Thread: Carl Blackwell archives

Drum taste very good, no more bones than a white bass. Just don't try to get right down to the skin when you are done filleting them. Like catfish, white bass, and striper, there is a thin fat layer between meat and skin that the knife will ride and leave most of the red meat on the skin. There is a line of bones above the ribcage, but I have found the same in bass and white bass, just start your rib removal a bit higher on the back than crappie.

Kind of like striper in texture and flavor (meaty in both cases), definitely not a throwback fish. Very similar to good sized saltwater croaker or redfish, which are their relatives. Much better fighting fish than bass as well.

The fries are available frozen, waffle fries. This batch came from Aldi, but Ore-Ida make a very good one as well. Lousy baked, great fried crispy.

This is what I am calling Drum, not a carp or buffalo:

Scott
I would have never thougth they would be good eating, seems oily. We have tried them as cut with no takers. If you like eating them you need to go to Sooner. Run a rattle trap or crankbait. I have caught lots over 10 lb up there. They seem to have thrived there since the zebra mussels.

Thanks for the info, Sooner is one of the lakes I wanted to try soon. Always used to catch croaker on shrimp over shell beds, so it makes sense that the drum would like the zebra mussels. Not sure how edible a 10lb one would be, but the 12-16 inch croakers were always good, maybe try one in that size range if you ever get curious. Will have to look up recipes for black drum if I get one of the big ones, think maybe grilled with garlic butter or smoked would be a nice option.

I have never eaten a drum, but some of my friends think they're great. They steam them whole with a ginger sauce. If you haven't tried crappie that have been steamed with a ginger sauce, it is better than fillets in the oil (and fillets in the oil are great). There are plenty of ginger sauce recipes on the internet. Give it a try.

I'll have to try that Bigsky. We had 1.39" this morning the lake level is at 939.98 (4.19 feet below spillway).

How far below the spillway is "normal"?

aserioushunter.....what rain gauge are you running off of for the 1.39" this morning? Mesonet is showing .67" for the last 24 hours at LBC.