Does any of ya'll out there eat freshwater drum? If so, what are some good recipes? I catch a ton of these things in Navarro Mills Lake. I eat black drum I catch in the gulf and they are great tasting. It just never occures to me to eat a freshwater one....well until now that is. I see no reason why they wouldn't taste good too. What do ya'll think?

I have eaten the smaller size ones, but those of larger size 8 lbs and over, are quite fat and have a unpleasant odor when cooked and can really tell a huge difference in taste...at least on my taste buds.

My friend always ate them when he caught them. Normally smaller ones less than 3 lbs. He just filleted them and fried them up like he would any other fish, season, cornmeal / flour mixture and then deep fry. He said he couldn't tell the difference between them and sandbass. Of course, he kept needlenose gar too..

So, they are Black Drum. The ones just breaking the minimum length limit are better tasting than the ones at the maximum length limit.

Nope, they are Freshwater drum or Gaspergou. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/fwd/

Black Drum are our Coastal waters species and the Freshwater drum are our Inland waters species...completely two different fish, but have similar habits.

Black Drum relish crabs and Freshwater drum relish crawfish...both can be taken on dead shrimp and freshwater drum will take shiners, worms, shad and artificial baits.

I know they are different species. I was talking about food value. The younger representations of the Balck drum species tastes better than the older representation. The same seems to hold true for the freshwater species.

We've just fillet them up before and thrown in with the sand bass and fried them up all together.

I have fried up fillets up from a 6 and an 8 pound gaspergou. Just take a moment to trim the reddish darker meat off like you would on a salt water drum. Other than that, they're great!

Haven't tried it myself, but I've heard it's kinda sweet tasting if fried, and goes REALLY good on the grill.

the smaller ones taste better than white bass.

I *have* eaten some larger ones , and like most species of fish, just isn't as good.

Are freshwater drum (purplish looking fish) considered game fish in Texas lake and river? If they are, what is the size and limit on them? I only keep the BIG one and let the small one go. I love to eat the BIG fatty freshwater drum...the small is too chewy and tough. Personally, for me I like the BIG freshwater drum because the meat is softer and sweet when steamed or fried. Thanks.

freshwater drum and not considered game fish in Texas. No size limit, no bag limit.

Not considered a game fish by the state of Texas. However, most people who've eaten them disagree lol.

we caught a 19 pound gaspergou on a throwline in the san bernard river a few years back and it was as good an eating fish that i've ever had the pleasure of catching

I caught a couple out of lake Palastine that would go about 5 pounds. They stunk so bad when I fillet them that I threw the fillets out. I think I'll stick to Buffalo.