![]() oysters, as well as many other types of prey that they find along the bottom of the ocean floor or coastal inlets.Ī sheepshead has one of the most unique mouths of any fish in the world. Sheepshead have a very similar diet compared to black drum. ![]() In fact, sheepshead usually venture well away from land and might stay near artificial reefs and shipwrecks that are more than 100 feet deep, especially in the Gulf of Mexico. One of the major differences between black drum vs sheepshead is that the latter variation don’t confine themselves to waters near the coast. It’s also common to find sheepshead in and around the Carribean Islands, as well as South America, but they seem to be found in greater numbers in the areas north of the equatorial divide. They are much more prevalent further south and are known to prefer waters that are more shallow, which many anglers consider to be inshore areas. What is a Black Drum?īlack drum are often found in the coastal areas throughout the eastern half of the United States. Many anglers who might not be very familiar with these types of fish can get confused about whether they have caught a black drum vs sheepshead. ![]() These types of fish are commonly found in marshy areas and there are many instances where you might catch both species in the same habitat. Sheepshead are caught a bit further away from the shore, but sometimes you’ll see them come into coastal waters and gravitate toward dock pilings and other structures. Inshore anglers routinely target black drum as they are fairly easy to catch and have a good taste when prepared and cooked properly. The black drum and sheepshead fish are two of the most sought-after species around the coastal waters of the eastern United States. If you’re not quite sure how to tell the difference between black drum vs sheepshead, we’ve compiled this article to serve as a handy guide. Each of these are found in abundance around the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. "Since they are good to eat, sheepshead are targeted by anglers, so the handling of one after capture creates the possibility of being bitten or poked by their sharp dorsal fin spines.Two of the most popular types of inshore saltwater fish species are black drum and sheepshead. "They pose no threat to humans unless harassed," Catania added. "I would not hesitate to swim in waters inhabited by these fish," David Catania, the collections manager for ichthyology at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, told in 2021 after a TikTok video describing a sheepshead as a "demon fish" went viral. Even when sheepshead fish have a full set of gnashers they are typically not dangerous to humans, but it's not a good idea to provoke them. and in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the IUCN. Sheepshead fish are safe for human consumption and are commercially and recreationally fished along the southeastern coast of the U.S. Sheepshead fish usually reach maturity at 2 years old and can live for at least 20 years. Once fertilized, the eggs hatch after just 28 hours. Scientists don't know much about sheepshead fish spawning behavior, but females may produce between 1,100 eggs and 250,000 eggs, according to FMNH. To reproduce, a female fish releases her eggs, which a male then fertilizes with sperm. Related: Under the sea: 50 breathtaking images from our oceans How do sheepshead fish breed? Sheepshead fish swim from the surface down to a depth of 49 feet (15 meters), according to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. In late winter and early spring, sheepshead fish head offshore to spawn, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History (FMNH). While sheepshead fish usually live in salt water and slightly salty brackish water, they are sometimes found in freshwater habitats in winter, when they seek out warmer waters where springs and rivers empty into the ocean. Genus and species: Archosargus probatocephalus
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