# Sheepheads(freshwater drum)



## axisgear (Jan 24, 2007)

Dumb question...has anyone ever eaten these fish and if so,are they any good? We catch them by the hundreds every year and my kids love eating fish. So how do they compare to other species in MI as far as table fare?


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

Do a search on sheephead as there has been several threads concerning eating them........................in my opinion they ain't worth saving.


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

I have and so does a friend of mine.
Not bad if deep fried.
In fact I know a person who cooks them and feeds his party goers sheepsheads and nobody complains.
Some even think they are eating perch !


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Fish is fish. Look at the fish advisory to see what the gov't recommends as far as they are concerned. If they dont bio-accumulate heavy metals like carp, catfish, or other bottom feeders, I say go ahead! Who cares what people think.


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## KI Jim (Apr 14, 2004)

I love to eat fish.

Tried 'em once.

'nuff said.

Jim


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## sea nympho (Aug 7, 2006)

Firefighter said:


> ... catfish, or other bottom feeders,...


M

Most catfish get verylittle of their diet from "bottom-feeding". Esp. flatheads. 

And the MI Fish Advisory says cats out of the Grand River have NO RESTRICTIONS on eating them, they test very clean.


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## axisgear (Jan 24, 2007)

sea nympho said:


> M
> 
> Most catfish get verylittle of their diet from "bottom-feeding". Esp. flatheads.
> 
> And the MI Fish Advisory says cats out of the Grand River have NO RESTRICTIONS on eating them, they test very clean.


That depends,what if that smallmouth morsel is on the bottom? I agree with you,though. If anyone says otherwise they have never hooked into a "log" while trolling and have it fight back! I love flats!


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## captain jay (Jan 6, 2002)

I kept several of them through out the summer last year. Not the real big ones, just the small and mediem ones. Pulled out the back straps and the tail pieces, and made poor mans lobster out of them. Fry the meat in 7up or sprite, and dip in melted butter or cocktail sauce. On every occasion, they were eaten up in no time, and everyone complimented on how good they were.

Captain Jay


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## glnmiller (Jan 7, 2006)

I have tried them fried, baked and smoked.... Yuck! They now go into the garden for fertilizer.


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## steve ypsi (Nov 24, 2002)

tried some last year deep fried, won't throw them back any more, Putty likes them better than walleye


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## BR549 (Feb 5, 2006)

The trick to sheephead is to throw them on ice as soon as you catch them. The meat gets mushy if you leave them in a basket or on a stringer.


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## theanglerhimself (Nov 24, 2009)

Bottom feeders get a bad rap. It all depends on the body of water. 
Carp from Barton Pond (Huron River, above Barton Dam) are cleaner and safer than Walleye from Lake Michigan.
Carp were introduced from Europe as a food fish........ and not dog food, either.
As for Drum? I'd just as soon everyone thought of them as trash fish.


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## mackmack (Mar 12, 2010)

Many years ago I had some my dad's buddy deep fried outside. We made a ritual out of it a few times a year. Like anything else some like it some don't. If you catch them out of "cleaner" waters certain times of the year when the flesh is firm you just may be surprised. It's been a long time since I've had them but I wouldn't be against it. What I used to always hear people say is to eat them while they're hot and from what I can remember that was very true.


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## trapperray (Apr 30, 2010)

axisgear said:


> Dumb question...has anyone ever eaten these fish and if so,are they any good? We catch them by the hundreds every year and my kids love eating fish. So how do they compare to other species in MI as far as table fare?


Try boiling them till just done or done do not over cook or they get tough,eat as or like lobster or crab,also good fried,tastes alot like bluegills if cleaned right.


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## fish em all (May 13, 2011)

I eat them!! I boil them and dip it in butter. Don't really fish for them but I catch them on j-plugs while trolling for salmon.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ART (Jul 7, 2004)

Firefighter said:


> Fish is fish


No...there is fish, and then there is white bass.....white bass is not fit for human consumption..


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

Pulled this 31", 17 pounder out of the BM a few years back, Steelhead rig drifting a spawn sack on 6# leader.
4 1/2" wide at the dorsal.








Didn't eatem.


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## spy1o1 (Dec 17, 2007)

I think the guy who started this thread 7 years ago died of sheephead poisoning :lol:.


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## jpmarko (Feb 26, 2010)

I'd say it depends on how you prepare the meat. I don't like eating sheepshead, so I'll generally throw them back. But I have tried it. One guy I know, who's a culinary artist, did a really good job preparing it and everybody was asking for more. So yeah, fish is fish. As long as its clean enough, you can probably eat it without worrying.

They are a little tricky to clean though.


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## jpmarko (Feb 26, 2010)

spy1o1 said:


> I think the guy who started this thread 7 years ago died of sheephead poisoning :lol:.


Lol, I didn't even notice that this thread was that old. Oh well.


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## Zofchak (Jan 10, 2003)

I keep them occasionally, but only the small silver colored ones. When you fillet them discard the belly meat, keep them cold and cook them fresh. I have no problem saying that they are just as good as walleye and actually better than some of the larger Walleye. The meat is slightly firmer so it holds together better for certain fish dishes where Walleye can get mushy.


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