Page 103 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2023

Most South Mississippi anglers instantly recognize black drum, a common saltwater fish, even if they don’t want to catch this species. A large freshwater cousin can also provide great sport for anyone who
wants a tough fight.
Large, powerful and abundant, freshwater drum range across most of the United
States and all of Mississippi. Deep-bodied and muscled, freshwater drum look very similar to their salty cousins with silvery-bronze or brownish-gray to almost black coloration, depending upon their habitat. These strong fish can exceed 50 pounds. Caught near Hattiesburg, the state record weighed 30.63 pounds.
Like other family members, this fish makes loud noises when it vibrates its muscles against its swim bladder. It almost sounds like a bullfrog croaking. Old-timers used to listen for the grunting and watched for bubbles to locate and track these fish as they rooted around on the bottom.
Drum generally like clean, flowing water with moderate current like many of the coastal rivers in Mississippi, but anglers might catch them in any freshwater system.
This freshwater drum provided great sport for this young angler.
Drum can tolerate murky conditions, but favor a sandy or gravel bottom. They usually prefer to stay around hard structures, like bridge pilings or fallen logs.
Opportunistic feeders, freshwater drum eat almost anything including fish, crawfish, shrimp or other crustaceans and insects. With powerful jaws and plates of teeth in their throats, freshwater drum can crush snails or mussel shells. Shell reefs, clam beds and concrete walls or riprap make excellent places to look for freshwater drum. Freshwater drum also use ledges and drop-offs to navigate and hunt for food. In sandy or muddy areas with isolated shell beds, they overturn objects on the bottom to search for crawfish and other aquatic animals.
Few people intentionally fish for freshwater drum. Anglers catch them by accident Karen Lutto shows while fishing for bass or other species, but these scrappy
off a freshwater fighters can provide outstanding sport on light tackle. drum she caught. Primarily bottom feeders, they suck down nightcrawlers,
shad, minnows, clams, or cut fish and many other natural
baits.
Although freshwater drum typically prefer natural baits, they do hit lures
occasionally. They might grab anything that looks like a crawfish, shrimp, wounded fish or insect. Drum particularly like soft-plastic baits and spinnerbaits. They sometimes hit fly tackle. The state record caught on a fly weighed 9.95 pounds and came out of Pearl River in Jackson County.
Freshwater drum probably garnered their poor standing among sport fishermen because of their unsavory reputation on the table. If it came from clean, cold water with a hard sandy or rocky bottom, it might taste like its salty cousins, redfish and black drum. Always thoroughly clean and wash the meat before eating. If it came out of muddy water with a mucky bottom, it will most likely taste muddy.
While people take their chances of getting a tasty one or a bad one, nobody disputes a drum’s fighting abilities. Freshwater drum can put up just as powerful a fight as their large salty cousins. Catching them on light tackle greatly magnifies the fun.
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
July 2023 | 103
A young angler shows off a freshwater drum he caught in a coastal river.
Abundant, widespread and strong fighters, freshwater drum won’t win any beauty awards, but they do make excellent sport fish, particularly for youngsters or novice anglers. Just think of the smile
on a young angler’s face when he or she pulls in a 15-pound personal best river
horse on light tackle!