Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Freshwater Drum/Sheepshead

Things could get interesting.

I've been trying to convince people of this for years now. Caught my first on ultra light tackle targeting stocker trout at a local lake. Had no idea what it was, but the fight was incredible. We have friends who have a very large fish fry every year. A major contribution to this is the freshwater drum. Next to walleye, you cannot tell the difference. And I think the Nebraska record is twice the size of a largemouth.

While we do catch them more frequently in moving water, I regularly catch them in rather turbid water in a city lake. Very shallow, no flow. Other than drum, only one bass has been caught from this area. I've transported in unaerated buckets and kept them in aquariums with no problems.

I think what this is telling us is we don't know enough about them.

Maybe the smaller sized fish are easier to transport and adapt easier than the larger ones?

The first one I kept in a bucket and handled more than I should was 17 inches. Released into an aquarium very much still alive. Eventually released it back into the water I caught it.

Im wondering if the hard fight they give hurt them similar to what others have stated about HSB. Almost every time they grab and run. Then fight to exhaustion. Then they give up and come right in. Maybe this is why they are sometimes hard to keep alive. Maybe they Preety much fight to death in warmer temps.

Jwwann, you might be onto something. With most drum I catch, once landed, their fight is gone. They speed off quickly when released, but don't flop around like some species (bass) when trying to get a photo opp.

Here is a pic of a freind cooking one up riverside. They are delicious like this. Skin peels right off and meat flakes away from the bone. You just have a fish skeleton left. I'm not that hard core. I need some salt and pepper or lemon pepper. He says that takes away the flavor.

Do you still remove the red line like you have to with pike and white bass when you do this?

No we ate them whole like this. I seasoned with salt and pepper only.

Interesting. I have heard two necessary things about freshwater drum, one already mentioned. Must keep them cool. Get them on ice immediately. And also to remove that red line that tends to make the meat taste bad if kept intact. Do these two things and you have a very walleyesque fillet.

Omaha, I had some large CC that were prepared that way, the reddish colored meat was removed before they were cooked on some and not on others. The CC had a completely different (better) taste on the pieces where the reddish colored meat was removed than from the pieces where it was left on the fillet.

Great experiment Scott and exactly what I've heard as well. To my knowledge, I've never eaten fish without the red meat removed.

Intentional typo, funny guy?

Better than the other fat finger typo that I've changed before I hit the submit button!

I've found the smaller ones around 2 or 3 pounds you don't really have a problem with dirt vein. That big one I had to remove the dirt vein while cleaning.

I wish I could find the picture but my uncle cought what was the Canadian record back in the late 80's in the Bay of Quinty (a northern bay of Lake Ontario) and it was 32" long and weighed 26Lbs. At the time we were fishing for Walley and thought we had hooked into a Chinook Salmon that may had wondered into the bay in early summer. The fight lasted over an hour and to this day was one of the hardest fights I have yet to see with a rod/reel! I will try to dig up the picture if I can find it at my fathers.

Ryan

Would love to see that picture Ryan!

Me too!

+1 on removing the red meat. I think it makes the fish taste better and it also cooks better IMO.

Well every river around me is flooded to max. Gonna be a while before my drum experiment.

The Gaconade River is finally coming down and clearing up. They have had all the accesses closed due to the historical flood. Most accesses are going to have to be replaced completely. New all time record. Maybe I can get out this week and catch a few drum to get this experiment started. By the way what is the acronym for drum on forum.

I'm going with drum

FWD or drum

Gallop, FWD would work for you or you could go with Red Drum in your area. I have seen acclimated Black drum into pure fresh in a freinds Giant aquarium. It is doing well ..