That would be called a 'puppy drum' where I fish and likely wouldn't make North Carolina's 'slot' limit to keep, but a nice 'Red' none the less. I sometimes catch them in the surf using sand fleas (Mole crabs) I find along the wash using a 'flea rake'. This time of year big drum (35# and up) are being caught from the beach and piers in both N.C. and Va. using cut mullet for bait.
Are you in NC Waydah ??? I'm going to be out towards the coast for a while soon . I caught a small drum the last trip I had down there ,, no where near legal keeping range tho .
No. I'm in Va. We travel to the OBX to both vacation and to fish. I have a son who lives in Holly Ridge, N.C. on the coast who fishes a lot. Eat 'sand fleas'? I'll pass.
Never cooked ray, but the fish looks like it would be good steamed Chinese style. My favorites to cook Chinese style are kumu (white saddle goatfish) and moi (threadfin, originally reserved only for royalty). Coming in a close second is ama`ama (mullet). Steaming Chinese style is easy. I season lightly with salt and pepper both outside and in the cavity. Put julienned ginger and green onion in the cavity and on top. Once the steamer is going, I only steam for about five minutes. When I take it out, I drizzle a little soy sauce over the fish, then pour a little boiling oil over the fish. Traditionally, peanut oil is used. But I usually use what I have. So mostly olive oil, but I add a splash of sesame oil in there too. The boiling oil with crackle and cook everything a little more, including the soy sauce. Then I finish with another splash of soy sauce and garnish with cilantro. The sauce is awesome on rice too. Super simple and super delicious! I make kumu like that with jasmine rice, some kind of vegetable and a dessert on early dates. Has never failed me, fellas. Especially, if you just came back from spearing it in the ocean. Bonus points. In fact, it even scored me my wife. I cooked for her on our second date and she was hooked.
One fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue fish, Black fish, Blue fish, Old fish, New fish. This one has a littlecar. This one has a little star. Say! What a lot of fish there are. Yes. Some are red, and some are blue. Some are old and some are new. Some are sad, and some are glad, And some are very, very bad. Why are they sad and glad and bad? I do not know, go ask your dad. Some are thin, and some are fat. The fat one has a yellow hat. From there to here, From here to there, Funny things are everywhere. Here are some who like to run. They run for fun in the hot, hot sun. Oh me! Oh my! Oh me! oh my! What a lot of funny things go by. Some have two feet and some have four. Some have six feet and some have more. Where do they come from? I can't say. But I bet they have come a long, long way. we see them come, we see them go. Some are fast. Some are slow. Some are high. Some are low. Not one of them is like another. Don't ask us why, go ask your mother. Well, someone said "red fish." Couldn't help myself.
Brookies and brownies. Hatchery raised and stocked. I have not fished these waters at all, but the streams get crowded on opening day.
Opening day? hahaha,We have opening days for shrimping and pretty much everything is year round except for Red Snapper,But that's pretty much offshore?