I am keeping the next sheepshead I catch to eat

[steve ypsi]

*****I mentioned that the red drum is often blackened in Cajun cuisine, and you can prepare the freshwater drum this way, too. It is a low oil fish, so you have to be careful not to dry them out when you cook them. Pan or deep frying them is recommended, as is smoking as long as you don't heat them for too long.
Some people say they are as good, or better, than the walleye as an eating fish.
For a variety of freshwater drum recipes, including drum au gratin with mushrooms, drum jambalaya, Italian baked freshwater drum and oven-barbecued freshwater drum, go to: http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/ publications/fish/fs-038.html.****

I googled up this, I have to try it, For years I threw back silver bass untill some one told me they are good, they sure were. Now I am going to see about the drum or sheepshead, they eat the same things as walleye do. I will see

[WALLEYE MIKE]

I ate one once. No bad taste. Looks worse than it tastes.

[double trouble]

kinda like the 1 0'clock girl.go to the bar at 1 o'clock in the a.m. she tastes much better than she looks.monkfish meets catfish.

[icefishermanmark]

I don't care about the taste as much as the pollutant and mercury content in the fish. YUCK!

[kyles2]

Let me know how it turns out

[Connor4501]

I haven't tried a sheephead, but silver bass are halfway decent provided you soak your fillets in salt water and firm them up... ;)

[Whit1]

I've eaten sheephead in the past and was pleasantly surprised at their firm, white flesh, and decent taste. It was aa good or better than any largemouth bass I've ever eaten.

[steve ypsi]

Thats good to hear that they are not bad, shame to have to throw them back, as far as pollutants they eat the same things as walleyes so it wouldn't be any worse, besides I am old and it affect me as I am all ready full of Pollutants or maybe I am full of that other stuff, when you get old things get fuzzy

[matt73]

Bob Garner on MOOD the other day made Jim Barta put a Sheephed in the livewell out of the Detroit River. He claimed if you fillted, boiled and chilled them that they tasted like shrimp......

I have yet to have the guts to try it myself.....

[brdhntr]

I haven't tried a sheephead, but silver bass are halfway decent provided you soak your fillets in salt water and firm them up... ;)

Cut their gills before throwing them in the livewell. No need to soak and the fillets will be plenty firm. In fact, any fish I plan to eat is bled out before we head in.

[Fishfoote]

Been there - done that...the results... :sick: :fish2:

[jimbobway]

I've been making Drumbalaya for years. Sheephead are one of the few fish that get firm instead of flakey when cooked .Silver bass , I'll smoke them after soaking overnite in soy sauce with brown sugar and some hot sauce. I think the name Sheephead turns most people off ,so I tell the they're eating Cobo Coho .

[steve ypsi]

I've been making Drumbalaya for years. Sheephead are one of the few fish that get firm instead of flakey when cooked .Silver bass , I'll smoke them after soaking overnite in soy sauce with brown sugar and some hot sauce. I think the name Sheephead turns most people off ,so I tell the they're eating Cobo Coho .
Now thats funny, coho head. LMAO

[kbkrause]

I'm sure some people wouldnt eat orange roughy if they knew what it looked like... :lol:

http://www.mar-eco.no/learning-zone/__data/page/89/roughy_postcard.jpg

[ArrowFlinger]

The problem with sheephead is you have to touch it to clean it. It will take you 4 months to get the stink off. Too close to hunting season to risk the stink.

My dad cooked one up once. Notice I said ONCE.

[captain jay]

Poor 7up or sprite in a frying pan and cook the fillet in the pop. Then dip it in melted butter. Makes a great "poor man's lobster". Only use the white meat. There is a line of red meat that should be cut out of the fillet.

Captain Jay

[Fishfoote]

Half fill a 2 quart sauce pan with beer, take each fillet (white meat part only) and cut into thin strips - no more than 1/4 inch. Place the fillet strips in a shallow bowl and place the bowl on the floor for a cat. Drink the beer.

[steve ypsi]

I'm sure some people wouldnt eat orange roughy if they knew what it looked like... :lol:

http://www.mar-eco.no/learning-zone/__data/page/89/roughy_postcard.jpg
I just read about the orange roughy, I thought you posted a cartoon of a fish, no they are that ugly. they don't breed until about 20 to 25 years of age so you were probably right on the 100 years old also

[brdhntr]

I've been making Drumbalaya for years. Sheephead are one of the few fish that get firm instead of flakey when cooked .Silver bass , I'll smoke them after soaking overnite in soy sauce with brown sugar and some hot sauce. I think the name Sheephead turns most people off ,so I tell the they're eating Cobo Coho .

I hope it's better than the gobie jerky you gave Ozzgood! :lol:

[PoleHolder]

It is used in many a fish boil. As stated above, use the upper part of the fillet, cube and use in a boil, serve with garlic butter...

[walleye express]

I traped Muskrats for over 20 years. All of my teeen age years and well into my adulthood. Sold most to returants or churches for special wild game dinners, before more stringent laws about such things stopped the practice. So I cooked as many as I could for myself and family and used the rest for fox or mink sets. Took a huge roaster of some into work at the Foundry one day for a wild game dinner. Told everybody they were "Marsh Rabbits", slang for Muskrats. The guys went wild over the taste and some even sucked on the bones like they were a suculant pork chop. Later as the word got around about what they really were, I recieved a few bodily harm threats from the guys who thought I had tried to poison them. :confused: :tdo12: :lol:

My Mother used to run Phils Inn Motel in Port Clinton, and has preferred sheepheads over walleyes for many years. I personally could not tell the difference when she would cook both together. :tdo12: :chillin:

[steve ypsi]

****My ma used to run Phils Inn Motle in Port Clinton and has preferred sheepheads over walleyes for many years. I personally couldnot tell the difference when she would cook both together. ****
I just talked to a old friend that is 77 about the sheepshead and he said they are really good, he said he used to fish for them 60 years ago and since then to, Met him in Fl and fished with him on my boat, he has since moved back to ind and is going to drive up and stay with me in the next few weeks to go to Erie fishing with me, Hope I can get him into some walleyes, he is a blast to watch fish, he gets as excited as a 8 year old when he catch's fish, I had more laughs in Fl fishing with him.

[Ralph Smith]

Have ate ***** heads out of deeper water of Saginaw bay and have been pretty tasty. Fried them right up with the perch fillets. Just make sure to clean out any colored meat what so ever! Only eat the good white stuff. I once left a little darker stuff on (this is the same with catfish, been there, done that also) and man was it a strong nasty taste :fish2: I will keep them as long as its from clearer water and deeper. I won't eat any fish from shallow muddy areas, no matter what it is. I grew up in flint, and wouldn't touch anything from that river(in town area). I think its all where you get the fish and how you clean it more than what it is. Once I had smoked carp that the fish boat in St. Ignace brought in from there nets in over a 100' of water, and was pretty darn good :yikes: couldn't tell the difference between it and smoked lake trout. But was cheaper :D

[fishingrookie]

... I grew up in flint, and wouldn't touch anything from that river(in town area).

Can you say all the fishermen fishing in the Saginaw River are from Flint/Saginaw? :lol: Just kidding.

Many fish swim over all the water systems (some may stay in the same places). I read an article somewhere (Ohio DNR?) saying that of the spring spawning walleye in Maumee River, Eighty five percent (85%) come from Lake St Clair.

You never know where the fish that you catch come from. But I share your concern on the quality of the water of the rivers. Even a fish grows up in a big lake and comes to a dirty river one day before, I won't eat that fish. That is the part that I can control myself.

[bivenser]

Steve Ypsi,

Any update on this? Have you tried one yet?

[steve ypsi]

Yes, I did keep some and they were'nt bad, walleye and perch much better but in the middle of the winter these will be fine when I have no walleye or perch, they are much better than the store crap and to me better than samon.
I put about 12 to 14 in the freezer since there is no limit like 5 walleyes in posession in the freezer or at the lake.
I deep fried them in peanut oil at 350 degrees like the Ohio site said because they are a dry fish not oily.

[Sprytle]

Ive had suckers out of lake huron and they were firm and white and very tasty.

[Sailor]

Sheepheads taste very much lile fish!

[Sprytle]

have no idea what a lile fish tastes like :confused: :confused: :confused:
What is that??

[alex-v]

I filet the Sheepshead out as previously discussed and then cut the meat into chunks or strips. I then boil the meat in salted water that has had some pickling spices added to it.

When done, drain and cool, put in fridge till cold. Serve with shrimp or cocktail sauce.

[tommy-n]

The only people I have seen keep sheephead are the ones that go walleye fishing and don't catch any eyes, so they keep a sheephead because they feel like they gotta bring something home. :D

[Whit1]

Although not in several years, I've eaten sheephead. Filleted and skinned their flesh cooks up (we fried them) firm and white. They are quite good to eat.

[Sailor]

have no idea what a lile fish tastes like :confused: :confused: :confused:
What is that??

Hi Sprytle, It should have read "tastes LIKE fish"
Sorry

[alex-v]

The only people I have seen keep sheephead are the ones that go walleye fishing and don't catch any eyes, so they keep a sheephead because they feel like they gotta bring something home. :D
I have had many limit catches of Walleyes over the years and still kept the Sheephead just to make some "Poor Man's Shrimp".

[steve ypsi]

The only people I have seen keep sheephead are the ones that go walleye fishing and don't catch any eyes, so they keep a sheephead because they feel like they gotta bring something home. :D
I guess I am the exception to your statement.
I got a limit of walleyes the smallest 19 inchs and still kept 6 sheeps

[Outdoorzman]

Smoked four sheepshead last week. Pretty darn good!

[wally-eye]

That just ain't right. I still like the idea of the beer and cutting them into strips and feeding the cat while you drink the beer............

Had one slime my carpet in the boat 2 months ago and still can't git rid of the slimmy spot........might have to sell the boat just to get rid of the slime.

No thanks I'll stick with eyes.

[ArrowFlinger]

how much will you pay me to take your boat?