white bass

[eyedo]

White bass. Are they good to eat? if so what is a good way to prepare them? thanks

[Mike J]

I myself have never liked the taste of the white bass From Pool 4 on the Mississippi river but Really liked the taste of the ones from NE South Dakota.  One thing I can say is that either way they are way better fresh than if you freeze them.  Only way ive had them is the standard bread in shore lunch and fry in oil.   

[Bucko]

The only good meat on them is the back strap.  Rest of it is fishy.  Also you MUST remove ALL red meat from the filet.  I've had em fried, baked, and in tacos.  Only take the back and cut away the red and you'll be in business!

[bassinfool]

Like Bucko said, you have to remove all of the bloodline or you'll be very disappointed in the taste. If you plan on eating them, I suggest getting them from the clearest/cleanest fishery you can find as they seem to taste better. One way I really like to prepare them is to make a small aluminum foil pan or you can even use a pie tin, spray it down with some cooking spray and set it on the grill. Put it over medium high heat and let it get nice and hot. Once it's up to temp, place your fish on there and leave it for 1-2 minutes to cook. Then, take a mixture of melted butter, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper and fresh garlic and pour it over the top of the fish. Close the lid again and let it cook for another few minutes until the meat flakes apart easily with the press of a fork. You can then remove it from the grill and eat it as is or the way I prefer in a warm tortilla with some lime juice, cilantro, slaw and a slice of avocado.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

They are great eating and you can catch a boat full in short order . By me they push bait up against humps in the main lake and on point in the river. I keep my knife off the skin and you don't get as much red meat . They are great deep fried or smoked.

[bassinfool]

Another trick to limit that fishy taste is to put the filets in a brine of just simple water and salt.

[ctom]

That red fat under the skin is bad but if you scrape it off your fillets or trim the backs traps out for eating, soak the meat in milk fora couple hours, rinse and fix any way you want. The milk is a savior ....works well on catfish too.

[bassinfool]

That red fat under the skin is bad but if you scrape it off your fillets or trim the backs traps out for eating, soak the meat in milk fora couple hours, rinse and fix any way you want. The milk is a savior ....works well on catfish too.

Buttermilk will fix up damn near anything.

[Lamar]

  I guess I never understood why people eat fish but don't like a fishy taste. Like Tilapia. People go crazy for it because it has no taste. Yet I refuse to eat it because it is raised in a tank and eats it's own poop. It has no value to it at all. The thing I like about when I eat fish is the taste of fish. Or why eat it ?

[Denny Welch]

Yet I refuse to eat it because it is raised in a tank and eats it's own poop.

TPO has been experimenting with some vegan recipes lately and I'd swear I've been eating someone else's poop.

[ctom]

I came across a managed pool in Hawaii that was full of tilapia. People were feeding them pellets, just having a ball. I asked a caretaker there how large they let them get before they harvest them for food. He looked at me like I was nuts ans said they were considered trash fish, that nobody in their right mind would eat the things and the only reason they kept them in the pond was so people would spend money on the pellets.....said they made a killing in profits. Lol

[bassinfool]

I don't really enjoy tilapia.  It's not that it tastes bad, it doesn't, but it doesn't necessarily taste like fish either.  One redeeming quality of tilapia is that it really holds on to any flavor you're trying to impart on it.  Blackening, grilling, broiling, you name it and tilipia does decently well in all preparations.  Other than that, I would rather eat some crappie or catfish if I'm catching it or some mahi, salmon, trout, snapper, etc.

[Denny Welch]

You forgot halibut.

[eyedo]

Thanks for all info.on white bass I brought one home cleaned it and my wife took out the red meat and pan fried it. not bad at all I will have them again.For years they have shown up here in spring. And are usually only 4 or 5 inches long Some folks come and catch 5 gallon pails full and take them home. Some folk use them as cut bait for cats. This year tho I caught 15 in 2 trips and they were from 12 to 16 inches and are fun to catch.I don't know about about those poo eating fish or vegans but I know about carp. no no na na aint not. and I also don't eat innards or outards. I saw a guy on a tv show life below zero he says he likes moose lips and it makes him hungry just thinking about. uh ok different strokes. anyhow a sure sign of spring is fresh caught pan fried crappie and fresh picked roasted asparagus.

[2XL]

They aren't bad table fare but I think they are best out of cold water = through the ice and just after ice out/early spring. Once the water warms up they get mushy and a little muddy taste to them around here. They go on ice asap if I keep any during the summer. For the Cheeselanders on the board, in case you didn't know, there is a fish advisory on Great Whites out of the Petenwell Flowage.