A study on sheepshead (fresh water drum) as table fare.

I'm sure that most have you have caught a sheepshead or two or a hundred. In most cases there is usually a sigh of disgust when they have stole your bait that was out for a tasty walleye. Most all of us throw them back and continue in search of the tasty walleye. How many of you have ever eaten one? Well, I came upon the attached study completed by Ohio state and decided to try some of these recipes, as well as serve them to some friends. The results are very positive. The fish is very good and some of the recipes are excellent horderves for many different meals and parties. Everyone i served liked the dishes and it is a very tasty fish. It is not fishy at all. As with most fish the smaller ones taste much better than the large ones. Read the attached article and consider giving it a try. perhaps help reduce the population a bit and get a few more meals out of your fishing time.

http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/archive/...ter%20Drum.pdf

I have a few dates that have opened for April, if you are interested in taking a trip and fishing for a trophy or some excellent dinners give me a shout. 4/5, 4/13 & 14, 4/26 and some afternoon charters may 11 - 16 4 or 6 hours.
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When I was younger, we use to eat them all the time. The best way was cooked like a salmon patty.

There are a few things to follow that I remember being very important to how well the taste and texture of the fish was maintained.

1. Never keep fish after the middle of June. The flesh would seem a lot softer with the warmer water.
2. Always bleed the fish upon catching by cutting the gills.
3. Put on ice ASAP. This is probably the most important.
4. Fillet the fish as normal but trim away any white shiny flesh. The meat above the spine always seems best for taste and texture.
5. If deep frying, cook a little longer than you would walleye.

I have tried poor man's shrimp before but I really never cared for it because the flesh would tend to fall apart.

when you take fish out of the boiling water put in a bowl of ice water this will firm them up have had them freshly deep fried not to bad