freshwater drum, sheepshead, white bass and white perch

[crossover]

As bass season draws nearer, I will be trying out some local areas by the waterfront. I've never come across these species before, and would like to catch one of them, so I'm wondering if bass baits like 3" grubs would work?

[GoneFishin]

Fresh water drum is a sheep's head, and white bass and perch usually feed off the bottom as well as sheep's head. A grub should work fine, powerbait minnows work well and shallow cranks. But a jig head with a piece of worm would probably produce the most results. I'm assuming from the list of species your fishing lake ontario river mouths. Work your bait slowly, some days you will get into fish good, then you might go days without a bite but if you have patience and you are fishing lake Ontario you can get into that trophy fish you've been waiting for at any moment.

[bigugli]

They all love minners on a bottom rig.

[Marko]

Drum love minnows!

Like bigugli said, just keep them on the bottom and you`ll catch a few.

[bdox]

I personally would never spend money on live bait to fish for sheepshead. Medium to deep diving cranks and jerks fished in 15-30fow work just as well and we consistently catch double digit fish. From the end of May until bass opener, when the big lake is too rough this is a great way to kill some time in the harbor.

 

Edited June 18, 2011 by bdox

[ehg]

Not sure where you plan to fish but any estuary or trib mouth on Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Huron probably has sheepshead/drum and white bass right around creek mouths right now. Adding a piece of worm to jig/grub could catch them even throwing a small inline spinner could produce. Pike, jumbo perch, and even smallmouth bass like to be in these areas at this time of the year. Good Luck

[mike rousseau]

They adore crayfish!

 

I know some guys that target them with a simple hook and split shot set up with a lively crayfish hooked in the tail... They sometimes get 10-15 of these a day

[Rod Caster]

Here's a drum caught from Nipissing shoreline.

 

caught using a worms and worm harness.

 

[Live2fish85]

I find that they will hit most things that bass hit as I always catch them on Erie going for bass. But I know in Hamilton near the pier or in the bay you can catch them one white crankbaits often. They are a nasty fish but they put up a good fight.