Treasure hunt with white perch! Try it.

[Wichita]

When you catch a white perch (drum fish) clean it and when you do cut down through the middle of the head, right behind their eyes are two flat rocks. They use these to make the so called drum sound! Take them out wash them and let them dry. When they dry look on the flat sides and tell me what you see...hint---it is a number, you tell me what you guys find. They also are known as good luck stones. An old timer showed this to me.

[DJD]

Who keeps Drum? Do they taste good? Come on tell us what you see! No need for secrets.

[Rick1067]

I was on KY lake 17th and 18th last month and caught what I first thought was an 8lb+ Large mouth when it hit the rattle trap. It hit so hard I almost lost my … ……………voice. It fought for a while and then gave up. As I got it to the boat, it was a drum. I was so mad. This thing was about 25" long and weighed at least 8.5lbs. Do not know anything about drum and did not figure they would hit a bass lure. Also I was on Lower Douglas the other day and caught 4 catfish slow rolling a spinner bait. What is wrong with these fish? or Me? <-------- No smart remarks Thank You. Anyway can you eat Drum?

[BSeybold]

Drum are good to eat.

I catch alot of catfish trolling deep diving crankbaits

[sparrow75]

When you catch a white perch (drum fish) clean it and when you do cut down through the middle of the head, right behind their eyes are two flat rocks. They use these to make the so called drum sound! Take them out wash them and let them dry. When they dry look on the flat sides and tell me what you see...hint---it is a number, you tell me what you guys find. They also are known as good luck stones. An old timer showed this to me.

I think you are referring to otiliths, also known as ear bones? I use to cut them out of redfish and sheepshead when I was working for FL fish and wildlife, they would use them to age the fish. Pretty cool things, looks like they could make good jewelry.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2007/2119488.htm

A little paragraph talking about other ways biologists use them for fish research.

[LarryG]

To begin with they are not white perch, they are drum. they hit lures quite often, got several over 15 lbs trolling on dale.Also have caught a lot of channels and a couple of pretty good sized flat heads trolling cranks.The last time I fished erie, we must have caught 50 drum in three days, and some folks do eat them, a little bony I heard, but I'll pass on them, wont even eat cat fish and trout.

[DJD]

I was on KY lake 17th and 18th last month and caught what I first thought was an 8lb+ Large mouth when it hit the rattle trap. It hit so hard I almost lost my … ……………voice. It fought for a while and then gave up. As I got it to the boat, it was a drum. I was so mad. This thing was about 25" long and weighed at least 8.5lbs. Do not know anything about drum and did not figure they would hit a bass lure. Also I was on Lower Douglas the other day and caught 4 catfish slow rolling a spinner bait. What is wrong with these fish? or Me? <-------- No smart remarks Thank You. Anyway can you eat Drum?

Heck man, I love to catch Catfish, Drum and Carp! They all pull harder than any bass. Now I would rather not catch one when fishing a bass tourny because then it's...

[chasmo]

I was on KY lake 17th and 18th last month and caught what I first thought was an 8lb+ Large mouth when it hit the rattle trap. It hit so hard I almost lost my … ……………voice. It fought for a while and then gave up. As I got it to the boat, it was a drum. I was so mad. This thing was about 25" long and weighed at least 8.5lbs. Do not know anything about drum and did not figure they would hit a bass lure. Also I was on Lower Douglas the other day and caught 4 catfish slow rolling a spinner bait. What is wrong with these fish? or Me? <-------- No smart remarks Thank You. Anyway can you eat Drum?

I have been catching a lot of drum on crankbaits on the KY river along with some cats and walleye along with the expected bass. I once caught a 14# blue cat on an 1/8 oz. beetle spin while fishing for white bass! Last year I caught a 12.25 pound drum on the cast after I had caught a 2lb. bass. Who cares when the fish hit lures they are not "supposed" to!!!

[Wichita]

LarryG you are correct what I meant was a Freshwater Drum with the carp looking mouth they are a silverish purple hue. Some ol timers called them perch but they are a drum. They have a vein down the center that you have to remove, then they taste ok....but check the stones out!

[kiddrock]

I do know this about a drum, thet LOVE tubes and crankbaits. It makes for some exciting times on KY lake at night when you hook them up, the first thing i always think is "BIG SMALLMOUTH!!"

Which is always the case, but the mouth is smaller than what i was lookin for, and turned the wrong direction!

I have also heard them called a sewer bass, gook, %#$@ fish, and other assorted names.

[Col Forbin]

Don't leave out the jigs - they are like drum candy. Actually, drum here on Ky lake occupy more biomass than any other species. They are fun to catch, until you see it is a drum and not a trophy bass. I have grown so used to catching them that the last two 6 or 7 # bass I have caught here I have dismissed at first - "oh it's just a drum, OH CRAP get the net." I have heard of people eating them. Genetically they are not much different - almost identical to a redfish - which is outstanding to eat. I have gotten to the point that if I want to eat fish I cook some salmon or go to red lobster.

[Cobra190]

Is what you are referring to on the stones possibly the number 8? And yes they also love Cranks on Herrington.