Eating bass 2024

billmac reply :

Do you guys ever eat the bass you catch? For all that I've been obsessed with fishing for most of my life, I'm not a huge fan of eating fish in general, and bass are pretty low on the list of fish I do eat. Most of my experience is with smallmouth and by the time they are legal here in NY, they are wormy. Panfish, pike, and walleye are more appealing to me as food. I would only keep a bass if I didn't think it would survive being released, and even then I would have to cut the parasites out.

Catt reply :

I'm a Cajun so yes I do! ????

MN Fisher reply :

Even us northerners eat Bass. I catch a 2#-3# LMB and half the time it goes home with me so I can fillet it and broil it up.

The Short Fisherman reply :

If I'm fishing in clean water, then yes. I never eat fish out of polluted waters though just in case they carry something nasty

N Florida Mike reply :

If I was a condemned man, fried fish would be on my last meal. Ive eaten all kinds of fish, including many a bass. That being said, I mainly keep them now for friends that dont get fish much, or if we are having a family fish fry and other kinds arent quickly available , or if I gut hook one. We get a lot of saltwater fish, and I would rather eat them than bass. And Id rather eat bream and catfish than bass.

If I do eat bass, I eat filets mostly. Something in the skin of a bass makes them have a muddy taste, for lack of a better description.

It doesnt bother me at all if people eat bass, as long as their catch is legal.

ratherbfishin1 reply :

I personally don’t see a point, there are so many other fish that taste way better (or so I’ve heard, I’m not a fan of fish at all) that I really don’t see the point. If I were fishing to keep them I would probably begin crappie and trout fishing. But if other people want to eat their catch then it doesn’t really bother me unless it is a monster bass.

billmac reply :

Interesting. Why would someone eating a big bass bother you?

FCPhil reply :

Nope, always catch and release to catch them again, especially if they are big.

Hawkeye21 reply :

I had bass before and it was very good. I myself never keep bass but I also don't keep any fish to cook unless on a fishing trip where we fry them up for dinner. The only fish we keep for eating are bluegills, crappie, walleye, perch and pike. I don't like seeing anyone keep bass over 18 inches because I like to see those bass go back and reproduce. As long as it's withing state regulations then there really is nothing wrong with it.

ratherbfishin1 reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 4:20 AM, billmac said:

Interesting. Why would someone eating a big bass bother you?

Small bass aren’t always younger than the big bass. A big bass has a higher potential of having big offspring. This means if enough people kept the big fish then the average size of fish in a body of water will go down.

rod snapper reply :

My buddy and i were fishing his farm pond at night, and we gut hooked a 16 incher (didn't weigh it) but it was doomed, so we filleted it, and for lack of knowledge on how to cook it, we threw it in a frying pan with butter, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and i'll tell you, i thought it would taste like dirt, cause everyone i know said it would, but it tasted amazing! now whenever we fish his pond, well keep one just because its fun, and tasty. i recommend keeping one now and again.

HeyCoach reply :

I’m not going to eat a bass.

For a short time I lived in a poor area of Alabama (black belt) that was a big producer of farm raised catfish.

All of the town events had tables set up frying or grilling catfish filets. The two restaurants in town featured catfish.

I’ve not eaten fish in a while.

scaleface reply :

I eat bass , especially in the slot limit lakes . Those slots dont work to grow bigger bass if the anglers dont do their part .

Glaucus reply :

Never. You have dogs, cats, and horses, and then you have pigs, cows, and chickens; I place bass in the dogs, cats, and horses category: they're friends, not food.

If I was a starving man, however.....

humbleangler reply :

I have eaten bass, but only on a couple occasions...I thought it was good...not as good as bluegill, crappie, trout, or walleye, but still very tasty. I rarely keep and clean my catch, and when I do, it's usually planned so I'm going for panfish or cats all day, not bass. If I happen to gut hook a largemouth in the slot on one of those days, it comes home with me. I think a lot of the negative reviews of taste are exaggerated and meant to discourage people from taking, but slots and limits are there for a reason, and relative to other fish, bass populations are not exactly struggling. I almost prefer seeing a guy take a couple 14-16 in. bass vs. an overflowing bucket of crappie or cats...The crappie population around me is WAY down from overfishing...wish they'd lower the limits on a lot of lakes if they have them at all.

scaleface reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 5:58 AM, Glaucus said:

Never. You have dogs, cats, and horses, and then you have pigs, cows, and chickens; I place bass in the dogs, cats, and horses category: they're friends, not food.

If I was a starving man, however.....

You stick dogs , cats , and horses in the mouths with hooks ?

CrankFate reply :

I have never eaten, kept or killed a LMB or SMB.

Glaucus reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 6:04 AM, scaleface said:

You stick dogs , cats , and horses in the mouths with hooks ?

I put what is essentially a rope around a dogs neck, I use a spray bottle on a misbehaving cat knowing they hate it, and I nail metal to the feet of horses.

Can we stop with this now?

My point was clearly that I personally don't see bass as food. I literally follow the stories of pet bass on YouTube. I'm not some kind of extremist who hates people that eat them though. I really don't care what other people do. I choose not to.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 6:12 AM, Glaucus said:

I'm not some kind of extremist who hates people that eat them though. I really don't care what other people do. I choose not to.

Thank you for 'allowing' me to enjoy my catch.

Glaucus reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 6:06 AM, CrankFate said:

I have never eaten, kept or killed a LMB or SMB.

I've killed a few that I know about. Probably many more that I don't know about. Part of the sport. They don't always survive being caught, especially after a gut hook or gill damage.

On 2/25/2019 at 6:13 AM, MN Fisher said:

Thank you for 'allowing' me to enjoy my catch.

I don't allow or disallow you to do anything. I'd never say a word to you about it unless it got brought up, such as this thread.

roadwarrior reply :

No, never.

However, I don't think legal "Keep and Catch" is wrong.

gimruis reply :

I just don’t care for the taste of bass. It reminds me of mud, especially in the warmer summer months. Up here in the north there’s way better options for eating fish than bass. Walleyes, perch, trout, and crappies all taste way better. Pike are even ok too but they have a lot of bones and they’re super slimy.

The problem with keeping bass up here is that they take so long to get replaced. They grow so slowly up in northern waters and they’re not stocked so the only recruitment is natural reproduction. It wouldn’t take long to decimate a population here.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 6:17 AM, gimruis said:

I just don’t care for the taste of bass. It reminds me of mud, especially in the warmer summer months. Up here in the north there’s way better options for eating fish than bass. Walleyes, perch, trout, and crappies all taste way better.

I've never eaten a 'muddy' LMB, a little 'gamy' maybe but I like that. I'm not a fan of walleye/sauger...different taste buds perhaps. Crappie and Bluegill are very good - just takes too many to make a decent meal.

Trout I'd prefer, but I don't travel very far from home for various reasons and there's only two trout lakes in my range...and no streams/rivers. So trout is a once in a while thing for me...but very much enjoyed.

WRB reply :

My wife's family are from Minnesota that summered in Canada and shore lunches are a big part of a fishing outing. I grew up in SoCal and never knew what a shore lunch was, we caught fish to eat, mostly trout and sometimes crappie for dinner but rarely ate bass. When I started to salt water fish more we ate mostly ocean fish like salt water White Sea bass, Yellowtail, dorado, rock fish, halibut and tuna.

My inlaws prefer walleyes and occasional baked lake trout, they didn't eat bass or pike.

Occasionally I kept a LMB to eat and my wife liked it, very different from the bass they had up north with firmer white meat similar to walleye.

The water quality and specie of fish has a lot to do with how it taste, hard to beat a Canadian walleye shore lunch!

Tom

punch reply :

Nope, and every time I see someone keep a nice bass I cry a little bit inside.

Russ E reply :

If I gut hook a keeper size bass, I will eat it.

Otherwise I don't keep them. In part, because they are usually at the top of the list for fish with high mercury levels.

I should clarify. In Kansas there is a fish advisory for eating larger smallmouth and largemouth Bass statewide, because of mercury levels. most of the lakes I fish have an 18 inch limit. that eliminates the smaller eating sized fish.

Edited February 25, 2019 by Russ E
clarification

slonezp reply :

Yes and

IBTL

punch reply :

I do keep and fillet pike out of my local bass lakes, to help out my bass buddies of course.

johnmyers reply :

I eat some out of my 2.5 acre pond. Some need to be taken out each year to keep from overpopulating. I NEVER keep until after spawn is well over. I keep around 20 per year. I never keep bass out of lakes I fish.

humbleangler reply :

Back to the OP, is it common for bass LMB or SMB to have parasites? More common than other species? I would have imagined cats to be the most likely affected, but I've never had a problem.

mcipinkie reply :

What most people don't under stand is that Hawg is correct.

For slot limits to work, we have to take out the fish. Don't start on me. I have some reservations about slot limits, but they definitely will not work unless we take out the fish. I fish a lake that has a 12 -15 throw back slot. It's over run with 8 - 14 inch fish. The lake would be better off in the long run if we threw those short fish up on the bank for the coons, but I can't do it.

Catch and release is not always the best thing to do.

I personally like to eat bass. A couple 12 inchers makes a nice meal.

johnmyers reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 7:13 AM, mcipinkie said:

What most people don't under stand is that Hawg is correct.

For slot limits to work, we have to take out the fish. Don't start on me. I have some reservations about slot limits, but they definitely will not work unless we take out the fish. I fish a lake that has a 12 -15 throw back slot. It's over run with 8 - 14 inch fish. The lake would be better off in the long run if we threw those short fish up on the bank for the coons, but I can't do it.

Catch and release is not always the best thing to do.

I personally like to eat bass. A couple 12 inchers makes a nice meal.

Exactly

billmac reply :

Besides not being a huge fan of eating fish, I really hate cleaning fish. But I won't release a fish that I know won't live.

Just for the record, I posted this just out of curiosity about eating bass. I never imagined some might see it as an ethical issue. As far as I'm concerned if you eat your legal limit every single day it's perfectly fine.

scaleface reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 7:35 AM, billmac said:

Besides not being a huge fan of eating fish, I really hate cleaning fish. But I won't release a fish that I know won't live.

I dont bring fish home to clean . I usually dont mess with them unless there is a fish cleaning station at the water . Small bass are easy to fillet ,crappie , sunfish too and walleye are my favorite to both clean and eat . Catfish can be a chore but I like to eat them at camp-outs .

billmac reply :

Pike are some of my favorite fish to eat (and catch, if I'm honest). They are a bit of a pain to fillet, but it's worth it. Walleye are the gold standard of game fish to eat but they are a bit of a boring fish to catch.

Bluebasser86 reply :

I don't, I have eaten plenty of them when I was younger and fish were a big part of our diet. I wish I had a taste for it but freshwater fish for the most part taste terrible to me. I'd love to be able to bring home 5 fat 12 inchers eat time I go to one of the slot limit lakes.

sll reply :

I usually only eat crappie, walleye, and sauger......but a smallmouth or spot caught in cold, clear water are pretty dang good.

Glaucus reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 7:35 AM, billmac said:

Besides not being a huge fan of eating fish, I really hate cleaning fish. But I won't release a fish that I know won't live.

Just for the record, I posted this just out of curiosity about eating bass. I never imagined some might see it as an ethical issue. As far as I'm concerned if you eat your legal limit every single day it's perfectly fine.

There are two camps. One believes that harvesting bass is necessary to produce big bass, and the other believes in the "let 'em go, let 'em grow" philosophy.

And then there are those who over the years have developed a true love for these fish and couldn't intentionally kill one anymore than they could kill a family pet. Logical, illogical, doesn't really matter. Human emotion is complex.

Mobasser reply :

I've eaten my share. I don't see anything wrong with keeping a few for the frying pan. I've also eaten lots of deer meat, duck, quail, squirrel and rabbit too. Obey and respect the laws, and all is good

LxVE Bassin reply :

Bass taste like mud in the summer months but if it’s caught in the colder months I would be game. They have to be 14 inches or shorter for me to eat them. Anything bigger starts getting mushy. 14 is pushing it.

The Bassman reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 6:58 AM, humbleangler said:

Back to the OP, is it common for bass LMB or SMB to have parasites? More common than other species? I would have imagined cats to be the most likely affected, but I've never had a problem.

Hey, my two cats have never had a parasite! LOL. Catfish get a bum rap for being bottom feeding scavengers. In reality, for the most part they are quite predatory. Get bit by one while you're cranking and it'll give a whole new perspective.

Mobasser reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 5:40 AM, scaleface said:

I eat bass , especially in the slot limit lakes . Those slots dont work to grow bigger bass if the anglers dont do their part .

That's a good mess there! Fry em up!

The Bassman reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 8:15 AM, LxVE Bassin said:

Bass taste like mud in the summer months but if it’s caught in the colder months I would be game. They have to be 14 inches or shorter for me to eat them. Anything bigger starts getting mushy.

A few of the HOA lakes I fish are crawling with foot longs. I'd love to eat a few but it's just not handy since I fish on foot. DNR can't enforce min. size limit either.

dodgeguy reply :

I eat approx 5 a year. I keep them between 12 and 17 inches. Any bigger and they don't taste as good. In the 50 years I've been fishing I've only had one that had parasites.

Mobasser reply :

For some people, it may depend on how you were brought up. I've fished and hunted most all my life, and eaten fish and game all my.life too. We were taught to always obey the laws, which I still do. I let most of the bass go, but keep some , along with crappie to eat. I love a fish fry

FryDog62 reply :

Here in the North, one of our biggest problems are 2 foot Pike... they stunt the growth of other game fish (bigger Pike too) and can take over a lake.

There’s a fairly big movement in Minnesota to harvest these smaller pike. If you can learn how to take the Y bones out, they are one of the best tasting fish... much better than bass and very easy to catch (unfortunately).

I also heard someone from the DNR say that smaller pike tend to have lower mercury levels than similar weight bass.

Anyway, that’s my goal going forward if keeping fish for a meal... and hopefully this helps the bass to grow bigger too..

scaleface reply :

As far as parasites in the bass I have only seen them once in the meat, in the form of little white bumps on the skin .They were from a pond a guy wanted me to help thin out . I asked a conservation dept officer about them and he said the fish were good to go . So I had a fish fry and everyone loved them . I often catch bass with what looks like a parasite of some sort on the tail fin .

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 8:41 AM, FryDog62 said:

they are one of the best tasting fish... much better than bass and very easy to catch

That's a matter of personal taste...I MUCH prefer the taste of a 2#-3# LMB to any size pike.

On 2/25/2019 at 8:32 AM, dodgeguy said:

I eat approx 5 a year. I keep them between 12 and 17 inches. Any bigger and they don't taste as good. In the 50 years I've been fishing I've only had one that had parasites.

I like my lower limit a bit bigger - 14-18 inchers are my keepers. I also NEVER had one with parasites.

Goldstar225 reply :

I mostly catch and release but do keep some each year to eat. Love the taste but crappie or catfish from a clear water lake rank higher on the taste meter IMO. On the other hand I can't stand the taste of trout.

LonnieP reply :

I don’t eat bass, trout is the only freshwater fish I will eat.

rboat reply :

I don't keep or eat bass. Saltwater fish I think taste better. Most of our lakes have mercury warnings. I do not need to glow in the dark, or start growing extra appendages.

Here we do not need anglers to thin the bass population. We have so many predators that are much better at it. Each time on the water I see one of mother natures creatures eating bass. I believe that is how it is probably supposed to be.

Mobasser reply :

I don't intentionally fish for catfish much any more, but sometimes catch them.while bass fishing. I'll skin them, and fry them whole or in chunks. With crappie,I keep a small cooler with ice in the canoe or boat, and fillet them with an electric knife at home. For just a few fish, a standard fillet knife works fine.

J.Vincent reply :

Nope , only Fish and seafood I eat is Perch, Cod, Tuna, Tilapia, Salmon, Lobster and King Crab. But to each their own !

LxVE Bassin reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 5:40 AM, scaleface said:

I eat bass , especially in the slot limit lakes . Those slots dont work to grow bigger bass if the anglers dont do their part .

The water you were fishing allowed a 6 fish limit?

rod snapper reply :

bass are fine, i will eat them, but chicken nuggets beat all.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:14 AM, LxVE Bassin said:

The water you were fishing allowed a 6 fish limit?

He's in Missouri and they have a 6-fish limit on Black Bass...here in MN we also have a 6-fish limit on Bass.

Mobasser reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:19 AM, rod snapper said:

bass are fine, i will eat them, but chicken nuggets beat all.

Chicken nuggets? I'd take a piece of fried bass any day. Kind of like McDonald's fish sandwich- made from only the finest carp available

scaleface reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:28 AM, Mobasser said:

made from only the finest carp available

I have ate many a carp . They were popular here along the river . The union I belonged to use to sell fried carp sandwiches during 4th of July celebrations downtown . We sold hundreds a day , a very lucrative fund raiser .

Mobasser reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:36 AM, scaleface said:

I have ate many a carp . They were popular here along the river . The union I belonged to use to sell fried carp sandwiches during 4th of July celebrations downtown . We sold hundreds a day , a very lucrative fund raiser .

My grandma used to cann carp. I never cared for it too much. I liked fried catfish much better. I've never eaten fried carp, but I've heard some folks like them

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:28 AM, Mobasser said:

Chicken nuggets? I'd take a piece of fried bass any day. Kind of like McDonald's fish sandwich- made from only the finest carp available

Chicken Nuggets - made from only the finest left-over pieces of the chicken during butchering.

Fried? FRIED!? HOW CAN YOU ABUSE A FISH LIKE THAT BEFORE EATING IT?!?! Broiled, grilled, or if you must - baked. Covering a fine eating fish with bread-crumbs and dunking it in oil is abuse...pure and simple.

scaleface reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:39 AM, Mobasser said:

My grandma used to cann carp. I never cared for it too much. I liked fried catfish much better. I've never eaten fried carp, but I've heard some folks like them

The wife and I use to can carp . They made great carp patties .

The best bass I ever ate . It was a white bass though .

Mobasser reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:40 AM, MN Fisher said:

Chicken Nuggets - made from only the finest left-over pieces of the chicken during butchering.

Fried? FRIED!? HOW CAN YOU ABUSE A FISH LIKE THAT BEFORE EATING IT?!?! Broiled, grilled, or if you must - baked. Covering a fine eating fish with bread-crumbs and dunking it in oil is abuse...pure and simple.

Well, to each his own. When I announce on 4rth of July, that we're frying crappie fillets, EVERYONE shows up, and theres very few ever left. Give them a couple of shots of Louisiana hot sauce, and it's the best tasting fish ever! But, that's just my opinion

billmac reply :

I've never had or caught a carp, but some of my earliest fishing memories were bank fishing at night (with kerosene lamps no less) for redfin mullet. I think we kept and cleaned them but I don't remember eating them.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:48 AM, Mobasser said:

Well, to each his own. When I announce on 4rth of July, that we're frying crappie fillets, EVERYONE shows up, and theres very few ever left. Give them a couple of shots of Louisiana hot sauce, and it's the best tasting fish ever! But, that's just my opinion

Must be a culture thing. I grew up on grilled/broiled fish. First time I had fried fish I actually asked 'Is this really fish? Because it doesn't taste like fish.'

As a youngster in MA and fishing a local stream for brookies, I'd take matches with me and sometimes gut, skewer and cook a brookie or two over an open fire right at streamside. So for decades I've been use to 'unadulterated' fish, can't handle it any other way.

Bankbeater reply :

I don’t like the taste of bass. I prefer panfish and catfish.

Junger reply :

I don't eat sweet potatoes, only white potatoes.

Catt reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:51 AM, MN Fisher said:

. I grew up on grilled/broiled fish. First time I had fried fish I actually asked 'Is this really fish? Because it doesn't taste like fish

The problem is most people over cook fried fish.

Fish is not a "dense" meat like beef & is done long before most people think.

Grilled/broiled fish is cook with lower temperatures & is harder to over cook.

Kinda like over frying pork chops or an over cooked steak, it's dried out & lost all it's flavor.

slonezp reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:14 AM, LxVE Bassin said:

The water you were fishing allowed a 6 fish limit?

My home water has a 6 bass limit, my home state has a 5 bass limit unless otherwise noted. This is why checking your regulations is important.

On 2/25/2019 at 9:04 AM, rboat said:

I don't keep or eat bass. Saltwater fish I think taste better. Most of our lakes have mercury warnings. I do not need to glow in the dark, or start growing extra appendages.

Here we do not need anglers to thin the bass population. We have so many predators that are much better at it. Each time on the water I see one of mother natures creatures eating bass. I believe that is how it is probably supposed to be.

Top of the food chain predators eat what they want. Humans are at the top, most of the time. I eat what I choose and do my best to not be eaten. That is how it's supposed to be.

WVU-SCPA reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 8:18 AM, The Bassman said:

Get bit by one while you're cranking and it'll give a whole new perspective.

Get bit by a carp cranking... it'll give you a whole new perspective.

the reel ess reply :

I will eat bass from time to time. I fish one place where they're stunted. The average is under a lb. I keep everything there. But I'll usually leave all of them in my buddy's basket. It's a private pond and the water source is a spring that comes right out of the ground. It's clean. The bass from it taste better than crappie from most public lakes.

NYWayfarer reply :

I don't eat Bass. There are too many species of fish I can catch that I like better for eating. Trout, Fluke and Flounder come to mind.

Obi_Wan reply :

I prefer crappie and walleye, but I've eaten a lot of bass in my life. Never once had one that tasted like mud. Those 12-15 inchers fry up nice and are tasty.

Like others, if its legal, don't see the issue.

Paul Roberts reply :

No. Only bc there are much tastier fish out there.

Heartland reply :

I have eaten many bass, it is not my general practice any longer, but it is the way I was raised. I prefer sunfish, crappie or walleye. But if I wanted a good fresh piece of fish I would not hesitate to eat a bass within the legal limits of the lake I was fishing. I prefer pan fried in butter, salt and pepper.

GReb reply :

I grew up eating them and like the taste. But it’s not worth the trouble. I’m surrounded by fried catfish on every corner cheaper than my time cleaning fish.

Instead I’ve started transporting slot limit fish to the 5 acre lake behind my house.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 1:28 AM, GReb said:

I grew up eating them and like the taste. But it’s not worth the trouble. I’m surrounded by fried catfish on every corner cheaper than my time cleaning fish.

Instead I’ve started transporting slot limit fish to the 5 acre lake behind my house.

Is that even legal there? It's illegal in MN to transport any fish from one body of water to another.

Can't even release minnows back into the water...even if you caught them there. Have to dispose of them in the trash.

GReb reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 1:36 AM, MN Fisher said:

Is that even legal there? It's illegal in MN to transport any fish from one body of water to another.

Can't even release minnows back into the water...even if you caught them there. Have to dispose of them in the trash.

Yes it’s legal to my knowledge. I haven’t found anything saying it isn’t. The lake is private anyways. It went from 2.5 acres to 5 about a year ago and wasn’t stocked. So we’ve all been adding a here and there. It’s definitely not over populated. My only concern is the potential of spreading some type of disease.

TnRiver46 reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 1:36 AM, MN Fisher said:

Is that even legal there? It's illegal in MN to transport any fish from one body of water to another.

Can't even release minnows back into the water...even if you caught them there. Have to dispose of them in the trash.

That sounds dangerously close to a California type regulation

WRB reply :

Gefilte fish is a dish usually made using carp. We were discussing eating bass and it's no different from eating several other fish, it must be fresh and properly cared for and prepared to taste good. All fresh water fish can have parasites including walleye and trout it's not isolated to bass.

Most anglers, including my inlaws, fry battered fish in hot oil using a frying pan and there are several good receipts for seasoning. Canadian shore lunch is using a cast iron skillet over a camp fire on a remote island is hard to beat.

I learned to cook fresh fish on a grill using Wishbone Italian dressing with light Cajon seasoning, works on every specie of fish I have grilled.

I like to eat fish, it's a weekly meal at our home baked, fried or grilled.

Tom

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 2:08 AM, TnRiver46 said:

That sounds dangerously close to a California type regulation

They're more worried about disease and invasive species spread. Trying to control milfoil, zebra mussels and such.

Example - if I caught minnows on Lake Minnetonka and filled the minnow bucket with Mtka water, then later did the same on Dutch Lake - there might be traces of Milfoil or even some Zebra Mussel larvae left over in the bucket from Mtka. That would be transplanting an invasive species - which is why dumping the bucket at the end of the day is illegal.

J Francho reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 9:51 AM, MN Fisher said:

Must be a culture thing. I grew up on grilled/broiled fish. First time I had fried fish I actually asked 'Is this really fish? Because it doesn't taste like fish.'

Fish fries are a big deal up here. Every restaurant has fried haddock on Fridays. It's especially big during lent. I like mine with American cheese and on a bun.

But, back to bass...there's way better tasting fish in my waters to bother with bass. Steelhead, king salmon, walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch all make much better table fare.

TnRiver46 reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 2:20 AM, MN Fisher said:

They're more worried about disease and invasive species spread. Trying to control milfoil, zebra mussels and such.

Example - if I caught minnows on Lake Minnetonka and filled the minnow bucket with Mtka water, then later did the same on Dutch Lake - there might be traces of Milfoil or even some Zebra Mussel larvae left over in the bucket from Mtka. That would be transplanting an invasive species - which is why dumping the bucket at the end of the day is illegal.

Zebra mussels= giant smallmouth! I see why they have the rules but when you said not being able to let minnows go in the same water you caught them in is where I smelled California

slonezp reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 1:13 AM, Paul Roberts said:

No. Only bc there are much tastier fish out there.

Take a fillet off a 14-16" bass, cut it into scallop sized chunks, wrap in bacon, put on skewers and throw them on the grill over indirect heat. Enjoy.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 2:57 AM, J Francho said:

But, back to bass...there's way better tasting fish in my waters to bother with bass. Steelhead, king salmon, walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch all make much better table fare.

I can agree that steelhead and salmon tastes better - but nothing close to me has those. I already said I prefer trout - specifically rainbows, but they're a rare catch for me.

I DO prefer the taste of bass over walleye and northern - and yellow perch as they're a close cousin to walleye.

Different tastes I guess. Doesn't make either of us wrong, just different. Still can't stand breaded fish though.

billmac reply :

In a few months, every fire station and rescue squad in the area will have bullhead feeds. Sometimes perch feeds.

Maybe it's the area. Practically every smallmouth I've ever cleaned has had parasites. Rock bass also. Never seen them in walleye, pike, any bluegill.

How come rock bass never seem to be a targeted species, even for panfishermen?

TnRiver46 reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 3:10 AM, billmac said:

In a few months, every fire station and rescue squad in the area will have bullhead feeds. Sometimes perch feeds.

Maybe it's the area. Practically every smallmouth I've ever cleaned has had parasites. Rock bass also. Never seen them in walleye, pike, any bluegill.

How come rock bass never seem to be a targeted species, even for panfishermen?

Because they are 90 percent ribcage is my reason

J Francho reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 3:09 AM, MN Fisher said:

I can agree that steelhead and salmon tastes better - but nothing close to me has those. I already said I prefer trout - specifically rainbows, but they're a rare catch for me.

These things are practically in my back yard.

2tall79 reply :

Nope, I release them all.......hopefully to be caught again. It's much like not eating the ball after a tennis match.

J Francho reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 3:10 AM, billmac said:

How come rock bass never seem to be a targeted species, even for panfishermen?

Exactly what TnRiver46 said, not much meat fro their size. They do taste pretty good, though.

scaleface reply :

Another fish that I ate only once but were very good are green sunfish . I caught a bunch through the ice one year , good sized ones for green sunfish . I heard they were no good but these sure were .

Mobasser reply :

Actually , I like most fish I've ever eaten. Fresh and Saltwater, baked or fried. I have to draw the line on gar. They look like a fish that never evolved correctly. Too prehistoric for me

TnRiver46 reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 3:57 AM, Mobasser said:

Actually , I like most fish I've ever eaten. Fresh and Saltwater, baked or fried. I have to draw the line on gar. They look like a fish that never evolved correctly. Too prehistoric for me

Gar is the best of them all, no kidding

Jleebesaw reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 2:57 AM, J Francho said:

Fish fries are a big deal up here. Every restaurant has fried haddock on Fridays. It's especially big during lent. I like mine with American cheese and on a bun.

But, back to bass...there's way better tasting fish in my waters to bother with bass. Steelhead, king salmon, walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch all make much better table fare.

I agree with walleye and perch, but I would take bass over the rest of those. I really don't like pike. Everybody eats it around here, but it tastes pretty strong to me. Bass is a nice mild flavor, just like its little sunfish cousins. Ie: bluegill and .pumpkin seed.

Tennessee Boy reply :

Ya’ll are making me hungry.

The Shipley reply :

I don't personalty like the taste of Bass enough to kill and eat my sport. But when it comes to Lake Catfish, Drum and Crappy. That is a difference question. I don't ever keep and kill pond fish. Most of our bass here in KS also have parasites that keeps me from eating them to. But to each man his own!

I always tell myself the world record bass for many years was taken home and eaten by George Perry a 20 year old kid providing meat for his family. You just have to do what makes you happy. There are plenty of fish in the sea for everyone.

matbellon3 reply :

I keep and eat bass sometimes on the private retention ponds I fish because the bass are on the top of the food chain(until I show up), If I and the others that fish the ponds don't keep a limited number and size of them (usually 2-4 that are under 16 inches) the bass growth gets stunted at around 14-16 inches. So at the ponds I fish keeping and eating bass is for the conservation of the ponds. On public access waters I don't keep any because there is enough people keeping their limits.

I don't mind the flavor of the bass, it is mild, but i do prefer the taste of cutthroat trout from the high Unita lakes and streams.

stratoliner92 reply :

Nope. I love fish but I'd rather pay someone else to bring me a walleye, grouper, snapper etc. with slaw, fries and hush puppies ????

Elkins45 reply :

I’ve eaten them, but not in several years. They aren’t nearly as tasty as crappie, and I hate to take them out of the ecosystem except for maybe in the local small lake with a slot limit.

I would still keep and clean one if it was obvious it wasn’t going to survive, such as being gut hooked.

gimruis reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 8:09 AM, Glaucus said:

There are two camps. One believes that harvesting bass is necessary to produce big bass, and the other believes in the "let 'em go, let 'em grow" philosophy.

And then there are those who over the years have developed a true love for these fish and couldn't intentionally kill one anymore than they could kill a family pet. Logical, illogical, doesn't really matter. Human emotion is complex.

The two camps I see: the meat hunters and sport anglers. It’s usually an age thing because the older generation fished for food and the younger generation fishes because they enjoy it. Just for the record, I am in the younger generation and very rarely keep any fish. Most of the meat hunters I see are luckily not specifically targeting bass.

billmac reply :

I mentioned catching redfin mullet earlier in the thread, because that's what we always called them, but it appears the proper name is silver redhorse. They are one of the first fish people start catching after ice-out. They are also a common target for spearfishermen. I guess they are good eating if you can get around the bones.

Catt reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 10:19 AM, gimruis said:

The two camps I see: the meat hunters and sport anglers. It’s usually an age thing because the older generation fished for food and the younger generation fishes because they enjoy it. Just for the record, I am in the younger generation and very rarely keep any fish. Most of the meat hunters I see are luckily not specifically targeting bass.

I see two camps also ????

Those who put bass on a pedestal & the who don't!

The benefits of selective harvesting far out weigh those of catch & release.

Mobasser reply :

Well, I'm in the "older generation" camp. I like to eat fish, so what? I always obey all slot, creel limits and all other laws. I do the same with hunting, always have. I'll be this way all my life. Like I've said before, obey the laws, and enjoy a fish dinner! No harm done

Tennessee Boy reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 10:07 PM, Catt said:

The benefits of selective harvesting far out weigh those of catch & release.

I agree. Fisheries are complicated. I haven't filleted a bass in 35 years but I think some harvesting can be very good. When you remove a fish from the lake you reduce the number of fish in the lake but you also reduces the competition for food for the other fish. In some lakes this is good for others this is bad. It depends on the lake and that's why some lakes have different size limits or slot limits. Trust the people who make the rules and follow the rules.

scaleface reply :

On 2/26/2019 at 10:19 AM, gimruis said:

It’s usually an age thing because the older generation fished for food and the younger generation fishes because they enjoy it

I enjoy the heck out of it , twice .????

A few years back the Conservation dept changed the regulations of a nearby lake . The creel limit for bass became 12 a day with no length limit . They were begging people to harvest bass . i did my part . Now the lake is back to the original regulations . On the lake I fish the most there is a sign stating that they want the small bass removed , yet the majority of the anglers still have this notion that keeping bass is wrong .

Hog Basser reply :

I eat bass out of our private lake in the 10-15 inch range because we harvest those to keep the lake population healthy and I don't want to waste them. I don't know why so many think bass isn't that good to eat, I think it's great. We have crappie in there too and keep every one of those. If we have one in the keeping range that looks like a stud (football), I will put it back. My goal is to keep the numbers down so we get good top end growth.

That being said, I don't keep much out of larger public lakes, but do on occasion.

Ksam1234 reply :

I never keep or eat bass. I don’t like seeing them be taken either but I know sometimes it’s good. I hate seeing people abuse it and taking way over the limit etc. if your legal then by all means feed the family but don’t go overboard

Russ E reply :

I am not a fisheries manager. this is just from personal observation.

On well managed waters selective harvest can produce big dividends.

I wish the state of Kansas would take a more hands on approach to bass management.

They seem to have the Ronco set it and forget it attitude on most of our lakes.

while we have a few decent lakes, it could be a lot better.

A good portion of the lakes have a standard 18 inch limit, and that is where it stays.

If you harvest a legal bass, it is more than likely a female.

A few of them could use an occasional slot limit to thin out the smaller male bass.

In regards to Bass tasting bad. They are a sunfish. not much different from crappie or bluegill. Mushy fish are generally not handled correctly before cleaning it. If you are keeping any fish during the summer, It should immediately be thrown on Ice. this keeps the meat firm, until you can process it.

soflabasser reply :

Have eaten a couple largemouth bass before and they are ok at best. I rather practice catch and release bass fishing, especially for big bass. When it comes to eating fish I prefer keeping hogfish, grouper, snapper, snook, lobster, and other seafood I catch since saltwater fish taste much better than freshwater fish.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 10:28 AM, soflabasser said:

other seafood I catch since saltwater fish taste much better than freshwater fish

I can agree that salt-water fish are better tasting, I grew up in MA - but the closest ocean to me is a thousand miles.

soflabasser reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 10:33 AM, MN Fisher said:

I can agree that salt-water fish are better tasting, I grew up in MA - but the closest ocean to me is a thousand miles.

You have walleye in your state which is a decent tasting fish. A couple months ago I caught a walleye on vacation up north and I kept it for dinner. It tasted good since I put it on ice, made fillets, and cooked it in less than 3 hours of being caught. Not as good as hogfish but better than store bought tilapia.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 10:40 AM, soflabasser said:

You have walleye in your state which is a decent tasting fish.

I've mentioned it before in this thread - I prefer the taste of Bass to the taste of Walleye/Sauger, Pike, or Perch.

soflabasser reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 10:43 AM, MN Fisher said:

I've mentioned it before in this thread - I prefer the taste of Bass to the taste of Walleye/Sauger, Pike, or Perch.

Maybe the bass in your area taste better than the bass in South Florida. Down here bass have a muddy or grassy taste, especially when they are over 5 pounds. That is one of the reasons why I focus more on saltwater fish when it comes to keeping fish. I will consider keeping a bass the next time I fish up north, especially if the bass comes from clean water.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 10:50 AM, soflabasser said:

Maybe the bass in your area taste better than the bass in South Florida. Down here bass have a muddy or grassy taste, especially when they are over 5 pounds. That is one of the reasons why I focus more on saltwater fish when it comes to keeping fish. I will consider keeping a bass the next time I fish up north, especially if the bass comes from clean water.

Only ones I take home for the grill/broiler are between 2# and 3#...maybe a 4#er once in a while. Once they get larger than that they start getting too gamy. Remember that they grow slower here and the state record is just under 9#...so we don't get the big ones you do and our 5#ers are probably as old as your 9#-10#ers.

soflabasser reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 10:54 AM, MN Fisher said:

Only ones I take home for the grill/broiler are between 2# and 3#...maybe a 4#er once in a while. Once they get larger than that they start getting too gamy. Remember that they grow slower here and the state record is just under 9#...so we don't get the big ones you do and our 5#ers are probably as old as your 9#-10#ers.

Our 9-10 pounders can be anywhere from 4 years old to over 10 years old. Have read that northern strain largemouth bass live longer and grow much slower than Florida strain largemouth bass, so that is more reason to let go 5 pound or better bass in northern waters. What is your opinion on how smallmouth bass taste? Do they taste better than largemouth bass?

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 10:59 AM, soflabasser said:

What is your opinion on how smallmouth bass taste? Do they taste better than largemouth bass?

Dunno - never caught a smallie.

Also found this info - The growth rate of bass in Mille Lacs is slow due to the water's cold temperatures. A 20 to 21 inch fish may be 11 to 15 years old - so 5#-6# are older than your 10#.

soflabasser reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 11:00 AM, MN Fisher said:

Dunno - never caught a smallie.

Have caught a couple smallmouth bass, they seem to have some decent fillets on them. Maybe I will give them a try the next time I fish up north along with yellow perch and other fish.

Glaucus reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 11:00 AM, MN Fisher said:

Dunno - never caught a smallie.

Also found this info - The growth rate of bass in Mille Lacs is slow due to the water's cold temperatures. A 20 to 21 inch fish may be 11 to 15 years old - so 5#-6# are older than your 10#.

How have you never caught a SMB in Minnesota?! Get on that! Amazing fish to catch and should be easier and more plentiful than LMB.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 11:09 AM, Glaucus said:

How have you never caught a SMB in Minnesota?! Get on that! Amazing fish to catch and should be easier and more plentiful than LMB.

Probably because the only lake I fish that has smallies according to the DNR surveys is Minnetonka. Since I only fish Phelps Bay, they may not congregate in that particular spot.

Glaucus reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 11:13 AM, MN Fisher said:

Probably because the only lake I fish that has smallies according to the DNR surveys is Minnetonka. Since I only fish Phelps Bay, they may not congregate in that particular spot.

Any rivers/streams/creeks you could hit up?

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 11:14 AM, Glaucus said:

Any rivers/streams/creeks you could hit up?

Minnehaha Creek is the only one close - but it's the far side of Minnetonka from me (Minnehaha drains Minnetonka into the Mississippi). So not in my 'fishing range'.

Crow River is a bit further away.

The Maestro reply :

I've never kept bass. I'm not opposed to the idea of keeping a few smaller bass it's just that my livewell is not very good. I could do it but it would be a pain. Too much babysitting and the pump is pretty noisy and could spook fish. I'd really have to bring a cooler and throw them on ice right away. It's just too much hassle. I started another thread about food/snack ideas. After seeing this video a few months ago I was seriously debating buying one if these portable burners and frying the odd one up right on the boat. I doubt it would take much time out of the day and would be an awesome meal of quality protein. Go to 5:00 min. to see what I'm talking about.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 12:04 PM, The Maestro said:

I doubt it would take much time out of the day and would be an awesome meal of quality protein.

Hmmm - I've got a camp grill that runs off of bottled propane. I could set it up on the middle seat between the outrigger mounts.

Oh the possibilities.

Bluebasser86 reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 11:13 AM, MN Fisher said:

Probably because the only lake I fish that has smallies according to the DNR surveys is Minnetonka. Since I only fish Phelps Bay, they may not congregate in that particular spot.

I don't think Minnetonka has a lot of them either. I've got a buddy that lives on the lake and he never talks about catching any smallmouth, just largemouth, pike, and occasional muskie. He's on Casco Point, over by Carman Bay. I've only fished it once with him and didn't catch any smallmouth either, just largemouth and pike.

Glaucus reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 1:41 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I don't think Minnetonka has a lot of them either. I've got a buddy that lives on the lake and he never talks about catching any smallmouth, just largemouth, pike, and occasional muskie. He's on Casco Point, over by Carman Bay. I've only fished it once with him and didn't catch any smallmouth either, just largemouth and pike.

I wonder which river(s) ndyakangler catches those giant smallmouth in in Minnesota.

Bluebasser86 reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 1:45 PM, Glaucus said:

I wonder which river(s) ndyakangler catches those giant smallmouth in in Minnesota.

I have my guesses. A friend from work and I have spent a lot of time analyzing his videos and different small rivers to have a pretty decent idea. Hoping to maybe someday make a trip up there to find out if we're right or not. Our rivers have nothing but catfish, gar, carp, drum, and other rough fish in them and visibility of less than an inch in most cases.

stepup reply :

On 2/25/2019 at 6:06 AM, CrankFate said:

I have never eaten, kept or killed a LMB or SMB.

Hate to bust your bubble but if you have fished any at all you have killed multiple fish you never knew about.

redmeansdistortion reply :

I haven't eaten bass in close to 30 years. I never found the flavor particularly bad, just not as good as perch, crappie, walleye, salmon, lake trout, or whitefish. When I fish for sport, I fish seek out bass, pike, and steelhead. When fishing for something to eat, it's almost always perch, walleye, or crappie.

CrankFate reply :

On 2/28/2019 at 3:21 AM, stepup said:

Hate to bust your bubble but if you have fished any at all you have killed multiple fish you never knew about.

Extremely unlikely. Otherwise, there’d be dead fish all over the place after every tournament.

gimruis reply :

On 2/27/2019 at 11:00 AM, MN Fisher said:

Dunno - never caught a smallie.

Also found this info - The growth rate of bass in Mille Lacs is slow due to the water's cold temperatures. A 20 to 21 inch fish may be 11 to 15 years old - so 5#-6# are older than your 10#.

When I went to the weigh in at the bass master elite AOY at Mille lacs a few years ago, there was a biologist on site and he said that it took a bass (largemouth and smallmouth) about a decade to get to 5 pounds/20 inches this far north. That means a 4 pounder has to be almost that old too. That’s the reason they are not a renewable resource here. They aren’t stocked anywhere here and they take way too long to replace.

Minnetonka has smallmouth. Hard to find though. Not great habitat for them. But they are listed on the fisheries survey for that lake.

MN Fisher reply :

On 2/28/2019 at 11:09 AM, gimruis said:

Minnetonka has smallmouth. Hard to find though. Not great habitat for them. But they are listed on the fisheries survey for that lake.

I'm aware of the fisheries reports - use them to determine what lake to fish for what.

As I said earlier - only part of 'tonka I fish now-days is Phelps Bay, never once caught a smallie there. I did own a powerboat for a number of years - 14' runabout with a 40hp - but stuck to the areas around Phelps Island - Phelps Bay, Spring Park Bay, Seton Lake, Black Lake, Emerald Lake and Cooks Bay as well as around Wawatosa Island. Not one smallie caught from '88 (when I bought the boat) to '03 (when I sold it).

TnRiver46 reply :

On 2/28/2019 at 8:28 AM, CrankFate said:

Extremely unlikely. Otherwise, there’d be dead fish all over the place after every tournament.

You mean that doesn't happen where you live?

Harold Scoggins reply :

I ate this bass.

CrankFate reply :

On 2/28/2019 at 9:59 PM, TnRiver46 said:

You mean that doesn't happen where you live?

I’ve never seen the water littered with dead fish that died after being caught (over about 40 years of fishing). Most fish that are targeted by fisherman have no problem after being caught.

geo g reply :

Dont like it, much rather have a nice grouper, snapper, or haddock.

MN Fisher reply :

On 3/1/2019 at 1:58 AM, CrankFate said:

I’ve never seen the water littered with dead fish that died after being caught (over about 40 years of fishing). Most fish that are targeted by fisherman have no problem after being caught.

I remember going to watch the weigh-in from the 1996 Bassmaster Top 100 tournament that was held on Lake Minnetonka. All the bass just swam away, seemingly in good health, after they were weighed and dumped back into the lake. Even back then, the pros appeared to have taken good care of the fish they'd caught.

soflabasser reply :

It is true that not all bass survive after being released and that is something we need to accept as bass fishermen.

On 2/25/2019 at 6:06 AM, CrankFate said:

I have never eaten, kept or killed a LMB or SMB.

You might have released all your bass but that is not a 100% guarantee some of those bass died within a couple days from the stress of being caught. Research delayed mortality in bass fishing to know more about this subject. Also do you fish with soft plastics? Bass are known to eat soft plastic lures and slowly starve from having their intestines clogged with soft plastics. Earlier this month I caught a bass that vomited a senko and a zoom ultra vibe speed worm from a careless fisherman that most likely threw these lures into the water or lost them.

contium reply :

Many of our lakes here in SoCal have advisories about eating LMB or striped bass due to high mercury levels. Supposedly because of all the coal power plants in China. Sounds crazy I know but look it up.

TnRiver46 reply :

On 3/1/2019 at 1:58 AM, CrankFate said:

I’ve never seen the water littered with dead fish that died after being caught (over about 40 years of fishing). Most fish that are targeted by fisherman have no problem after being caught.

There's floaters all around after big tournaments here . And not all fish that die float either

CrankFate reply :

I bet that the “studies” that find more than minimal mortality from fishing related injuries are biased studies funded by anti fishing wildlife preservation interests.

rod snapper reply :

On 3/1/2019 at 4:27 AM, CrankFate said:

I bet that the “studies” that find more than minimal mortality from fishing related injuries are biased studies funded by anti fishing wildlife preservation interests.

To be honest, i think the opposite may be true. those studies that show not many fish die from tournaments are probably more biased, because fishing and tournaments are so big for local economies, but apart from that, bass populations and sizes are steady or growing well in most of the U.S., so i'm not concerned that its a significant threat at this point, and biologists tend to say the same for most areas of The U.S.

TnRiver46 reply :

On 3/1/2019 at 4:27 AM, CrankFate said:

I bet that the “studies” that find more than minimal mortality from fishing related injuries are biased studies funded by anti fishing wildlife preservation interests.

I've seen some studies that show almost zero delayed mortality and some that showed close to 95 percent. Summertime heat is the main killer of tournament caught livewelled bass, it ain't a secret. They have been conducting legit studies on this for decades . Scientists, not fishermen

soflabasser reply :

On 3/1/2019 at 7:38 AM, TnRiver46 said:

I've seen some studies that show almost zero delayed mortality and some that showed close to 95 percent. Summertime heat is the main killer of tournament caught livewelled bass, it ain't a secret. They have been conducting legit studies on this for decades . Scientists, not fishermen

It is a well known fact that some bass caught in tournaments die since the fishermen did a bad job keeping the bass alive. It also does not help that they keep 5 bass in a small livewell with little space to swim for several hours (often +6 hours). There is a YouTuber who recently discussed this in his Youtube video comment section since he has a job to keep the bass alive during weigh ins and he says it is common to see floaters after they ''release'' the bass.

On 3/1/2019 at 3:56 AM, TnRiver46 said:

There's floaters all around after big tournaments here . And not all fish that die float either

Same thing happens all across the nation in bass fishing tournaments. Nothing new and it will continue as long as people stuff 5 bass in a little livewell for several hours. They should at least give the dead bass away to those who will eat them instead of them going to waste.

Alex from GA reply :

I'll bring home a spotted bass 14-16" a couple of times a month for that evening's dinner. We think they taste better than crappie or catfish. If I catch a walleye I'll always keep it. The LM in Lake Lanier don't taste nearly as good as the spots.

BassDude802 reply :

I prefer crappie and perch, to each their own!

BassThumb reply :

I never eat bass. I do a lot of ice fishing and eat plenty of fish. In fact, it'll be pan-fried parmesan crusted walleye tonight. Bluegill or crappie next week probably. Got some brown-sugar cured smoked pike in the crisper right now.

Fish caught through the ice after living for months in cold water taste so much better than warm water fish that it's hard to settle. I rarely keep fish in the summer, period. Furthermore, largemouth bass have hands-down the worst taste and texture of any freshwater fish I've tried. Mushy meat that tastes like lake-bottom silt, even in the winter. Yum!

On the other hand, if it's legal, have at it. Bass are a dime a dozen. Please throw back the breeders so it stays that way.

soflabasser reply :

On 3/14/2019 at 4:02 AM, BassThumb said:

I never eat bass. I do a lot of ice fishing and eat plenty of fish. In fact, it'll be pan-fried parmesan crusted walleye tonight. Bluegill or crappie next week probably. Got some brown-sugar cured smoked pike in the crisper right now.

Fish caught through the ice after living for months in cold water taste so much better than warm water fish that it's hard to settle. I rarely keep fish in the summer, period. Furthermore, largemouth bass have hands-down the worst taste and texture of any freshwater fish I've tried. Mushy meat that tastes like lake-bottom silt, even in the winter. Yum!

On the other hand, if it's legal, have at it. Bass are a dime a dozen. Please throw back the breeders so it stays that way.

A couple months ago I caught my first walleye while on vacation and kept it for dinner. It tasted much better than any black bass I have eaten and I would eat walleye if I lived up north. Plenty of other freshwater fish taste better than bass that is for sure. I agree that bass are a dime a dozen, especially the sub 5 pounders and that it is best to let go big bass.

uglyasheck reply :

We are encouraged to keep small bass in all the lake around here that I fish. I keep them if the bite is good and I am catching enough to keep but if not i normally throw them back.

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