Joelora Loc: Southern New Mexico

Caught and released this Drum today. I’ve been catching more and more of these and always throw them back. Don’t know much about them other than they are good fighters. Does anyone know how they taste? Joe

Bobfromfremont Loc: Fremont Ca

Sorry I cannot help you

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

They are not bad smoked, terrible boney otherwise.

Harris T. Fudpucker Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

Much like carp, some have a lot of bones, some don't. When I do keep one, (over 5lbs limit) I fillet them out, wrap bacon around them, and bake in oven. Really good.

charlykilo Loc: Garden Valley Ca

Interesting reading
https://panfishnation.com/are-freshwater-drum-good-to-eat/

agatemaggot Loc: iowa

Place on ice as soon as the hook is removed. Fillet like any other fish and remove the white strip on the very back and the belly fat area. When cleaning is finished, jet nozzle with a garden hose to remove the oily substance from the fillets. You know when they are free of this substance because the water will be clear with no trace of foam. At certain times of the year the water will be foamy just like someone put soap in the pail you are rinsing your fish in. After cleaning we put our fillets in fridge overnight in light salt water and the red area down the Lateral line disappears. When properly handled the have a lighter flavor than the Walleye we take on the Miss. River !
For the last 12 to 15 years we have quit keeping the Walleye we catch, only the Sheepshead (Drum) !
Try this method one time and you will quit bitchin about them stealing your bait !
Use your favorite method to cook, fry, bake or whatever !
Don't forget to remove the pin bones from the lateral line area, you can feel them in the inside area of the fillet by running your finger along the top of the area where the ribs connected to the back bone . They run from the head end of the fillet to the back of the belly cavity . Closely cut straight thru the fillet on each side of the bones and you will not waste any meat to speak of.

agatemaggot Loc: iowa

Same bone structure as a Crappie or bluegill or Bass. Bones are heavy duty, not small and the resulting fillet bone count depends on WHO is holding the knife !

forrest r Loc: NE ohio

Clean them by filleting them like you would any other fish. Make sure to get any "red" meat cut off of them. Try not to go too close when skinning them, there's a lot of oils in the meat next to the skin. Deep fry the fillets like you would any other fish/breading combo.

Take 2 cans of 7up and put them in a 1/2-gallon soup pan and bring the 7up to a boil. Cut the drum fillets into 1" pieces and cook them for +/- 5 minutes in the boiling 7up. The longer they cook the stiffer they get, cook them to the consistency you like. Pull them out and drain/drip dry and put them in melted butter (add a little garlic also optional). This is poor man's lobster and is downright tasty!!!!

Make a simple brine with 1gal water, 1.5cups salt & 1.5cups sugar. Soak the drum fillets in the brine for a couple hours and then put them in the smoker and smoke them @ 220* for +/- 3 hours.

troyfrd1 Loc: Hampstead,NC

All sounds good we clean them use fish fry to soak them then fry them put lemon hot sauce on it and eat it. Also that is a red drum the black drum has small teeth but if the black drum has human teeth it not a drum it is a sheep head but still good eating on this one I don’t see the black dot so it’s not a drum like the ones here best thing ask plumbob he knows a lot about the drum but here a big mullet looks like a drum but no spots on it’s tail

troyfrd1 Loc: Hampstead,NC

Also did you get the pearls out(rocks) you can make a necklace or a bracelet from them

Passingbye Loc: Reidsville NC

I caught a few when I was about 11 out of a creek and I cleaned and fried them. They're boney and taste like the south end of a north bound pigs butt to me. But I have caught some big Drum in large lakes. I believe they're part of the maintenance fish cleaning the bottom of the water. Catfish are just better tasting to me.

Joelora Loc: Southern New Mexico

Charly- Thanks for the article! Very informative.

Joelora Loc: Southern New Mexico

Thank you everyone for the great advice and “how to”. I appreciate it! I’m especially curious about Forrest’s seven up method, brine, and smoke. I caught one of these fish for the first time about 10 years ago and had no idea what it was!

Papa Jack Loc: Indianapolis

Caught a few but never ate any

Ibclyde Loc: Cloverleaf Lakes Wisconsin

We can’t keep these off the hook up here in Wisc Lake Winnebago
We feed them to the pelicans and seagulls