thats a drum alright. People look at them as trash fish, but they eat minnows, insects, and worms just like most game fish, and have some of the most flaky white flesh there is in fresh water. My son and I keep them when we catch em and mix them in with the crappie or catfish we are fishing for when we catch em. Very tasty fish.

See, all I’ve ever heard about them is that they’re very boney and oily, so they always get thrown back

He did describe the way a drum fights to a T though, hugging the bottom like you’ve hooked a log, they don’t really thrash around like a cat will

Any musky anglers that are a part of the board?

I do most of my fishing in creeks and smaller rivers using ultra lite tackle. They usually don't have to fight very long before I land them.

Dang sorry to hear that what a devastating year along the rivers.

That’s probably my favorite type of fishing, whether from the bank or kayak or boat. I especially like using 4.5 foot rods as part of my light tackle. That and in a reservoir outlet when water is being released as you never know what you might catch, whether walleye, wiper, catfish, crappie, a school of super aggressive white bass, or some big drum.

Yep, that’s why I do it... the fight... plus I like to stock local ponds.

You got that right!!!

I had one break my line a couple weeks ago and have wanted to fish for one ever since!!!

They call them the fish of 10,000 casts for a reason lol.

Oh man, it broke my heart... got it about a foot away from my feet. Bit the line. I bought steel leaders the next day.

It was on a large white chatterbait.

My grandpa was obsessed with catching those bad boys, he used to hand craft his own lures. I tell you what, he was a church attending, God fearing man, but one time I saw him lose one of his custom made swim baits, I've never heard someone lose their religion so fast lol. Nothing worse than losing your gear, those chatterbaits aren't cheap either. I have a bunch of the originals, but I bought one of the "ZMAN" chartreuse ones yesterday, its been so long since I have been in a the fishing section of Field and Stream I forgot how magnificent it was lol.

I catch a lot of shit for eating drum, but they're on par with white bass as far as the taste. So why the hell not?

Get you some gear for it and do it! Once you hook and net your first one you’ll want to do it all the time. It’s a grind but well worth it when you land one. RELEASE RELEASE RELEASE though. If you do end catching one be sure to take care of it while in your possession. Musky guys will publicly stone you if they see you killed one or kept one.

Muskie and northern pike don't do well after a good fight out of water. They're definitively quick release. Beautiful fish but fragile.