Freshwater drum

The freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) is a species of freshwater fish found in North and Central America. It is the only species in the genus Aplodinotus. It is one of the few drums that lives in freshwater. It is also called a grunter, grinder, and a croaker.

Etymology

Its generic name comes from Greek meaning "single back", and the specific epithet comes from a Latin word meaning "grunting". This is because males grunt.

Description

The freshwater drum usually averages 5–15 lb (2.3–6.8 kg). The caudal fin is rounded. In roily waters, the fish appears to gray or silver. In clean waters, however, it will become bronze or brown. It has a deep body.

Lucky stones

A lucky stone is the otolith of this species. They are ivory-like.

Management

There are just a few management practices for the drumfish. They're not overharvested. Many states allow bowfishing and others to harvest them.

Life history

During the summer, freshwater drums move into warm, shallow water that is less than 33 ft (10 m) deep. They will spawn when the water is 65 °F (18 °C). Though they can reach old age, the average age is between 6 and 13 years.

References

Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2023). "Aplodinotus grunniens" in FishBase. February 2023 version.