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Freshwater Drum Fish Fact Sheet

Information About The Freshwater Drum

By Ronnie Garrison, About.com

Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens)(picture) are a freshwater fish with the greatest range of any fish in North America. They fight hard but are not real good to eat.

  • Freshwater Drum Discription - Deep bodied with hump back and blunt snout. The mouth is downturned and silver sided with a darker back

  • Freshwater Drum Size - World record is 54 pounds 8 ounces caught by Benny Hull in 1972 in the on Nickajack Lake, Tennessee.

  • Freshwater Drum Distribution - Native to North America from Mexico to Canada and the rockies to the Apppalachians.

  • What Freshwater Drum Eat - Drum are bottom feeders that eat mollusks, insects and fish.

  • Freshwater Drum Spawn - when the water warms in the spring in open water. Their fertilized eggs float until they hatch.

  • Freshwater Drum Attraction to Light - They may come to lights to feed on insects and minnows attracted by it.

  • Freshwater Drum Life Cycle - after hatching the fry stay near the bottom and feed there the rest of their lives.

  • Freshwater Drum Problems - Drum don't cause problems since they are native but they are considered rough fish and some fishermen get mad when they catch them. They fight hard but are not real good to eat, although many are eaten ech year.

Freshwater Drum are so widespread you are likely to catch one while fishing for some other kind of fish. Don't complain, just enjoy the fight.

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