Flavor of Clear Lake Bass and Crappie...any Bad Experiences?

[Polebrother]

I fished Clear Lake this year for the first time since the mid-seventies. In February I brought home a few crappie for the dinner table and was disappointed with their taste. They were not as sweet as I remembered and they left an unpleasant "twangy" aftertaste in the mouth that lingered for an hour or so. Last month I brought home two yearling LM's and had the same dining experience...not too good on the pallet with an aftertaste similar to that of February's forgettable crappie.

Having been away from NorCal for more than two decades, is there something about Clear Lake fish I missed with regard to contamination and/or their diminished culinary qualities?

I catch and release 95% of the time so responses that preach catch and release are unwarranted and unnecessary. Thank you.

[sTony]

Clear Lake has long had a mercury contamination issue. But then do jsut about all the lakes in the state. Someone once posted here that if your local lake doesn't have a Mercury Contamination sign posted on it it would likely meant hat the guys posting the signs just haven't gotten there yet.

I've also noticed that higher water temperatures lead to muddy tasting fish as well.

sTony

[BassTraveler]

I heard if you eat any Largemouth Bass...you die within Ten Minutes.
Now Spotted Bass on the other hand will actually increase your life span and make your wife smile... use your imagination.

[TroyF]

I heard if you marinate in NoSweatMist..it's all good!

[gt5bass]

Misty is ALL GOOD

[Bill kizer]

Next time serve it with wild rice simmered in Clear Lake water. Garnish it with the green stuff you see floating on the sparkly waters of the lake.
I love catching them, but that lake just makes me want to catch and release even more.
Bill

[Ken C.]

That was probably the taste of the radioactive, mercury tainted raw sewage the fish have been feeding on for years!! Seriously folks I caught one with two-count 'em 2 tails up there And for night fishing you don't even need a light 'cuz they glow so brightly

Yes, catch and release has never had a better reason than Clear Lake! Not to mention latex gloves and eye protection when handling your fish

[gt5bass]

ya got er all wrong Ken...

We all know it is because that Hub Spinna fellar bathes in the lake

We won't mentioned what else he does

[Kelly Ripa]

I did a paper back in 1975 about the use of DDT for 30 years up there....That stuff will be in the ecosystem for 100,000 years or so....I wouldn't eat anything out of that lake on a bet! Twangy ....Ever fish in any of the canals and you'll see old car batteries,pampers and all sorts of neat stuff in the water. Maybe they can hold the next Classic there. I'll bet somebody reels in more than a plastic fork!

[Polebrother]

Thanks for the insightful inputs. From now on I'm a 100% catch and release kind of guy at Clear Lake. Your posts convey important information that perhaps should have a wider audience. Seems to me the general public could be better served. No pun intended. Oh by the way, should I be a 100% catch & release kind of guy on the Delta as well? Seriously.

[sTony]

I catch and release anything that is a full time resident in the Delta;i.e, black bass, catfish, sunfish and the like, but I keep everything that is migrating through. Pesticide usage lead me to that conclusion years ago.

sTony

[TroyF]

TASTES LIKE CHICKEN!!! UMMMMM

[Ken C.]

ya got er all wrong Ken...

We all know it is because that Hub Spinna fellar bathes in the lake

We won't mentioned what else he does

IZ Dat wut all dem bubulz n skum is frum???

[Ken C.]

As Tony sez, what lives in the delta should stay in the delta - that's spelled out in the DFG regs book (i.e., eat 4 oz or less every 6 months!). If its just passin through though it's all good - bright salmon, steelies and some of the smaller stripers, although I've been throwing those back recently (that is when I am fortunate to catch one ) as they apparently tend to retain alot of mercury from the sediment in the delta and bay. This is even more pronounced in the larger stripers.

[Bill kizer]

It was in the local paper that a Sacramento man went 123 over the limit on Clear Lake Crappie. He got fined $,1855 and sentenced to 5 days house arrest.
He won't need to wear a monitering braclet. All law enforment needs to do is check for a glow coming from his house.

[Steve]

Clear Lake fish have many more contaminants in them than just mercury. Think about all the herbicides they put in there, plus I know there is a problem with raw sewage leakage, there is a sulphur leak, and Im fairly certain there is a uranium leak. And who knows what else is in there.

And dont even get me started on the Delta. That place is a toxic dump, literally.

I would eat an anadromous fish out of the Delta if it was bright, but I wouldnt eat a striper because many of those fish are year round residents.

And in the event I actually really needed to eat a fish out of either of those places, it would definitely be a very small fish. Bioaccumlation is more than just a theory.

[BassTraveler]

I heard if you eat Delta or Clearlake fish...your hair actually turns Red.
Wonder what color hair Urban has?

Sorry Steve couldn't resist. Har!

[Steve]

Ewwwww, that wasnt nice on two fronts. Then again Im a button pusher and enjoy the same.

Urban doesnt hang around here much anymore.

See you at NM, the big bait has potential!