Croakers & Drums - Corvina

Croakers and Drums get their name from sounds they make underwater. Corvina is a Spanish name for many fish in this family. Some of the salt water varieties are often calle Sea Bass.

More on Varieties of Fish.

Freshwater Drum

In the Asian markets of Southern California this fish has been most often labeled "Sheephead" but the Philippine markets are now more commonly calling it "Gasper goo". This is a pretty big fish, the photo specimen at 21 inches and 3.85 pounds, but they can grow to over 3 feet and 50 pounds. Found in large non-freezing lakes and rivers in North and Central America, it is a minor commercial fish and not considered threatened.   Details and Cooking.

Yellow Croaker

Corvina / Yellow Croaker [Yellowfish, Yellow Corvina; Larimichthys polyactis alt Pseudosciaena manchurica] Native to the northwest Pacific, particularly the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, this fish is highly prized among Asians in Los Angeles, especially the Koreans. In Korean markets they are sold frozen, dried, salted cooked and sometimes fresh, usually in lengths less than 12 inches. They are often called "Corvina" (Spanish for croaker) or "Yellow Corvina" to avoid confusion with the other fish called "yellow croaker" (see Yellow Croaker above). They are easy to tell apart, this one has a round face, the other has a pointy face. This fish can grow to about 18 inches, but the photo specimen, purchased from a Los Angeles market serving mostly Vietnamese and Chinese, was 13-1/4 inches long and weighed 1 pound 2-1/2 ounces, IUCN status NE (Not Evaluated).   Details and Cooking. Atlantic Croaker / Yellow Croaker [Sea Bass; Micropogonias undulatus   |   very similar: Spotfin Croaker; Roncador stearnsi; Yellowfin Croaker Umbrina roncador; Sharpnose hammer croaker Johnius borneensis] See the entry for Yellow Croaker above for the confusion surrounding this fish and others. This fish is native to the West Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. It ranges from Massachusetts to Argentina and is considered a very good eating fish. This fish can grow to 22 inches and 5 pounds 11 ounces, but the photo specimen was 14 inches long and weighing 1 pound 3/4 oz. This fish is currently caught wild and not farmed. It is IUCN rated LC (Least Concern).   Details and Cooking.

Corvina Drum

This fish is found along the coasts of Peru and Chile, and is highly favored as a food fish in the region. It can grow to 36 inches, but is more commonly around 16 inches. IUCN Red List DD (Data Deficient);   Details and Cooking.   Photo by Luis Hoyos Mayta distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported.

White Croaker

This fish is native to the west coast of North America, most common off Southern California and fading out north of California and midway down Baja California. It can be told from most similar croakers by lack of a barbel under the lower lip. It can grow to 16 inches, but is commonly under 10 inches. The photo specimen was 7-3/4 inches and wighed 2-7/8 ounces. This fish is IUCN Red Listed NT (Near Threatened).   Details and Cooking.

Red Drum

Strangely, this drum is not always red, and the distinctive ringed spot at the tail may not be there on some fish either, or may appear on only one side. This West Atlantic fish is found from Massachusetts to northern Mexico and can grow to 61 inches and 99 pounds, but the photo specimen was 16-1/2 inches and 2 pounds. The photo specimen, farm raised in Taiwan, shows an extra black spot on the side. Red drum was badly depleted to supply restaurants during the "Blackened Redfish" craze of a few years back, but stocks have recovered and it is now farmed - IUCN rated LC (Least Concern).   Details and Cooking.

Black Drum

This largest of the Drums & Croakers is found in the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia, Canada, south around Florida and the Gulf of Mexico on to Venezuela and southern Argentina. They are found mostly in brackish waters near shore.They can grow to 67 inches and 113 pounds, but are commonly around 20 inches. The distinct bars on young fish fade as they become larger. Young Black Drum have the same taste and cooking properties as the closely related Red Drum. It is suggested that fish over 15 pounds be returned to the water, as they are very difficult to scale and clean, and the flesh will be quite tough and will not flake. IUCN Red Listed LC (Least Concern). For smaller Black Drum, use the Details and Cooking for the closely related Red Drum.   Photo by Luis Otavio Frota da Rocha distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported.

Smalleye Croaker

This fish is native to the West Atlantic, mostly off the north coast of South America from Columbia to Brazil, but a few can be found farther south off Brazil. It can grow to almost 16 inches and 1-1/4 pounds, but the photo specimen was 13 inches long and weighed 1 pound 1 oz. It is well though of as a food fish, and one of the highest priced fish in Trinidad. This fish is currently caught wild as a commercial catch and is not farmed. IUCN Red List status Not Evaluated.   Details and Cooking.

King Weakfish

This fish is native to the West Atlantic from Venezuela to the northern half of Argentina. It can grow to nearly 18 inches, but the photo specimen was 14-1/2 inches long and weighed 1 pound 1-1/2 oz. Weakfish get their name from weakness of the mouth parts - hooks can tear loose and the fish then escapes. This fish is currently caught wild as a minor commercial fishery and is not farmed. IUCN Red List status LC (Least Concern).   Details and Cooking.

Spotted Seatrout / Spotted Weakfish (FB)

This fish is native to the West Atlantic from New York to southern Florida, and along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It is also found around Cuba and some other Caribbean islands. It can grow to nearly 39 inches, but is commonly 14 inches. This fish is currently caught mainly in recreational fishing, with minor commercial harvest, and is not farmed. IUCN Red List status LC (Least Concern).   Details and Cooking.   Photo from Smithsonian Environmental Research Center distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic.

Spot Croaker

This fish is found in brackish and salt waters. It ranges from Massachusetts on south, following the coastline through the Gulf of Mexico and down to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is very popular in recreational fishing. This fish can grow to 14 inches, but is commonly 10 inches or smaller. IUCN Red List LC (Least Concern).   Details and Cooking.   Photo from Smithsonian Environmental Research Center distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic.

Meagre

This fish is native to the East Atlantic coasts, Mediterranean, and Black Seas, but has invaded the Red Sea. It is found from Norway south to Congo, but is scarce north of France. It can grow to 90 inches and 227 pounds, but is more commonly 59 inches. IUCN Red List status LC (Least Concern).   Details and Cooking.   Photo by Lucyin distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.

Cassava Croaker

This fish is native to the west coast of Africa, from Morroco down to Angola, but most common off Senegal and not common north of there. It can grow to 44 inches and 26 pounds, but is commonly 21 inches. It is called for as Cassava Fish in recipes from Nigeria. This fish is IUCN Red List rated EN (Endangered) and should not be caught or eaten.   Subst:   use Atlantic Croaker or Red Drum. For   Details and Cooking see Atlantic Croaker.   Photo by Theo Modder distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported.

Dusky Cob

This fish is native to the East Atlantic from South Africa north to Angola. It can grow to 78 inches and 170 pounds, but is commonly quite a bit smaller. This fish is currently caught wild and is not farmed. While it is IUCN Red List status Not Evaluated, stocks are at risk due to seine netters illegally keeping all juvenile fish caught.   Photo by Frederick Hermanus Van der Bank, University of Johannesburg Contributed to the Public Domain.

Geelbeck Croaker

This fish is native Southern Africa from Angola around and up to Mozambique, and also along the east coast of Australia. It can grow to 53 inches and 55 pounds, but is commonly aroud 35 inches. This fish is highly thought of in South Africa. It is currently caught wild and is not farmed. It is IUCN Red List status Not Evaluated.   Painting by Andrew Smith, copyright expired.