Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

[CalicoKid]

Anyone know anything about the Sheapshead? Are they related to the Drums of the Oceans? I catch them here while Walleye fishing and they fight like crazy. I've never eaten one, my brother says he heard they are just as tasty as Walleye. Most locals around here cut them open or split thier heads and toss them back. That seems shameful. I saw a kid once catching them and cutting a stone or pearl out of thier heads and tossing them back in the water. I just release them or sometimes snap a picture if it's a biggun and release it. They really are kind of a pretty fish and seem to function as an intermediate predator in the local food chain. They must be native? Just curious.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Is this the critter your speaking of?...<br /><br /> sheepshead?

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

[edit] That's the sheepshead I'm familiar with<br /><br />Sheepshead (if the right size - between 16"-30") are good to eat. They look a lot like the black drum (except the sheepshead have "human teeth")<br /><br />If the drums are large, they have large rocks in their heads. These are some fine rocks, but it is a waste to kill a fish for the rocks. Catch them, enjoy the fight and release unless you want them for table fare. They taste a lot like the big red drums.<br /><br />You have to be careful with black drum. When they get too large they get worms in them. It is nasty.<br /><br />the drum can live in either fresh, brackish or salt water.<br /><br />Here is a picture of the last drum I caught about a month ago. It was 40.5"<br /><br /> http://users3.ev1.net/~keltonkrew/mike-fish.jpg

 

[Moose_Miller]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Calico,<br /> The fish you described is one that is very plentiful here in Nebraska, mainly in the Missouri River. These fish have no teeth... almost a carp-like mouth. They have some vibrating stone in their head that some people "dig out". A 3 lb fish (which is average) will have an oval shaped stone in their head about the size of a dime. Does the fish in question, look like this:

<br /><br />If this is it, they eat fairly well in the 1-5 lb class... but there's a trick to filletting them: Fillet it out like you would a big Crappie, or even a Walleye, cutting around the ribcage. Drum have a row of Y-bones exactly in the same pattern as a Walleye. Cut out the Y-bone section, then trim off ALL red meat in the fillet. What you have left is boneless, white, flaky meat, of a mild flavor.<br /><br />Hope this helps

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Moose, Thanks! That's the fish! What's the red meat consist of? Is that the fat store?<br /><br />Kelton, that is one big ugly fish!!! How'd you get your wife to clean that one? LOL! Yours and Snapper's fish look like salt water fish. The Sheapshead I catch are out of the WI river, one of the larger tributaries of the Mississippi. They don't have teeth either, eat minnows, worms, leaches, and my rapalas, spinners, etc.<br /><br />Thanks for the info!

 

[Moose_Miller]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

The red meat is a real thin layer between the fillet itself and the skin. I've heard it called the "mud vein" (where the impurities go) in some venues. If you've ever filletted a Flathead Catfish, it's the same as that. Some bigger Walleyes have a mud vein too, usually darker in color though, almost brown. Good rule of thumb with any fish is to cut that stuff out... much better table fare without it!

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Yeah, that's the fat stores. Most of any fishes impurities will lie there as most are fat soluble.<br /><br />What's that big grin for? You tryin' to feed me carp?

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Calico Kid,<br /><br />You are right, that is the UGLIEST fish I've ever caught!<br /><br />My wife took a look at it while it was in the boat and commented on how ugly it was!!!! <br /><br />It was fun to catch, a pain to clean. Next time, he goes back in the water!

 

[JB]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

I think bowfin is uglier.<br /><br />That is the same as "Gasper Gou"? (sp?)

 

[Fishbusters]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Yes it is JB<br />Before we go much further the freshwater drum or sheepshead as you call it JB is nothing like the drum or sheepshead in saltwater except general shape. Yes they are native and that is about as much as I realy know about them. The don't occur here but where they are I hear you catch them fishing for almost anything else but mainly walleye and smallmouth bass.

 

[derwood]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

See....Now I don't think thats all that great of a picture of a saltwater sheepshead....They are'nt silvery....I don't know what all that gold looking stuff on the top of that picture is in between the the bars.<br /><br />I do know they are top of the line table fair....and they can bite through about half the hooks they sell in the store....they are right about the size near shore....bout 2 lbs or so.<br /><br />Some pepole call them "Prisnor fish" because of the bars.<br /><br />I have never seen that thing you guys are callen a sheepshead....sure is ugly....but if yall say its edible, I guess I'll have to trust ya.<br /><br />Derwood.

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

here is a pic of a saltwater sheepshead<br /><br />

<br /><br />These are good table fare and have the mouth full of teeth. Derwood is correct in they can bite through everything. Keeps your fingers away.<br /><br />Here is a good link on black drums:<br /><br /> http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/specinfo/blkdrum/blkdrum.htm

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

We dont have sheapshead out west but i have heard they put up a good fight. seems there is quit a few different types of fish that were over looked<br />as good sport fish in the past.

 

[Scoop]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

I have never caught one of the freshwater Sheepshead that Calico is talking about, but my Grandfather talked about them being a pain. they would catch them and kill them.<br /><br />I have heard of people collecting the "Stones". don't know why anyone would want to.<br /><br />Anyone know how to cook a carp? I heard they eat them in most other countries. I also saw a cooking show from England where they took a carp, stuffed it with herbs and baked it. <br />I have heard that they taste muddy. I have eaten smoked carp which was good. <br /><br />I also have a book that says to put them in a pain of clean water with an aerator for a few hours and that this will take the muddy taste out. I don't know if I could get past the slime smell of them. You could smell the big one I caught when it broke the water near the boat.

 

[bKelly]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

I caught a nice size drum last weekend bass fishing. He was a little over 24” long and I guessing about 15 pounds. It was a great fight and afterwards I released him. Not too many people eat them around here although I might try it. <br /><br />JB, the bowfin is the meanest and ugliest fish I have ever caught. They will demolish a bass lure; I had one pull the blade off of a spinner bait. They get fairly large here and are very common on the rivers and ox-bow lakes. The bowfin are loaded with needle sharp teeth. The alligator gar is a close second on the ugly factor and they get huge.

 

[Big Al1]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

A few posts here have said that they don't eat the sheepshead. Well, I catch quite a few of the sheepshead and I keep all of mine (over 12"). My freezer is full of red snapper, grouper, king mackeral, sea trout, and many freshwater fish and my favorite to eat just may be the sheepshead. If anyone says that the meat is not that good must have done something wrong when they cooked it. Heat up some butter in a skillet, sprinkle some salt, mustard powder, and some paprika on the fillet and blacken it. Better than blackened redfish, hands down. I've never froze the meat, though. It may be like redfish: the meat MUST be fresh to be eaten.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Hi Big Al, Are those saltwater Sheepshead or freshwater you're eating? Blackened fish sure is tasty!

 

[derwood]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Howdy Big Al1....They are'nt talking about saltwater sheepshead....Witch are very tastey....but some kind of freshwater fish they don't have in my neck of the woods.<br /><br />Derwood.

 

[Combee]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Just wondering but why would one collect the stones in a fish’s head?

 

[Moose_Miller]

Re: Sheapshead, Freshwater Drum?

Because the "stones" have a remote likeness to a pearl, which, in a manner of speaking of way, also is collected from a "fishes head". <br /><br />I personally think it's a waste of time, but who knows why people do the things they do.