I know most people catch and release bass, but a couple of weekends ago while camping I caught a nice small mouth bass and we cooked it up. Real good eatin. I mentioned it to a buddy and he looked at me like I was crazy! Something wrong with eating bass I don't know about?
Bass for eating
Started by
mojohand
, Jun 26 2008 12:41 PM
15 replies to this topic
#1
mojohand
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Posted 26 June 2008 - 12:41 PM
#2
ShooterJohn
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Posted 26 June 2008 - 12:43 PM
Maybe your buddy misunderstood you and thought you said "ass." 
Both large and small mouth are excellent eating.
Both large and small mouth are excellent eating.
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#3
mac
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Posted 26 June 2008 - 01:08 PM
that would be b*ass with a salad tossed?
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#4
mojohand
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Posted 26 June 2008 - 02:02 PM
Is that why my breath smells funny?
#5
mac
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Posted 26 June 2008 - 02:37 PM
as SJ said...bass eating should be fine...unless there's some huge mercury or other bad mineral levels that put a damper on enjoying your catch
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#6
Portagee_Shooter
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Posted 26 June 2008 - 03:44 PM
I love to eat bass. I keep what I want to eat and throw the rest back.
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#7
ShooterJohn
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Posted 26 June 2008 - 03:51 PM
The only time I've heard people don't care for bass is when they just scale them. I fillet mine and they're great.
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#8
Thumper Dunker
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Posted 27 June 2008 - 09:06 AM
Bass are great eating.Most everry one I know catch and keep what they wanty to eat and release the rest..
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#9
ShooterJohn
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Posted 27 June 2008 - 09:31 AM
Thumper do you fillet your bass?I think the prep has a lot to do with the flavor too. Also some people put their fish on a stringer and then tie them in the warmest layer of water, not good. If you are going to be eating them, toss them into a ice chest and they'll stay firmer and taste better too.
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#10
lilwes278
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Posted 28 June 2008 - 09:33 AM
I don't fillet bass (except stripers), bluegill, or crappie. Just scale 'em and fry 'em, no problems with the taste. But there are some rivers that hold fish that I would definitely NOT eat.
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#11
RonB
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Posted 16 October 2008 - 10:15 AM
Although I will admit I have kept and ate a few bass in my life, I usually catch and release.The main reason behind the catch and release program is the length of time it takes bass to grow. So few bass live to reach maturity and it takes approx 4 years (in Ohio anyway) for a largemouth to reach 3 lbs. or so.Keeping a few now and again won't kill the population.I have no idea about the growth rate of smallmouth in the rivers and streams.I mainly bluegill fish to eat. Ohio it seems has overstocked so many public lakes with trout that I get bored pulling them in, and too many bones too fillet.I'm not a good crappie fisherman, I guess I set the hook too hard and rip the lips right off those little suckers. 
#12
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Posted 16 October 2008 - 04:35 PM
Nothing wrong with eating Bass as long as they're not more than 1 1/2 to 2lbs. Over that and they start tasting like mud/dirt/whatever they live in. Gut 'em, remove the scales, fins and gills, cut some slits in the meaty sections, a little salt and pepper and put them on a skillet with melted butter. Mmmmm! ![:roflmao3[1]:](http://www.californiapredatorsclub.com/public/style_emoticons/default/pot.gif)
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#13
PredatorMaster
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Posted 16 October 2008 - 04:39 PM
Fillet, Fry & Batter.
#14
ShooterJohn
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Posted 16 October 2008 - 05:35 PM
You want to fillet bass. That mud taste you speak of is from the skin. Don't scale them just fillet them and you have one great tasting piece of fish. I've eaten bass of all size small and large mouth and I think they're the best.
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#15
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Posted 16 October 2008 - 06:28 PM
I've eaten them lots of times. Fillet and fry, taste great.There are a few mud puddles around that I've fished, that I sure wouldn't eat fish out of, but we are talking some real nasty shallow ponds, all warm water. All the bass I've caught out of Lake Shasta and lakes and rivers around here were great eatin'.
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#16
keale73
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Posted 17 October 2008 - 09:17 AM
Catch and release is great! Smallmouths are great eating. Large mouths are what I release, smallies go in the pan!!
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