Freshwater Drum
Aplodinotus grunniens
Also called sheepshead, freshwater drum are found throughout the Great Lakes, Mississippi River basin, and large river systems across the central and eastern United States. Often caught incidentally by walleye and bass anglers, they are the only freshwater member of the drum family and deliver surprisingly strong fights.
Seasonal Activity
Jan
Slow
Feb
Slow
Mar
Slow
Apr
Good
May
Prime
Jun
Prime
Jul
Prime
Aug
Prime
Sep
Good
Oct
Good
Nov
Slow
Dec
Slow
Best Techniques
- bottom fishing
- drifting crawler harnesses
- jigging
Top Baits
- nightcrawlers
- crayfish
- minnows
- crawler harnesses
State Records
Official rod & reel records by state. Log your catch to see how you compare.
| State | Weight | Length | Angler | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MO | 70.5 lb | — | Ronald P. Wagner | 1980 | Lake of the Ozarks |
| TN | 54.5 lb | — | Benny Hull | 1972 | Nickajack Reservoir |
| TX | 44 lb | — | Jesse Ashley | 2011 | Lake Conroe |
| NY | 36 lb | — | Jason Bair | 2017 | Oneida Lake |
| WI | 35.25 lb | — | Raymond Childs | 1992 | Mississippi River |
| MN | 35.19 lb | — | — | — | Mississippi River |
| MI | 28.61 lb | 34 in | — | 2015 | Muskegon Lake |
| VA | 26.5 lb | — | Nancy Cash | 2012 | Buggs Island Lake |
| OH | 23.5 lb | — | James S. Williams | 2001 | Sandusky River |
| NC | 23.5 lb | — | Jonathan Wilkerson | — | Kerr Reservoir |
| IL | 20.25 lb | — | — | 2023 | Sangchris Lake |
| PA | 19.88 lb | — | Tim Rogers | 1994 | Monongahela River |
Caught a Freshwater Drum?
Log your catch and see how it stacks up against state records.
Log a CatchReport an issue
See something wrong, missing, or out of date? Let us know — we read every report.