Who eats Bass?

[g-man]

I've never tried it. Every Bass that I have ever caught got put back in the water. I was thinking about trying it out with some small keepers. How do you prepare it, and what does it taste like? Does it taste like trout? Cause I love trout.

[Hollywood]

i havent had it in years but last i remember it has a real fishy game taste as well as tough.

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

Fillet them out then roll them in seasoned corn meal or dip them in your favorit batter and fry them up..Bass up to about two pounds are pretty fair tasting, but they do not taste at all like trout..The only ones I have kept to eat in the past were those that were gut hooked or those that died in the livewell..I would rather eat them than just waste them..

mac

[Mike]

Hang out around the scales after a tournament. There are usally a couple fish after each tournament that dont make it. Its better than killing one to eat.

[NoCAL]

I've eaten spots from Oroville. Pan fried in olive oil. My wife and I thought they were great. About like crappie. I don't see any reason not to cook some up every once in awhile. To tell the truth, I much prefered them to trout due to the lack of pinbones and the flesh is much firmer.

NoCAL

[Blue_R70]

For something different: take a couple 1 or 2 pounders caught in the colder months to a Chinese restaurant and ask to have one "steamed" Chinese style. The fish ise steamed and placed in hot oil and soy sauce w/ scallions and ginger. Have the other one made sweet & sour style.

Them's good eats!

[g-man]

Mike very true point. I just want to try it once cause someone told me that they taste pretty good. I really don't wanna kill any bass. So I will use that idea of yours at the next tourney I'm at. Thanks

[Hollywood]

that is a good idea, I don't think the chinese can mess up a steamed fish, like the Thai's can't mess up soft shelled crabs!

For something different: take a couple 1 or 2 pounders caught in the colder months to a Chinese restaurant and ask to have one "steamed" Chinese style. The fish ise steamed and placed in hot oil and soy sauce w/ scallions and ginger. Have the other one made sweet & sour style.

Them's good eats!

[Gator]

I'll take those that don't make it and filet them out. You have to get the fat layer out or it will taste REAL gamey. Then as Mac said, egg wash/flour or egg wash cornmeal, with your favorite seasonings. I am partial to Cajun seasonings but I like my food a little more spicy. Fry them about 2-3 minutes each side and remove. The meat should be all white and flaky. It does taste good, if prepared properly in advance.

[JimmyReese]

I remember the last time I killed a bass, I cooked it up while camping and my wife loved it!! 15 years later she is still wondering when I am going to bring home some more BASS!!!! She says it was the best peice of "bass" she had ever had! I tell you what....ol DOUBLE G makes some killer fish tacos......anytime double g, just call me....them spotted bass are pretty tasty, now them largeheads i really dont care for!

2 cents, Jimmy

[Sacto John]

10-12 inch (if the slot allows it) spotted bass= fish tacos. One of the deals my wife made with me when I got my boat is she wants fresh fish at least once a month. I do not care for fish normally but those little spots taste great.

[Hollywood]

do they taste better then them fish tacos they got down in cabo or the ones Ron C eats down in Costa Rica about 9 times per year?

[bahlzar]

can we clarify the type of fish taco please, im confused..

[g-man]

So its better to eat the spots, than the large mouth?

Blue r70 that sounds really tasty.

[Hollywood]

kitty kitty always trying to stir the pot!

can we clarify the type of fish taco please, im confused..

[Blue_R70]

So its better to eat the spots, than the large mouth?

Blue r70 that sounds really tasty.

It's very tasty! If you get into a bunch of spots, give one or two to the restaurant or kitchen staff as a nice gesture (ie, brownie points). They'll remember you in the future!

[Steve]

You are making this more complicated than it needs to be.

1) Bass taste great, 2) doesnt matter if its spots, largemouth, or smallmouth (however, the lake you take them out of can make a huge difference; I only harvest bass out of deep, clear, cold, clean lakes), and 3) there is nothing wrong with harvesting bass, in fact harvesting sub 15 inch fish in most instances is very helpful.

Fillet bass. Cut each fillet into chunks. Take flour and season with whatever spices you like (I like to add chili powder). Put chunks in egg, then into flour. Deep fry chunks. YOU MUST DEEP FRY, NOT PAN FRY. I wait until the chunks have been floating for about 1 minute before I take them out. Now, dip fish in whatever you like (my favorite is mixing ketchup with tabasco, but you only put a little bit on each bite).

Thats it. Very simple, and guaranteed tasty. BTW, I cant stand eating trout, they taste horrible.

[kb]

JImmy your bro and I have done the fish fry thing a couple of times with some Camp Far West Spotted Bass, maybe one or two from Folsom. It has now become a fall tradition.

Now if I lived at Shasta like Double G I would have to plant a lemon tree in the yard

Hey I wonder if ol BDO ever caught and greased any of them spotted bass??????

I took a couple of bass from a Clear Lake release boat so they didn't go to waste.....no wonder that lake is so good, they tasted like the keys smell No danger of any heads getting eaten out of your lake.

kb

kb

[bahlzar]

who woke up hollywood

[Hollywood]

I was already awake kitty cat...... 16 minutes and I can go home.... Im going sea bass fishin, maybe i try to make some fish taco's if i score me a bass tonight..

[bahlzar]

my kitty loves seabass fish tacos...

[SethB]

I eat 10"-12" spotted bass out of lake shasta all the time. My favorite way to prepair them is fillet them out soak fillets in milk for 10-20 mins. fry in beer batter or tempura batter. MMMMM bass and potatoes with some freash salsa for breakfast. Thats what I'm talkin' about.

[Gator]

Damn Seth that sounds awesome - you got any recipes for those batters? I am always looking for new recipes. I may even have to go to Horrorville and remove 5 of the 20 frickin million spots they have.

[Slippy]

sometime if you hit the right SPOT on those fish tacos.....oh well nevermind

[Jimmy Walker]

Mac has the best recipe. I remember having fish fries every summer in Southern Ontario, Canada 30 - 35 years ago when I was kid living near Buffalo, NY. The whole family would vacation up there and Grandpa fried 'em up just like Mac describes. They tasted great. No one had heard of catch and release back then.

Its been along time since I've killed a bass on purpose. I suppose there's nothing wrong with keeping a few every now and then, but I do think we have to be careful. Back then we fished out of 10 - 12 foot boats with a 6 horsepower Johnson on the back. With so many guys fishing with high tech equipment these days, if everybody kept their fish we wouldn't have any left (especially where I live now in So Cal).

[SethB]

Gator, My family has a houseboat on Shasta. Bass and potatoes has been a family favorite breakfast for as long as I can remember. I'm not much of a cook so if I can make it anyone can. I don’t have any special recipe, I just get a box of Tempura batter at the super market. Soak the fillets in milk and follow the directions on the box for the batter. Be sure to use ice water or add a few ice cubes to the batter, I don't know why but it don't come out right with out the ice. Fry in enough oil (I use vegetable oil) to float the fish. They don't have to cook long 3-4 mins per side or until golden brown and crispy. Fry some potatoes and serve with fresh salsa.

[Mike]

I've never eaten a Black Bass. Bad Karma! If I want to eat fish, I'll go catch a Striper or Sturgeon.

[nipples]

With any type of fish it is best to fillet them with no skin and no belly fat.

Fish store toxins in their fat and in the bloodline next to the skin (the dark meat next to the skin).

One of the biggest mistakes that a lot of restaurants make is to cook fish with the skin on and they might even leave some belly fat on. This infuses the meat with both the toxins and a dirty fishy gamey taste.

Never eat fish out of a lake that has high toxins,

Spotted bass taster better than black bass or crappie and the best tasting size to eat is 10 to 11 inches.

As a personal rule, I never eat any fish I catch unless I can cook it within 30 minutes of catching it (camping or house boating, which means I might eat 3 or 4 little spots every 3 or 4 years). Now ocean fish are a different story, I will eat the hell out of those... and those other fish tacos that Bahlzar was confused about too (but I prefer those filleted and trimmed).

Good Fishing and Eating,

-Paul-

[fishsmith]

Large Mouth are pretty fishy tasting, but the spots are great. Most spot lakes could use a little catch and keep on the smaller fish. Dang i can taste the potatos now!

[bahlzar]

wahahahahahahh i love this thread.........

[JGB]

Deep, clear clean lake fish are a must in order to avoid the fishy taste. For spots, LM's, striper, and Trout this is my favorite recipe:

Filet

Dip in an egg wash

Dip in seasoned bread crumbs

Fry in olive oil till golden brown "cooked"

Lightly layer one side with Chili Garlic Sauce

Pour a light coat of honey over the top and enjoy

JGB

[Double-G]

I have to say this “Bass aren’t sacred cowsâ€

[L.Hackney]

Here Kitty-Kitty

[Hollywood]

wow that sounds mighty good, i might try that if i catch a sea bass tonight or tomorrow.

[aNNieNsaLTIE]

well guys,
i am almost to a point where I do not like to keep what I catch. but there is a high demand for them at home and I hear the complaints a lot. just be careful when you keep them. i think the best time to eat them is in the winter months during the rainy season or just right after. with all of the fresh water being around helps the gamey taste go away.

- saltie

[DeltaDan]

I never had eaten a BBass in my life. The boys could not understand that and I had a hard time explaining it to Luke before he came to learn that they are primarially a sport fish.

I would not mind trying a couple small slabs for dinner as long it is accompied with Crappie- Now THOSE are great eating !! Scored/Steamed with sauce, BBQ'ed, Saulted or Fried as whole.

Personally it is the Mercury content that prevents me from wishing to eat a BBass - and that I have not cought any crappie in almost 20 years.

We will target some crappie this spring as they will be a blast to catch and the boys will have a great time not only catching- but cleaning, cooking and eating them as well !

[Bill kizer]

Go to Clear Lake and catch a 12 pounder, then a five pounder from Shasta, followed up by a three pounder from Oroville.

Let them all go, then go to the Outback for Prime Rib.

For that matter Micky D's for a Big Mac, fish tastes fishy, fun to catch, more fun to release.

Salt water fish are a different story. Me likes them.

[kb]

Hey Double G the only thing that may make a good ending to that would be a fresh (not cried in) bottle of Crown, Coke and some Rocky Road Ice Cream. Sounds like a good time for a new money house!!!!! Hope we can find one.

Remember we can still buy Crown cause they didn't fire us!!!!!!

kb

[Double-G]

Second sucks and so does salty Crown...but Rocky Road, fish tacos and a new money house sound awesome.

We need to send out invitations for candidates that want to be the next location for the money house.

[gt5bass]

Damn,

Now I got to go to sleep hungry

[Marty]

Almost miss this post – getting back from work late again!

Now Double-G can cook. The few things I do different (I should say the wife does different). Me my duty is to clean the fish.

After filleting she will soak the filets in beer (the darker the beer the better). Bass is a real mild fish and does not have much of a taste. IMO After soaking she also pats the filet dry with a paper towel then chills the bass for a little bit. Before chilling she will rub a small amount of salt, pepper, and garlic on each side of the filet.

As for the batter she makes that from scratch and I have no idea what she put into it but I do know she does not use cold water or ice. She mixes the batter with a cold beer. Then she cooks it like everyone else – deep fry. Oops, I almost forgot she has sesame seeds on the out side of the batter – how she puts them on I have no idea. But they sure do add to the favor.

As for what Bass to harvest, I have a rule and that is not to eat my tournament water!

I think there is a need for a “Kinderâ€

[Hollywood]

WTF, no YEN? Why you discriminating.... Don't worry I prolly have a 5$ bill from the last time you paid your taxes and they gave me a raise... 600Yen on the way!

Rachael Ray or something......

I have the best fish in the world...One of the most popular items on the menu when I had my place....

Send a SASE with $5 cash no checks no food stamps and Wood NO FRICKN YEN........And I will sent it right out to you....

[nipples]

Hey Bones... Where did I hear what?

Are asking about my previous post regarding fat, toxins, skin, blood line, etc.

If so... Cooking was my first professional occupation. I studied under 7 chefs and I cooked in restaurants for 6 years. Seafood was my first specialty. My first restaurant was R-Fish and Co. in Chico. What I learned in schools and restaurants about toxins in fish was basically reinforcement for the information I already knew. (My Step dad was a professor of marine biology at Stanford. He taught me the finer points of filleting fish as well as their biology when I was 8 years old.)

I still enjoy cooking as a hobby and my friends and family seem to take a lot of pleasure in that as well. In regards to Rachael Ray, I turn the channel when she comes on, her personality grates on my nerves. I am a huge fan of Alton Brown though. I actually have all of his DVDs and all of his books (personally autographed by the man himself).

I grill most of my fish because I love the taste of my fish grilled over almond, mesquite, hickory, or apple(charcoal or real wood, never gas). Usually I will simply grill them on the grate but occationally I will plank a fish. I never cook any fish with the skin on and I always trim belley fat, silver, and blood line. If not grilled, they are usually sauted, unless I am cooking for more than 20. In that case I will break out the turkey fryer and whip up some beer batter. I have a ceramic smoker and sometimes I will smoke a batch of them too, but I usually reserve the smoker for brisket and pork shoulder (I have to line it with foil if I smoke fish in it, otherwse I will have fishy bbq).

[Rmarxmiller]

OK -

Everyone that knows me knows I eat fish all the time. It makes no difference whether they are spots, largies or smallies, the key is size. The perfect size is 12 - 15 inches. The next consideration is location fish out of Clearlake and the Delta are out, that would be like eating fish out of a sewer pond, Steve is right deep cold clear lakes are best. Remember there is NOTHING WRONG about keeping fish to eat, just be smart, keep the small ones, and on a slot lake keep the unders, not the overs.

DEEP FRIED BASS

You will need to fillet/skin them and then remove the rib/belly section, lay them out and salt and pepper them, then dip them in flour first, then egg, then whatever bread crumb, cracker crumb type mixture you would like, myself I use a combination of unseasoned bread crumbs, Ritz crackers, corn flake crumbs, and potato flakes. You will want to prepare all of your fillets before you throw them in the grease, otherwise you will not be able to keep up. I use olive oil in a fryer at 375o, cook until golden brown and then remove them and drain them on a rack over some paper towels, if you lay them right on paper it will cause them to get greasy on one side. I usually cut up some lemons, and serve them with rice, French bread, and a vegetable.

BASS TACOS / FAJITAS

The low calorie way to do them is by making fish tacos, this is really easy, (drink 1 beer) lay out your fillets in a shallow dish; cover them with lime juice, chopped cilantro, and fajita seasoning. (Drink 1 beer) Let them sit out for about a half an hour, start you’re BBQ, I use real Mesquite charcoal and a Webber, but if you have a fake BBQ (Propane Grill) that will work. Coat the grill real good with Pam or olive oil. While that is starting and the fish is marinating go in and make some fresh salsa, tomato, onion, cilantro, red and yellow bell peppers, salt and lime juice. (Drink 1 beer) Next you will want to make a couple of cups of white rice, follow the directions on the package; it is pretty hard to screw up. The tortillas are the key, I use flower tortillas, either make your own, or go to Costco and get the uncooked ones out of the dairy case, trust me on this once you use these you will never go back to regular packaged tortillas again!, they are easy to prepare just heat up a heavy frying pan and throw them on until they bubble up and brown, flip them and do the same, about 30 seconds per tortilla. Put the tortillas in one of those styrene tortilla warmers and place off to the side. (Drink 1 beer) Back to the fish, spread out your coals and put the grill on, lay the fillets on the grill and cook about three minutes per side, you want them to be almost dry, only flip them one time it is ok if they stick and break a little, just flip the pieces. Remove them from the grill and place them into a large bowel, take them into the house and with two forks break and crumble all the fillets up, add one and a half cups of the fresh salsa and mix, then take your rice and mix a cup of fresh salsa with it, serve this with your standard shredded cheese, guacamole, lettuce, sour cream, whatever you want. Take a couple scoops of the fish place it in the tortilla, add some rice and whatever else you want, and roll it up, or fold it, for low calorie eliminate the cheese sour cream and guacamole…

Good Luck

[904dog]

Double G...Finally a Fireman's recipe. CDF @ that! (lots of time to prepare!) Sure sounds good though. I love talapia tacos umm!
Jimmy has your wife seen broke back? thats why she wants you to bring back fish ya know!
And a warning!!!
DO NOT EAT CLEARLAKE FISH! They all taste like the bottom muck. Belly hooked a few 5 years ago and the kids wanted to try them...YUK, stunk up the whole house and I taught them all about catch and release. ha ha

[upriverLMB]

While filleting the spotted bass drink some beers, add salt and pepper. You can substitute Tabasco for black pepper. Dredge in half flour and half crushed Cheez-it mixture. Fry in oil on medium heat, this will give you time to finish the beers.

Send the wife for more beers and fresh hoagie sandwich rolls from your deli. Mix mayo with pickle juice and coat both sides of the roll. Throw on the hot fish (grease included) followed by a couple slices of American cheese, sliced tomato, lettuce and a thick slice of red onion. Eat two if you can, no side dishes allowed

GET YOU SOME OF THAT!

[Hitman]

Thanks for sharing the deep fried and bass tacos....I've never tried the tacos - sounds goods.

I use a similar receipt for deep fried bass - learned this from my Cajun buddy who practices - Catch & Grease - not Catch & Release - all the time. He uses the same process - filet a 12-15in bass and cut out the ribs. Season with Cajun seasoning, dip in flour then egg and then corn meal. Fry it up and watch them dissapear as they hit the plate.

Bass are good eating....enjoy.


Hitman

[Rmarxmiller]

Hitman - Thats funny "Catch and Grease" My buddies tease me about calling my "will-e-go board" the "will-e-fry" board! The tacos are really good, the best part is the wife likes them so much, she encourages me to fish more!

[Vince Borges]

OK here is a recipe that i use for Tacos. dip fish in flower then egg, the flower helps hold the batter on, Next take a food prossesor and pulverize the Blue Diamond Jalepeno flavored almonds. add a cup of your favorite corn meal or batter mix. Dip fish from egg into mixture. The almonds add a great flavor and a little crunch to the fish. You could change the flavor just by changing almond flavors to say smoke flavored, or wasabi flavored. eat and enjoy

Vince Borges