Stereotypes

[Fishman Teters]

I prepared Largemouth Bass not long ago, for the very first time. It was a smaller fish, maybe 2 pounds tops. I filleted it, gave it a good ice/saltwater soak, egg wash, and of course breaded it. 2.5 minutes on one side, 1.5 minutes on the other, in the spitting and popping Lake Crisco...and the results were excellent!!! The meat was mild, firm, yet flakey. I was very surprised by how awesome this fish ate.
   Then it hit me...I've caught hundreds of bass, and always threw them back. I was always told that they weren't any good to eat...just fun to catch. How many other fish out there have I passed on due to stereotypes? I have caught thousands of fish throughout my short 36 years. I've eaten only a small handful of what I have caught. Let me tell you, some of those so called eaters are not worth eating! How many of the supposed trash fish are? I would guess it's in the preparation overall.
  Doug Stange of In-Fisherman raves about Sucker/Potato cakes...UM WHAT??!!?? Carp are in almost every fish stick you buy from the store...CARP??!!?? And look at a Ling...that doesn't strike me as the most edible looking fish, and not much beats it from freshwater. 
   I'm compiling a list of fish that I need to man up and try out. Drum(Sheepshead) is one that has always fascinated me. They have some serious back strap fillets. Not much for bones, and not much for "red" meat along the lateral line.

[stripernut]

The taste of Bass seems to have a lot to do with where you catch them. I have caught and eaten bass a number of time and mud was the taste, I came away with...

[lowaccord66]

I ate a largemouth last ice season, it was the first one I've kept and I was glad I did.  I don't think I would want to try one during the warm water season though...

[Crest2011]

The trick with any fish is keep the smaller ones less time to take on an off taste

[Papa John]

Man, don't pass on a couple small mouth either. Out of a cold water lake they're great. Bass often pick up a muddy taste in warm lakes and one through the ice can be very different. Had a perch fish fry in Wisconsin this spring when we were there and was extremely disappointed. Later I discovered that they are now "farm raised", no wonder.

[Fishman Teters]

I have learned that getting a potential meal on ice immediately helps tons also. Removing the skin, and mudline(red meat) along the lateral line takes away the over powering fishy taste. I also agree that the time of year and the water you keep fish from makes a huge difference. I already have a hard time with trout, but I won't touch them come summertime from the rivers around Bozeman. Muddy mush is what they become.

[stripernut]

Luckily I am gifted to live near and fish the salt, with lots of Great eating fish... The only fresh water fish I have been eating in years is perch through the ice...

[Fishermantim]

I agree...warm waters can produce an off flavor in many panfish.
It may be the water temps or may be even as simple as the diet of the fish.

Think about what the fish have to eat during the winter as compared to the summer?

Seems like they eat more insects, crustaceans and amphibians (frogs and salamanders) during the warmer months.
Winter provides fewer of these and the fish eat mainly smaller fish.

That's just one possible option...

[Fishman Teters]

Man, don't pass on a couple small mouth either. Out of a cold water lake they're great. Bass often pick up a muddy taste in warm lakes and one through the ice can be very different. Had a perch fish fry in Wisconsin this spring when we were there and was extremely disappointed. Later I discovered that they are now "farm raised", no wonder.

Farm raised Perch? In Wisconsin? The land of 18,000 lakes?? Jeez....

[BSP]

Have eaten quite a few small mouths out of the Missouri and the reservoirs down in South Dakota and can say they are just as good as walleye out of the same water. Can hardly tell them apart, nice flaky white meat. Have not tried LM but bet they are about the same when taken from fresh clean water. Have also eaten channel cats out of the same water and think they're darn good as well. Just love fried fish!

[Fishman Teters]

Have also eaten channel cats out of the same water and think they're darn good as well. Just love fried fish!

×2!!! Fried Catfish, Perch, Bluegill, Walleye, Crappie, White Bass...all DELICIOUS!!! Even Pike are great. Never eaten Smallies, but definitely will be here soon after the Largemouth experience.