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#345927 08/01/13 05:58 PM
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I was in the Twin Cities area of MN visiting family this past week and was able to sneak away one evening and got in a few hours of fishing the mighty Mississippi River. It was my first time ever fishing he Mississippi River so I was excited for the chance to catch a few new species to add to the life list. I was able to add two new species, freshwater drum/sheepshead and black bullheads, neither of which are found here in the east. I also caught a few other species I have caught before. I was very impressed with how hard the freshwater drum fought. The largest one I caught was maybe 14"-15" and 1.5 pounds but fought like a tank. I didn't keep any fish, but if freshwater drum taste anything like their saltwater cousins, I wonder why anglers think of them as trash fish?




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That second pic looks very similar to saltwater black drum we catch occasionally when targeting redfish ( red drum).

They get huge on the flats, must be very closely related, b/c they look almost identical

Last edited by gallop; 08/01/13 06:16 PM.
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Saw this right after I asked you what you caught.

Always cool to add a new species or two. The drum fight nicely don't they? Surprised you don't have them. Thought they were native just about everywhere.

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Freshwater Drum are decent eating but have to be iced immediately. This is why they are not marketed, flavor can break down too fast

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CJ, it took dang close to a year to get Omaha to keep his eyes open for fish pictures. How 'bout a smile???


Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."

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Yes, freshwater drum, red drum, black drum, Atlantic croaker and spot are all closely related. I will have to try some freshwater drum the next time I am out that way and compare it to their saltwater cousin.

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I caught one while striper fishing on Lake Texoma. It put up a good fight. I thought I had a decent striper but after reeling up in 80 feet of water. I didn't recognize it at first.

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Never knew there was any such fish in freshwater, and I'm glad to see it.

Not like a sheepshead at all though, from what I know.


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Originally Posted By: Sunil
CJ, it took dang close to a year to get Omaha to keep his eyes open for fish pictures. How 'bout a smile???


Just look at the fish Sunil!

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Take it for what it's worth but I had a charter boat captain on Lake Erie tell me when he worked on a trawler the sheepshead went to McDonalds for their fillet of fish sanwiches. He didn't seem to be pulling my leg.

This was back in the 90's if it matters.


If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.






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Well, red drum their close relative were almost fished out they taste so darn good. It wasn't until extremely strict fishing regulations did they start coming back. I wonder if they just got a bad reputation and it has unfairly stuck? If you gave someone freshwater drum and told them it was something else, they may be more open to eating it? I caught fish in the 12"-15" range and they seemed like they would produce a decent fillet had I kept them... Not really sure I would want to eat a bottom fish out of the Mississippi to eat though. Maybe it isn't as badly polluted with contaminants as I think it is?

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About 10 years ago I was fishing on the Gasconade River drinking ice cold Budweiser. Something kept stealing the crawdads off my hook. I could not hook whatever it was for nothing. Finally after about 10 empty hooks I decided I would just drink beer and enjoy the scenery. I grabbed the biggest crawdad in the bucket. Not sure why we even put a crawdad in the bucket that big. It was a small lobster and mean, but the beer was tasting extremely good at this point. I tossed that thing out thinking nothing would mess with it being so big and interrupt the atmosphere I was enjoying. That crawdad had to 5". Boy was I wrong. One of the best fights I ever fought but after about 10 minutes he gave up. Went from peeling line to reeling right to the boat. Wish I would of had a camera and scale on the river with me that night. I would have let him go. But I ate him instead. Ended up being an 18 pounder. The drum are are pretty thick on the Gasconade River ranging mainly in the 2 pound range. Crazy night.

Last edited by Jwwann; 08/02/13 12:31 AM.

If you ain't gonna fart, why eat the beans?
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RES,HBG,YP,HSB,SMB,CC,and FHM. .seasonal trout.
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Awesome fish! I'd like to see drum offered for pond stocking. I am not sure they could reproduce in a pond with the way they reproduce. Could make them an easy species to manage under pond conditions.

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Another cool thing about them is each one comes with 2 souvenirs. They are calcium deposits inside the drums head. They are called lucky stones. People make beautiful jewelry with them.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lucky-Stone-Jewelry/180444450449

Last edited by Jwwann; 08/01/13 11:27 PM.

If you ain't gonna fart, why eat the beans?
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RES,HBG,YP,HSB,SMB,CC,and FHM. .seasonal trout.
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See? Good things do happen when you drink beer.


Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."

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A few things about the freshwater drum. We catch them often around here. To me, they are possibly the most underrated freshwater fish. They regularly hit lures and baits, anything you throw at them. They fight much harder than a largemouth of the same or even larger size. And, as previously pointed out, if prepared properly, make excellent table fare. Their bad rep might be due to their shape, especially their mouth. It's pointed down so people might automatically assume they're some bottom feeding trash fish.

I believe we had discussed drum in a pond setting and, in theory, should work. Floating eggs (only freshwater fish that does this I believe) should result in not too much recruitment. I don't think we ever found anyone willing to intentionally stock them yet. They would have to be caught and transferred. I think Travis confirmed there was no source for them.

Another thing, I think Bruce mentioned this when we were talking about them maybe a couple years ago, but when cleaning a freshwater drum, their otiliths are commonly used to make jewelry.

Here's a goofy smile for you Sunil!


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Always known as trash fish up here. That's because they always got in the way of the more desirable fish like YP and WE.

I see some references to them on fishing reports, and how fun they are to catch. Caught many myself off the pier's on Lake Michigan, but never target them.
Round Goby's are the new trash fish!

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Considered trash fish around here as well...likely as mentioned due to the mouth. I've caught a couple lake fishing over the years...heck of a fight. Next one I catch I'll be finding out how it tastes.


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I've found the ones in the damed lakes around me taste awful compared to the clear water streams like the Gasconade River and Big Piney River for example. The ones out of the Lake of Ozark's taste like dirt. Maybe pollution. Not sure. The lake ones for reason are more rubbery textured also.


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I would like to get some for the pond and try. Closest place that would have them is probably 6-8 hours from me. Long trip to just get some drum, but with as hard fighting as they were, might be worth the trip in my mind.

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I wonder if you fed them pellets if the taste wouldn't improve.

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They are tough to keep alive. They will die in the live well. Seems like they do better on a stringer. The gasconade is only 6 miles from my house and Big Piney 12. I will grab a few next week and throw them in pond. My concerns are they might not like the pond environment. I usually catch them in flowing water on rivers. Im guessing they will be floating quick in my small 1/4 acre pond. Pics to come next week if the river don't flood. Rain in forecast everyday through next Friday.

Last edited by Jwwann; 08/02/13 07:22 PM.

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I know I tear them up when I run Juggs on Carlyle lake they'll take a jugg skiing for a quarter mile before they slow down..I always throw them back but they look like they'd have alot of meat on them I always heard they were real boney and a PITA to clean so I've always considered them trash fish aswell.. Cool looking fish though..

Last edited by Bluegillerkiller; 08/02/13 08:12 PM.

I believe in catch and release. I catch then release to the grease..

BG. CSBG. LMB. HSB. RES.

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Way easier to clean than a gar. Lol! No they clean easy. Not that boney, but we gig sucker every winter, eat them and they are the boniest. Many people consider them trash fish also. A fish scorer, some cold beer, and friends will make this best freezing to death experience ever. Riverside fish fry anybody. Nothing like the lights and spear running the river at night. Spooky! Almost gigged a beaver one time.

Last edited by Jwwann; 08/02/13 08:23 PM.

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My new mission, to raise the drum from trash fish to beloved game fish! HAHA

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