# Ocean Croakers vs Bay Croakers



## Talapia (Apr 27, 2003)

Last year I caught a mess of croakers out
of the bay and my mom tried some and 
did not like the way they tasted. Then 
I caught a bunch out of the Atlantic ocean
down in OC and she loved them, swore
they tasted like a different fish. Has
anybody else noticed a difference in
taste between bay vs ocean caught
croakers, spots, etc? And which did you
think tasted better? I personally think
that ocean caught fish taste much
better because of what they eat. Bay
fish taste more like the bay which 
is more "silty" then the ocean.


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## CAST DADDY L (Apr 21, 2004)

*Your Mom Is Not*

ALONE TAP LAST YEAR ON THANKSGIVING WEEKEND I WAS IN A.C. AND I CAUGHT ALOT OF AC CROAKERS AND THEY DO HAVE A DIFFERENT TASTE TO THEM I DON,T KNOW WHY


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## dvsHOKIE (Apr 4, 2005)

*freshwater croaker?*

While we are on the topic of craoker...Went fishing in Ohio at the Maumee river last year. I caught these fish that looked just like croaker (and actually croaked too, just not as loud), but thought there was no such thing as a freshwater croaker. Here is a pic. No one I met in Ohio, including one of their fishing gurus had a clue as to what it was. Any ideas?Croaker?


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## Talapia (Apr 27, 2003)

Hey...... no hijacking!!  
P.S. Welcome to the board! 
Now start your own threads!


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

Well the Bay croakers and spot are coming from the ocean. 

I understand what you are saying though. When I catch a bunch of spot from the beach in the bay and the water is murky, the look and taste like the water. When I catch spot from the beach in the bay and the water is clear, the fish taste much better and don't have that brown tinge to em.

Same with crappie, you catch em in a clear river they taste and look good, when the same river is murky the fish look and taste like that murky water.

I think it has more to do with what they are "breathing" than eating.


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## Talapia (Apr 27, 2003)

Got to disagree with you on that one.
I think what the fish eat mostly
determines how they taste. 
P.S. I think that crappie is one of the 
best eating fish in the world!


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

I'll agree on crappie being one of the best tasting things in the water but I really think when the same species taste different it has a lot more to do with the water they are breathing. This is based on personal observations with crappie, spot, croakers and rockfish.


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## Bear-60 (Jun 7, 2004)

dvsHOKIE,

What you have in the picture is a freshwater drum. I caught a few in OK. I don't have my McClanes Guide with me but if my memory serves they're found in the Great Lakes down through the Mississippi river system and can grow pretty large.


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## RoryGoggin (Jan 6, 2005)

I can't see the pic - but if it's a drum, a croaker is in the drum family, as is a spot, if memory serves.


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## Green Cart (May 14, 2002)

*Roy Groggin*

Click on the underlined "croaker" in message number 3


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

dvsHOKIE said:


> While we are on the topic of craoker...Went fishing in Ohio at the Maumee river last year. I caught these fish that looked just like croaker (and actually croaked too, just not as loud), but thought there was no such thing as a freshwater croaker. Here is a pic. No one I met in Ohio, including one of their fishing gurus had a clue as to what it was. Any ideas?Croaker?


Yep, fresh water drum. Check it out.Fresh Water Drum


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## Anthony (Jul 3, 2002)

I noticed that a few years ago when I caught some on the OC Princess when it was here. I did think that the ocean croakers tasted better.


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## dvsHOKIE (Apr 4, 2005)

Thanks guys.

p.s.- sorry talapia for "hijacking"


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2005)

dvsHOKIE said:


> While we are on the topic of craoker...Went fishing in Ohio at the Maumee river last year. I caught these fish that looked just like croaker (and actually croaked too, just not as loud), but thought there was no such thing as a freshwater croaker. Here is a pic. No one I met in Ohio, including one of their fishing gurus had a clue as to what it was. Any ideas?Croaker?




What you got there is a sheepshead! This is the only fresh water drum. You see these in the North East and elsewhere and they are mostly considered a garbage fish like the carp. There aer others who eat 'em and think they're good tasting. Apparently, they have a small rock in their head (made of of calcium, of course) that helps them balance in the water. 

I used to catch these as a kid and they put up a good fight and get quite large.




Lipyourown said:


> Same with crappie, you catch em in a clear river they taste and look good, when the same river is murky the fish look and taste like that murky water.
> 
> I think it has more to do with what they are "breathing" than eating.



Some would argue that yellow perch and/or walleye are better tasting.

As far as the water making the fish taste different, you may have a point but then diet could be a factor. For example, has anyone eaten King Salmon before? Pretty good stuff, eh? If it's caught out of the ocean, of course. Now, if you eat a King from one of the Great Lakes, it's aweful, I think. The Great Lakes salmon have this nasty gamey taste that I just can't stomach. The factor must be one of two things, or both: fresh water or the diet which is primarily (almost always) alewife.


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## Hat80 (Sep 22, 2002)

*Sorry Pauky,*

thats a Freshwater Drum. This is a Sheepshead. .....Tightlines


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

yea it is probable a combo of both, water and what they eat BUUUUT the spot are eating very similar things in the Bay as in the Ocean...the things they are eating are BREATHING different water. I think the water is the more dominant factor.

I caught crappie out of the Spoils when the water was clear and they tasted great. 2 weeks later i ate crappie from the same spot but the water was murky and the fish tasted like the water.


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2005)

Hat...I said it was a fresh water drum. And, I said it was a sheepshead. It's both. Go up North and see what they call 'em. There are different names for fish regionally.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Hey Clyde, is there any difference in taste between the rock you catch at AI and those you get from the bay? I've never had the pleasure of eating at rock fresh out of the ocean.


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## saintjerome (Jul 7, 2005)

The best tasting rockfish I've ever had were caught surfcasting (AI) in late fall, and they all had stomachs that were stuffed with crabs of all kinds. Sadly, it made alot of the Bay fish taste muddy and putrid....even the texture of the meat is different.

I'd say water quality, diet and season all influence the quality.


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## Talapia (Apr 27, 2003)

Welcome to the board.


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2005)

saintjerome said:


> The best tasting rockfish I've ever had were caught surfcasting (AI) in late fall, and they all had stomachs that were stuffed with crabs of all kinds. Sadly, it made alot of the Bay fish taste muddy and putrid....even the texture of the meat is different.
> 
> I'd say water quality, diet and season all influence the quality.


Yeah, season may play in there too. For example, spawning season. Some fish undergo changes during spawning and other seasons that affect the taste.


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## dvsHOKIE (Apr 4, 2005)

Actually, the freshwater drum i caught were probably the most delicious fish I have ever had. Tasted very similar to craoker, even though they were freshwater. Maybe it was just the way they were prepared?


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

I believe that both (water clarity and what they eat) can effect how they taste. I've had crappie and bass from murky waters and they tasted that way. I've also been told that bottom feeders that are munching a lot of mud and other junk along with the food they're after, can also taste a little different. I met a fisherman once who used to keep fish alive if he caught them in murky water (big cooler in his car), and he'd put them in a container at home (tank, barrel, whatever) for up to 24 hours before eating it. He said it made a big difference.


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