Species profile
Freshwater Drum
Aplodinotus grunniens
At a glance
Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 9 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 25 (Louisiana); the most generous is 100 (Missouri).
Confirmed by 4,519 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ontario, Texas, and Ohio the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- The only freshwater member of the drum family (Sciaenidae) in North America.
- Produces audible grunting sounds by vibrating specialized muscles against its swim bladder.
- Can exceed 50 lbs; the IGFA world record stands at over 54 lbs.
- Crushes clams, snails, and crayfish using powerful grinding teeth located in its throat.
- Ranges from Hudson Bay south through the Mississippi basin all the way to Guatemala.
Where Freshwater Drum are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Freshwater Drum
Background
The freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens, is a fish endemic to North and Central America. It is the only species in the genus Aplodinotus, and is a member of the family Sciaenidae. It is the only North American member of the group that inhabits freshwater for its entire life. Its generic name, Aplodinotus, comes from Greek meaning "single back", and the specific epithet, grunniens, comes from a…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Freshwater Drum article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.