# Illinois Sheephead - How do you clean these stupid things?



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I've cleaned fish most of my life, but I mangled this one more than cleaning it. In frustration I threw the whole thing to the cats. Never caught one of these in Texas, and I'm thinking they're a northern fish. They are a decent size, but it seemed to be all bones and scales once I cut into it. 

Is there a secret to it?


----------



## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

I call them fertilizer, just toss them into the field..............


----------



## blacksmithtech (Oct 11, 2007)

Garbage fish for me - they are not good for the lakes.

We just stick 'em and toss.


----------



## quietstar (Dec 11, 2002)

The only Sheepshead I am familiar with is a member of the salt water Porgy family and is popular with jetty and dock anglers or along the edges of the innercoastal waterway. They are bad bait thiefs, a little trouble to clean, but good sweet eating when you make the effort. In the Gulf, they are called Convict Fish because of their black vertical stripes. Gulf Sheepshead average only about 2 to 6 pounds, but I checked, and the record fish from Louisiana weighed over 20 pounds. Are we talking about the same fish?...Glen


----------



## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Nail the fish thru the head to a flat board. Fillet along the backbone and then up under the skin. Remove the nail. Eat the board.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Heard that one before. 

While I was fishing, there was this old man fishing a little ways down on the river. I pulled in a sheephead and I went to ask him what it was. He told me and then asked where I was from, prompting the obligatory "I moved here from Texas ..." speech. He told me the fish was a sheephead and some very good eating. Of course he then proceeded to give me recipes for raccoon (which I detest) should I happen to catch any of those. It may just be that he didn't have as good of taste as the (apparent) fish gourmets on this forum. 

I'm determined to try and eat one of these things to see for myself. Now I just need to catch another one.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Oh, sorry, Quietstar. Neglected to answer your post ...

From my research it appears to be the same fish, just a freshwater variant.


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Never heard of them.If their like a Drum should be good eating.

big rockpile


----------



## tn_junk (Nov 28, 2006)

'Round here we call them drum.
Not great, but eatable. I prefer them made into chowder as they can be a bit on the strong side taste wise.
I filet them and then be sure to cut the blood line out.

alan


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Ok if they are Drum another thing,they die pretty fast so I put them on Ice as I get them,or filet them as I get them.

big rockpile


----------



## quietstar (Dec 11, 2002)

Hey you guys..Sometimes all it takes is an open mind to discover new, wonderful taste experiences. I never had the pleasure of eating Gar Balls until I was transfered to Ms. I know it is a common treat around Port Neches, Texas. I bet a Pecan pie WIHH could make the dish using those puny Northern Pike and expand CF's tastes a bit...Glen


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

quietstar said:


> Hey you guys..Sometimes all it takes is an open mind to discover new, wonderful taste experiences. I never had the pleasure of eating Gar Balls until I was transfered to Ms. I know it is a common treat around Port Neches, Texas. I bet a Pecan pie WIHH could make the dish using those puny Northern Pike and expand CF's tastes a bit...Glen


Do they find them less agressive when they cut their balls out?  :croc:

big rockpile


----------



## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Sheepshead/freshwater drum aren't as worthless as some may claim. I have had them baked but wasn't particularly fond of them that way. My mother's favorite method was to skin and partially fillet them and then through a meat grinder. After adding chopped onions, salt & pepper, plus cracker or bread crumbs, they were made into thick patties and fried as fishcakes. Boney northern pike were treated the same way.

Martin


----------



## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

they are ok smoked!


----------



## Trapper (Jun 2, 2006)

Have caught to many sheepshead or drum, and a few northerns, too. Both are very boney and are hard to clean. Luckily, I have a very good friend that can filet the Pike including the removal of the "Y" bones. It is one of my favorte eating fish. :angel: On the other hand the sheepshead is not......but it is very greesy and has a strong odor and raccoons are not as picky in their.sheepshead food choices. I grind them up and mix with a few other choice species and they make a tremendous bait for the masked bandits.:buds: Trapper


----------



## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

CGUARDSMAN said:


> they are ok smoked!


Yeah, but hard to keep lit................


----------



## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

hunter63 said:


> Yeah, but hard to keep lit................


Not this way.....


----------

