Scientific Name
Aplodinotus grunniens
Other Names
Drum fish, Gaspergou, Goo, Sheepshead, Grunt, or Croaker
Description
The common name comes from the drumming sound it makes with its air bladder. Drum are silvery all over, sometimes having a purple or reddish tinge. They have a down-turned mouth and a humped back. Their most distinctive feature is a tail that comes to a single point. Drum have large ear stones (otoliths) in the inner ear used or associated with motion detection and hearing. These ear stones are called “lucky bones.” They were used by Native Americans to ward off sicknesses or to use in ceremonies; they were also used as wampum by certain tribes. These fish have a blunt rounded snout; they are deep bodied and silvery. Drum can reach weights of 50 pounds, but their weight is usually less than 10 pounds. Drum can live up to 13 years.
Habits and Habitat
Adults feed on fish, mussels, clams, and snails. Freshwater drum prefer to inhabit silty bottoms in rivers, reservoirs and oxbow lakes. Water temperature during spawning is between 64ºF and 78ºF; this occurs in May and June.
State Record
Mississippi’s Rod and Reel record is 29.85 pounds, caught by Bryan Alan Christian in Sardis Lake Spillway in 2011.
Fishing Fact
Drum are normally not targeted by anglers in Mississippi, but are sometimes caught while fishing for other species with minnows or artificial lures. They hit and fight hard!