From the Learn To Catch Catfish ask a catfishing question reader mailbag.
“I have seen you make a few references to something called a gaspergou. What the heck is a gaspergou?”
A Gaspergou is a freshwater drum. While they are often referred to simply as drum or freshwater drum there are many parts of the country (like Texas) where the freshwater drum is referred to as a gaspergou.
Aplodinotus Grunniens is the scientific name and the gaspergoo is a native species to North and Central America. Most anglers in other states call these fish drum or freshwater drum but in Texas and Louisiana there are commonly referred to as Gaspergou, or even just “Gasper” or “Gou”.
Gaspergou have an swim bladders which are able to produce sounds. The sound is thought to be related to the spawning where they will gather in groups and begin “drumming”. They generally feed on freshwater mussels and insect larvae.very
They have a very thick mucus covering and a very distinctive smell which make a species that doesn’t get a lot of fishing pressure. There are not a lot of people (at least that I have found) that actually catch them on purpose.
Gaspergou have large otoliths (ear bones) which are found in the ears of many animals. They help the drum to sense when it is oriented in the water correcticly (vertically) when it is too cloudy to see clearly. When large gaspergou are caught people will often times keep the otoliths and have them polished and made into jewelry (they are also alleged to have been used by indians as currency for trading).
Freshwater drum are very strong fighters and are often caught by accident by catfish fishermen in the southern US when fishing for catfish with shad (especially in the Spring). There is usually do doubt when you have hooked one with a rod and reel because they are very erratic when hooked and they put up a pretty good fight.
They are prized by many catfish anglers as the are considered by many to be an excellent bait for blue catfish, and are most often fished as cut bait. They can also very often be caught in cast nets ranging in size from a few inches long to very large fish weighing several pounds or more. Smaller drum are typically cut into sections and used as cut bait while the larger fish are typically filleted, and then cut into sections to be used as bait.
Again, they are very well known to be excellent bait for catfish.
Have you ever fished with gaspergou (freshwater drum) as a bait for catfish? Have you ever caught one? Tell use more in the comment section below.
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About Chad
I never thought to use them as bait. They are all over the place here in Arkansas & can be very anoying at times. They do put up a good fight for the kids! I will have to try them as bait. i can get them by the tens to hundreds in just a few minutes of castnetting for shad.
Thanks for the info Chad!
James;
I noticed neither you or Chad mentioned anything about the “Gaspergou” being utilized as table fare. Are they no good to eat? This is the first time I remember ever hearing the term Gaspergou, though I’ve heard the term freshwater Drum.
Many, many years ago, summer of 1958 to be exact, some of my cousins and I caught a mess of Carp in a irrigation canal bare handed in AZ. My aunt cooked them up and, well, I still have bad memories of trying to eat that fish. YUCK!!!
Stan N Ceres, CA.
I know folks that have eaten them but know more that don’t. They are VERY boney.
Give them a try. You might be surprised.
Hi Chad:
I have neighbors who have lived on this lake in Ohio for 30 or 40 years and they could not identify the Freshwater Drum I caught, and used to catch catfish. They said Sheepshead, almost everything by Carp. But The drum was in the DNR book, plain as day. They can get fairly big , over 2 pounds and will bite on anything set for catfish. I like the fact that they are not as oily as shad, but still attract the bigger catfish when cut up for bait. Great post once again.
Best fishing,
Bob
I’ve caught more than my fair share. Often while bass fishing, and they will flat out destroy a crankbait. Caught one over 20 pounds in Lake Chicot down in SE Arkansas while I was fishing for sandies.
They are pretty good to eat too! I never had tried them til I went on an inshore trip south of NOLA, and we caught a bunch of “black” drum while fishing for redfish. The guide kept them and cooked it up for us, couldn’t tell the difference between the two.
I usually do a courtbouillion (coo-bee-yon) or a creole. Similar recipes, kinda a tomato gumbo sort of thing. Delicious!
Bill
when I vist my family in kansas the most popular place is the fishing hole. there when I fished and if I caught a smallone everyone wanted it for bait. then the bigger ones most people would keep and one of them said that they taste good and are a realy clean white meat.I almost never turned back a fish in that town.
So, just to clarify, these fish are NOT considered a game fish….even though it is a freshwater drum? Is it classified as a bait fish?
Steven
They can be used as bait.
I have caught them and to be honest I wasnt sure what they were but I did think about using them for bait. I love to fish but dont have a lot of experience but I am determined to change that this year. I just didnt use them as cut bait cause I wasnt sure if the cats would like it but u can bet that the next time I catch one I will try it. I dont mind catching drum. They add a lil excitement and put up a good fight. Lovin the website so far.
Give them a try, you might be surprised. Thanks for the feedback.
We have them on the alabama river. The photo looks the same thing is what I call a freshwater drum. They get pretty big I saw a guy catch one 17 lbs. Myself caught several while catfishing 5 lbs to 10 lbs. I have used them for cut before with no luck,but I didn’t try to long. I’ll give it another try. I really have enjoyed your website. I have not read all of articles so far, but I have learned some new techniques. Thanks alot.
Thanks for the feedback!
Caught 3 in 2010 from Lake Lavon here in Texas. Largest was 4 pounds other two we a couple pounds each. I’ve eaten tem over the years when large enough to filet. Their meat is very white and and texture is flakey when cooked. A very strong battle to catch and good eating fare, too.
David
I live in Nashville, Tn. and i have tried drum as catfish bait before but didn’t have any confidence in it, so i didn’t leave it out very long but now i’m kinda of looking forward to catching another one now that i have just learned that bigger catfish will bite.
Thank you Chad for your website it is very imformative.
Give it a try, you might be surprised.
Baited 5 noodles with fresh Gas-ma-goo(yea thats what they call em round here) sat morning not a bite, kept 17 channels between 2 and 4 lbs on shrimp…but the gasmagoo noodles remained untouched.
ive cought 20lb. freshwater drum.. it was not that big of a fight, when i pulled it out it was kinda white, i think it was sick
im not that good at fishing but i love it .i have cought lots of drum and yes they r good to eat i have never tryed them as bait but im going to try it and see if i can finally catch that big catfish
In central Tx.,Brady Lake, we have used them for bait many times. Quite often we catch more off the drum than we do off shad, so we never complain to catch a couple. There has been times when we would be catching nothing. one of use would catch a drum, cut it up for bait and start catching cats when they would touch Shad.I have heard a lot of people say they are not good to eat but I have ate them and was surprised at how good they were.
CAUGHT A GOO WHILE WHITE BASS FISHING ON A SMALL RIVER IN CENTRAL TX, WITH AN ULTRA-LIGHT ROD AN KASTMATER LURE.IT FOUGHT PRETTY HARD BUT WAS ONLY A FEW POUNDS
Gaspergou are very good to eat and are fun to catch, too. You scale them and then filet them, but leave the skin on because it makes a rich, delicious gravy and the skin gives the dish its distinctive flavor. Saute onions, garlic, celery and bell pepper in a pot and then add a small can of tomato sauce and a teaspoon of oregano and cook for 30 to 45 minutes to make the gravy, then add the filets and cook for another 20 minutes or so. The flesh is firm so you have to cook it that long to ensure that the filets come out tender. We usually add a can of Rotel’s tomatoes in the gravy too. Gaspergou is definitely not a trash fish. It’s just that most people don’t know how good they are and don’t have any idea how to cook them.