Sheepshead Overabundance?

[What's Up Dock?]

Talking on the dock the other regarding the amount of sheepshead being caught. A thought; noone is keeping these fish and are in fact practicing catch and release. How is the population being controlled versus the sportfish that are being culled? Perhaps we should attempt to control the sheepshead population as they are caught. May help restore some balance. Any thoughts?

[Frank]

I have alway throwed the junk fish up on the bank for the coons or birds. I feel like you do, that there are way to many of these egg eating thrash fish. But, you got to love the fight that big old sheephead or carp gives you.

[Bobk]

When I catch them on Erie, I do the O.J. method on them. Their are way too many of them on that lake. Bob

[Tough Guy]

Tough Guy enjoy catching sheep for head. Use as educational experience for little tuffies in training. "Keep rod up high and no slack in line Tuffy 1". "Don't hoarse him Tuffy 2". Must teach little tuffies many things before Mighty Creator come for Tough Guy.

[szopster]

What's wrong with fresh water drum? They are to the redfish what the sauger is to the walleye. Ever had blackened redfish? Its great, so is blackened drum. Tastes very similar to blackened whitefish.

If you want to control them, don't waste them, eat them or filet them for someone who could use a little help making ends meet. If your really serious about controlling them, hold a catch and keep tournament and donate the filets to the local food pantry.

Senselessly killing any fish because it is the wrong specie is not only wrong and embarassing to real sportsmen it is against the law big time - everywhere. If I see you do it I'll video tape you and turn you in.

[firetiger]

nuke them till they glow and hunt them at night, and please read the MDNR fish advisory before telling people to consume them,I really wouldn't even bury them under my wife's roses

[Im ashamed of it but]

I catch and release them but I use a fillet knife to hold them by the gills!

[MIke]

I have been catching lots of eyes that have small sheephead in their stomach. I quit killing sheephead when I realized they were forage for the walleyes.

[Sheepman]

Let me know when you will be there. I will have my best suit on for the pictures.

[cmb]

"too manny drum"

a little natural history for you poor ignorant AZZ H@LES that think any NATIVE fish is trash!!!

the following is from The Fishes of Ohio by Milton Trautman

as early as 1780 the FW drum and its habitat was described within Ohio waters. within the period of 1920-1950 an average of 3,543.025 lbs were annualy brought into Ohio ports. however, the poundage captured was far grater, and the Exess, which could not be marketed, was returned to the water.

1855-80
Anual Lake Erie populations of fw drums continued to be large as evidenced by the commercial landings, which averaged more than 3 million pounds yearly, as they had since 1900

in 1981 when the seccond edition of this book was published there were 166 species of fish documented in Ohio waters. Most of these species are not considered sprot fish or prized for their value as food, and unfortunatly many of these species are now extirpated from Ohio's waters, endangered, or extinct.

fw drum hold an important role in the ecosystem. a role that interacts with the "non-trash" fish we sportsmen are interested in. harvest them if you like (great fertilizer if not food) but, like ALL native creatures they deserve respect. If you can't respect them for what they are respect them for their relationship with the species of sportfish you are in persuit of.

Sory for the long post, buy attitudes like many of those posted above disturb me. especialy when they come from "sportsmen"!!

[CMb]

Ohio Department of Health~Statewide Advisory for Sensitive Populations! (sensitive populations = women of child bearing age and children (age 6 and under) ONLY!)

includes fw drum in the same category as Walleye!!
it advises to consume not more than one meal a week. coincidentialy, this is the same advise given for ALL species of fish from All Ohio waters that are not explicitly listed on the advisory.

fw drum are a preadatory fish that feed primarily near the botom~~not much different that walleye or perch~~so why would they have levels of contaminants higher than walleye or perch?

[killer]

I kill every one I catch. There is no need to get your knife dirty. Just slip a finger under the gills and pull out. The gills will pull loose and it will bleed to death very shortly. These sheephead just eating machines. You can't keep them off your lures. Can you imagine how many walleyes and smallmouth they're eating? We should kill every one we catch.

[Backwater Eddy]

Fresh water drum are a big part of a large walleye's forage in many systems.

The years just following were large FWD hatch's have occurred have produced some of the largest walleye on record.

Indiscriminant killing of any fish just produces a foul smelling shoreline for other anglers to deal with, or lake shore home owners.

I do not agree it is a good practice to kill and toss any fish just because it is a undesirable fish to you as a angler.

Backwater Eddy...><,,>

[Eyemadman]

Well put B.E., there are people starvin out there.

I thought the sheephead ate the gobies and zebra mussels?

EMM

[Chris]

I help them breath easier with a nice slice in their stomach, then realese them.

[Backwater Eddy]

Oddly enough I have heard this same argument made for slitting Muskie, seams they like to eat a few walleye?

If we like or dislike any particular species offers no premise or excuse for waist or unethical behavior in my opinion.


Backwater Eddy...><,,>

[cmb]

I am with you Backwater. this kind of unethical behavior is what gives PETA and other groups against fishing.

[Tim FRick]

My buddy trades them with the local chineses restaurant. They love them, and even perfer them over walleyes. He get's a couple quarts of shrimp fried rice for them. He has been doing this for a number of years with different restaurants. He also gives them the walleye heads which they make fish soup with. So keep them and give them away. I think that really says something about your character if your killing a fish just because you don't eat them. I don't eat smallmouth and I usually catch them when trolling in close to shore for walleye. Maybe I should be like you guys and kill them because there not walleye!?!? Just because you don't eat them doesn't mean nobody else does. Let's try to use that thing in are head that god gave us.....a Brain!!!
Good Luck!!
Tim FRick

[chrism]

I am speechless -

Please people, educate yourself about these fish and their benifit to the waters in which they live - there are no studies showing that they affect the walleye population and there is no need to kill them needlessly!!!

All fish will eat fish eggs - it is mother natures way of controlling things...

Let's be sportsmen here, not indescriminate killers of a species that doesn't appeal to you!

[MeLuvDrum]

Der is nuting better dan drum and cream ob sum young ting. me and my 3 leg dog just luv Drum.

[Cangl]

Erie sheepshead are so numerous and so large that they can absolutely wear a guy out! Hooking up on 8lb +, and after the 10th fish where talking serious weight, fishing the Fermi jigging I caught 10 in less than half hour over 10 lbs jigging. They run me out of there. At work years ago I was invited to try some poached fish and cocktail sauce, after the 3rd peice I was told it was drum. Cut in one inch cubes and poached in brine, firm and textured withbasically no flakes more bulbous. Closest thing to it is Monk fish I believe and if you ever have to clean these wear gloves and clothes pin.

[szopster]

Great posts Chrism, CMb & Backwater!

Couldn't have put it any better myself.

May the fish gods smile upon you!

[cisco]

"Lake Erie Cookbook" is a publication of Ohio Sea Grant Program and contains dozens of recipes for sheepshead -- plus just about all other L Erie fish.

It's a handy and thorough cookbook with good info about the lake and its inhabitants. Call 614/292-8949 to order by mail or to find out how to obtain one. Fred Snyder, who is headquartered in the Port Clinton area, is one of the co-authors.

Don't kill the critters just for the sake of killing.

[Weyes1]

I never heard of drum eating walleye. Now you really want something to go after I would recommend the Wiper (A white bass / Stripper hybrid) Now these fish are eating machines. You can bet they eat tons of fry and fingerling walleye. Like others have mentioned, Walleye do eat small Drum. I got a few last year with small drum in their stomachs.

Weyes1
Kevin Clark
weyes1@wamego.net