RIVER FISH · Big-river bottom & current
Freshwater drum
Aplodinotus grunniens
A deep-bodied native drum famous for the rumbling sounds males can make during breeding season.
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Meet the fish
- Habitat
- Large rivers and lakes, often in turbid water with slow-to-moderate current over sand or mud bottoms.
- On the menu
- Bottom-associated invertebrates, mollusks, crustaceans and fish depending on size and habitat.
- Size context
- Freshwater drum span a wide size range and can become large, heavy-bodied fish in productive big-river and lake systems.
- Range & local context
- Native across a broad swath of central and eastern North America, especially the Mississippi, Great Lakes and connected drainages.
Living with the river
Water & habitat
Bottom type, turbidity, depth and current matter. A discharge number alone cannot describe drum habitat along a wide river channel.
Seasonal life
Spawning occurs during warmer periods; males can produce characteristic grunting or rumbling sounds associated with breeding.
Before you go
The regional name 'sheepshead' can refer to other fishes elsewhere. This profile refers specifically to freshwater drum.
Use the linked agencies and the relevant river guide for current regulations, closures and consumption advisories. A species profile is not a fishing license or a statement that harvest is allowed.
Editorial review: . Regional size examples are labeled; maximum lengths are not typical sizes.
More river fish
Keep exploring species connected to the same river-guide network.