Freshwater Drum aka Sheepshead

Hawnjigs

KISS
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
4,226
Location
Ogallala, NE
Caught a fair amount over the years, but never ate one due to bad comments on fishing forums.  So with the usual wiper, walleye, & catfish no longer available due to canal drain down, kept a smaller 18" today.  Didn't notice any bad smell cleaning, tho the flesh had noticeably more red sections than other species, which of course I trimmed out.

Baked the filets with Asian style peanut (butter) sauce with garlic, ginger, sriracha, a dash of REAL shoyu, & chopped fresh jalapenos.  Cooked meat was firm, flakey, & not dry at all.  Couldn't detect any off flavors or smells, and thought it was as good as any fresh water fish.

Hope the next one is as tasty.
 

hookup

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
2,698
Location
VA
Never had a freshwater "sheepshead" but ate many of salt water ones from CA. Their main diet was shell fish so we'd wrap the meat in cheesecloth, boil it, then eat it cold on salad or mix it with majo for a spread on sandwiches. Cheap man's crab or lobster.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
4,226
Location
Ogallala, NE
Having lived most of my life in the middle of an ocean, I miss catching and eating salty fish. Making the best of whats available, it took awhile to enjoy their FW brethren. HI bro Dwight mentioned that fresh pelagic fish prices are continually rising, lately mahimahi = $15 a lb.

One of the primary food sources of the fish I catch in canals mostly is crawdads, so maybe that helps table quality? Can't say anything tastes like lobster tho.

Why wrap in cheesecloth?
 

ridgeliner

New member
Joined
Oct 10, 2012
Messages
54
Location
Lake Erie N.Y.
A couple friends of mine make a milk based chowder with diced sheepshead. I haven't tried it but they claim it is really good. The knock that I always hear on the sheepshead is how bony they are. Give me yellow perch or walleye.
 

hookup

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
2,698
Location
VA
Why wrap in cheesecloth?

I lived in a 22' travel trailer on the beach for years. Was easy, quick, could store it easily, and easy to serve. And tasty!

Get home from work, walk out my front door & catch whatever was running. Loved sheephead
 

walleyescrounger

New member
Joined
Mar 18, 2015
Messages
38
I caught a big one this summer while spooning for walleye. I boiled up some to try since
the internet claims it taste like lobster and suggest boiling. I deep fried the rest
It's one ugly fish but is fine eating. The flesh is firm and would be great in cowder. I liked the boiled 
"Gasper Goo" with old bay served with butter. Deep fried was great also. Saltwater redfish are a type
of drum and are good eating. So I suggest if you never tried it go for it.
 

Kdog

Moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
1,808
Location
SW Ohio
Never learned how to cook them but the indians around buffalo ny could and had some great sheephead meals at the reservations council house. Tried cleaning and cookinh them myself but could not mach what they were doing. Boiled however made a great NE style chowder.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
4,226
Location
Ogallala, NE
Got a perfect eater size for two 4# drum today and Jon & I enjoyed fish tacos for dinner. Jon is a master fish fryer using very little oil, egg wash and Panko. Rolled in "street" size corn tortillas with KISS fresh tomato-cilantro-garlic salsa - delicious.

Hookup, the CA sheepshead looks like a wrasse. Pretty red color.
 

hookup

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
2,698
Location
VA
Hawn - the CA sheepshead start their life as male and they are red-brown in color. Then as they mature they turn the colors of the pix & turn into a female. I think it's called hermaphroditic. The females are the ones anglers covet, but that's true for almost all of us too
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
4,226
Location
Ogallala, NE
Hey, there's a similar wrasse species in Hawaii that morphs from male to female the older & bigger it gets.  Here's a pic showing a male "table boss" in the middle with a female at the top.  Bottom is a to'au a tasty snapper species.  Personally, I didn't care for the taste of table boss.



Yah, the Hawaiian version ain't as purty - wish they all could beat California girls...
 

Attachments

  • table boss.JPG
    table boss.JPG
    38.6 KB · Views: 17
Back
Top