Life history[edit]
Typical freshwater drum,
Lake Jordan,
Alabama (released)
During the summer, freshwater drum move into warm, shallow water that is less than 33 ft (10 m) deep.
[17] The freshwater drum then
spawn during a six to seven-week period from June through July when the water reaches a temperature of about 65 °F (18 °C).
[18] During the spawn, females release their eggs into the water column and males release their sperm. Fertilization is random.
[10] Males generally reach sexual maturity at four years, whereas females reach maturity at five or six years.
[10] Females from six to nine years old have a clutch size of 34,000 to 66,500 eggs and they spawn in open water giving no parental care to their larvae.
[18] The eggs then float to the top of the water column and hatch between two and four days.
[10] Due to the broadcasting of eggs in open water and lack of parental care, many eggs and larvae fall victim to predation upon hatching, the pro-
larvae average 3.2 mm (0.13 in) long. The post larval stage begins about 45 hours after hatching and a length of 4.4 mm (0.17 in) is attained.
[18] Maybe it was the males spawning? Water temp was about right...until the recent rains, anyways.