Fresh Water Drum

[Panman]

Read an Article about a large dieoff of these fish in Arkansas. Not being familiar with the drum I read several articles about the fish. It seems that some anglers look at the fish as a rough fish not worth eating while others give it high marks for its fighting ability and its table fare. Also read they could be taken on a wet fly. Would some of you give me your opinion about the plus and minus' of the drum?

Thanks: Tim

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/03/fi...1_lnk5%7C34367

[djo]

I have hit into pretty good fishing for drums a couple of times. Both times were in the spring and there seemed to be a lot of them in near shore (breeding or just feeding I do not know). They readily took nymphs, black buggers, and small foxy red clousers. The 5 pounders put up a pretty good tug with a 5 wt - I would compare them to largemouth bass (boy that will likely cause some flack). Both times I was fishing for gills and largemouth and the drum were pleasant surprises. I have never eaten one but then I would not eat a largemouth (or any fish out of an Iowa lake or river - if you think we can poison the nation's egg supplies you should see what we do with our waterways).

David

[quivira kid]

They do like Clouser minnows! I know that for a fact. Pull like crazy... They're a lot of fun to catch. My buddy's dad says they taste great, but I will stick to crappie, gills, and white bass.

[Mato Kuwapi]

AKA Sheephead... They also like crayfish patterns. They are fun to catch, but where I get them from, I wouldn't eat them. They will grunt when you're handling them.
Here are some interesting links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_drum

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...t-useless-fish

Some recipes:
http://www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu/_doc...er%20catch.pdf

http://www.ifood.tv/network/skin_fre...m_fish/recipes

[zaxaca]

I grew up in Texas and we called them gaspergou.

[Thunderthumbs]

I've caught a few while sight casting to them along the dam of Clinton Lake in Lawrence, KS. Fun fish to fish for, fun to fight too. Haven't eaten any though.

TT.

[FishnDave]

I haven't caught any on fly gear yet, just on spinning gear. The bigger ones give a darn good fight, for sure! Here's my biggest one, caught this summer. It was 26" long. I released it. It hit a Reef Runner Cicada blade bait:

[shorthaul]

They are plentiful in Lake Erie---relative to the red drum and black drum in saltwater which taste great. "Silver sliders" Pull hard and glide ---pull hard and glide---Everyone fishing for perch or walleye thought of them as rough fish but after the onslaught of zebra and quagga mussels in L.Erie the sheephead is the hero.
The gold tinted ones are eating the mussels. They take the same lures and bait as a walleye---love softshelled crayfish and emerald shiners. I've caught them up to 28" and had some of the huge ones fight til they are dead. If you turn them belly up they will just lie there until a gull lands on them. Some people eat them but more people dont.

[Kaboom1]

Mike

From what I have been told, you are the Sheephead King of Lake Erie! Keep up the good work buddy!

Brad

[shorthaul]

Mike

From what I have been told, you are the Sheephead King of Lake Erie! Keep up the good work buddy!

Brad

Thats it---the sheephead has been thrown !!!

Im bargaining for a dock up your way in may and june---ill get the "dough god" and we can have a sheephead tournament when they are on the beds. Fly Only!!!--- You're gonna need a 10 wt---none of those pamby wamby 3 wts.

Looser samples some cedar planked sliders .

Mike