I was fishing in Lake Michigan last month and kept catching some big sheepshead. Biggest one without weighing had to be be in the 10 to 12 pound range… I thought that one was huge at the time. My friend’s dad asked us to keep one for him. I filleted it and decided to cut ALL the red mud line of it. He pan fried it with nothing but butter along with a walleye fillet. I have to say the Drum tasted better! I have eaten quite a few small ones when I was a kid but remembered the texture was always chewy and fishy. I’m sure I never removed to mud line back in the day. Well, I caught this 31”, 21 pound Drum the other day and filleted it up. Instead of pan frying it I cut some up in finger sized pieces boiled it in seasoned water for approx 3 minutes till boil over(used steak seasoning and seasoning salt). I then let the fish sit in the hot water for 15 minutes to absorb the seasoned water. I then removed the fish and chilled in the refrigerator. Once ice cold I dipped them in shrimp cocktail sauce. WOW! Was it good. It has the same texture as shrimp. I made 2/3’s of it this way but am debating on trying some in shore lunch pan fried. Wondering if it will be to tuff of a texture for batter frying?
I figured I caught the new WI state record till I googled and found the biggest one recored was 35 pounds. Still a fun catch on light spinning tackle and 8 pound line. Remonded me of a Jack Trivially. I never measured how wide it was but I would say it had been close to seven or 8 inches.
I lost one about the same size a few minutes later. It came to the surface so I got a good look before it came off.