to the high water flows in the Missouri River, people are catching tons and tons of 4-6 lb fish that range from 17-23 inches long. Always seems like a big walleye when it hits. They are enthusiastic fighters early in the fight, but late in the fight they fade fast and just roll into the net. I attribute this to the skinny tail. They just don't have that broad powerful stroke of a white bass or hybrid striper.
