freshwater drum
Aplodinotus grunniens
Large freshwater fish of North America, reaching 95 cm, that produces sounds. It occurs in Mexico and Guatemala, and is caught on rod and line.
Also called: roncador-de-água-doce, roncador de agua dulce, freshwater drum
- maximum
- 95 cm
- record/max.
- 24.7 kg
who is the freshwater drum
The freshwater drum is a fish of the family Sciaenidae, freshwater, reaching 95 cm and weighing up to 24.7 kg. It lives on the bottom of medium and large rivers and in lakes. Adults eat mayfly larvae, amphipods, fish, crayfish and mollusks; young ones eat zooplankton. It produces sounds, which explains the name drum. It has sport value and is caught commercially on a small scale. It occurs from Canada to the Gulf of the United States, and in Mexico and Guatemala.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the freshwater drum.
fun facts
- The otoliths (ear stones) are L-shaped and are collected as lucky stones.
identification
Large, fusiform fish that lives on the bottom of rivers and lakes. It produces sounds, which helps identify the group. To tell it apart from other sciaenids, look at the habitat: this species is freshwater and occurs in North America, Mexico and Guatemala, while most relatives in the family are marine.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Native to North America, from Canada to the Gulf, and to Central America, in Mexico and Guatemala. Not recorded in Brazil.
Habitat: Bottom of medium and large rivers and of lakes.
rules for the freshwater drum
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Harmless fish. Because it is large and heavy, handle it with both hands and return it to the water quickly.
in the kitchen
It can be eaten fresh, fried or grilled.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00933, b = 3.18; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Aplodinotus grunniens (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Aplodinotus grunniensNames by country and language.