How Does Bass Taste?

[fishdudem]

Anybody skinned and cooked up some Bass before?

I know its modis operandi to catch n release but you NOM on one before?

[tomustang]

Depends where you catch it from, clean river bass taste good.

[GoTakeANap]

yum yum yum. thats all there is to it. i dont eat fish out of ponds. only moving waters, such as rivers and lakes.

[Gatorbassman]

Like fish.

[A-Jay]

It's good and it does not taste like chicken.

A-Jay

[rockchalk06]

I keep alot of fish I catch. My girlfriend and I eat alot of fish. Probably 2 times a week.

Bass is great. I don't fry anything anymore, I cook it on the bbq grill in foil with a small amount of butter and lemon pepper.

Walleye and Crappie taste better, but bass is at the top of the fish scale

[NoBassPro]

They are good. However, like pretty much any fish, the bigger they are the more they taste like the bottom of the lake they came out of ime.

[Phish]

Very low on the list for me. Very little taste in general, but the smaller bass can taste decent especially from cool clear waters with really flow - if you're not able to catch the following first:

1. Any edible salt water sport fish, shellfish
   
2. Any common SW fish from a quality fish market / grocer
   
3. Farm raised catfish, tilapia, salmon - organically raised, from grocer
   
4. walleye / perch
   
5. crappie
   
6. blue gill and all related pan fish (would be higher if fillets were bigger)
   
7. catfish
   
8. rock bass
   
9. 12-13" smallies (I can't kill them though), 12-14" LM. General size limit for me. Over 15-16" usually = mushy watery taste and texture
   
10. Trout (only had a few so maybe there are better types)
    
11. Pike (what a waste, chewy and awkward, couldn't believe my buddy killed it)
    
12. Muskie? Who would ever kill such a rare fish
    

Never had carp, sheephead, white bass, striper, hybrids, or a number of other freshwater fish. Not sure what type of catfish I had either.

[GoTakeANap]

I keep alot of fish I catch. My girlfriend and I eat alot of fish. Probably 2 times a week.

Bass is great. I don't fry anything anymore, I cook it on the bbq grill in foil with a small amount of butter and lemon pepper.

Walleye and Crappie taste better, but bass is at the top of the fish scale

have never cooked bass this way. will def have to try this way.

They are good. However, like pretty much any fish, the bigger they are the more they taste like the bottom of the lake they came out of ime.

i agree with you 100%.

[rockchalk06]

have never cooked bass this way. will def have to try this way.

i agree with you 100%.

Just take some heavy duty aluminium foil and lay it flat. Spray some pam or olive oil on the foil. Add some lemon pepper and alittle salt. Add the fish in bit size pieces and take a bit of butter or oil and shower in lemon pepper. Roll it all up and seal it as best as you can. Throw it on the bbq grill on low for about 15 minutes or oven on at 350 for about 25-30 minutes. You dont have to turn it as its in foil. All the juices and smell stay in the foil and dont escape.

You sometimes have to eat it with a spoon as its so tender. Cook some rice potatoes and shower it with some soy sauce and you got yourself a hellova meal!

[Gatorbassman]

Just take some heavy duty aluminium foil and lay it flat. Spray some pam or olive oil on the foil. Add some lemon pepper and alittle salt. Add the fish in bit size pieces and take a bit of butter or oil and shower in lemon pepper. Roll it all up and seal it as best as you can. Throw it on the bbq grill on low for about 15 minutes or oven on at 350 for about 25-30 minutes. You dont have to turn it as its in foil. All the juices and smell stay in the foil and dont escape.

You sometimes have to eat it with a spoon as its so tender. Cook some rice potatoes and shower it with some soy sauce and you got yourself a hellova meal!

I just finished dinner and this makes me hungry again.

[drew4779]

Largemouth are good. Smallmouth...not so much. I agree the smaller the fish, the better the taste. Soak the filets in salt water first to draw out the blood. Lemon juice, spices (onion, garlic, paprika, lemon pepper,heavy dill, parsley), wrap in tin foil with butter and topped with lemon wedge (also good with pineapple). Bake at 375' for 30 minutes or on the grill. Can't beat it

[Mike L]

Bass is alright to eat but to me it's nothing special.

I like shark better.

But in my opinion NOTHING tastes better than fresh Walleye!

Mike

[GoTakeANap]

Just take some heavy duty aluminium foil and lay it flat. Spray some pam or olive oil on the foil. Add some lemon pepper and alittle salt. Add the fish in bit size pieces and take a bit of butter or oil and shower in lemon pepper. Roll it all up and seal it as best as you can. Throw it on the bbq grill on low for about 15 minutes or oven on at 350 for about 25-30 minutes. You dont have to turn it as its in foil. All the juices and smell stay in the foil and dont escape.

You sometimes have to eat it with a spoon as its so tender. Cook some rice potatoes and shower it with some soy sauce and you got yourself a hellova meal!

about to print this out and try it next time i decide to have bass. thanks man

[BASSclary]

Bass is alright to eat but to me it's nothing special.

I like shark better.

But in my opinion NOTHING tastes better than fresh Walleye!

Mike

I agree. My favorite fish to eat is Mako Shark, specifically nuggets that are fried up with some honey mustard drizzle . (Insert Homer drool noise here)

[NorcalBassin]

They taste like mercury in our foothill lakes... not good when kids and pregnant women are encouraged to not eat any, ever.

[rockchalk06]

Mom said they have been catching snapper off the coast in Oregon. Said it puts freshwater fish to shame. Anyone ever tried it fresh?

[AK-Jax86]

Never had bass before but I'd imagine it tastes like fish

[SirSnookalot]

My dad was in the fish business for nearly 40 years, I've eaten many different species of both fresh and saltwater. Personal choice dictates what is good for some and not tasty to others. For me the sign of a good tasting fish is one that is not fried with batter or breading, not that isn't enjoyable but really picking up the flavors of the oil and breading, not the just the fish.

In freshwater I don't care that much for bass but walleye and perch are excellent, and I just love Lake Superior whitefish, those are usually commercially caught.

In saltwater there are some very good eating fish too, there are scores of snapper species, some excellent table fare like yellowtail. One of the most sought after fish here in Florida is barracuda, makes a delicious meal, I'm partial to cold water flounder or sole. People don't mention cod much, I think it's very good too.

[Lund Explorer]

The original question is almost impossible to answer.

The taste of almost any fish is controlled by many factors. From where it was caught to how it was handled from the catch to the kitchen, and then to how it was prepared. After all of that, you need to consider individual taste preference. It would almost be easier to try to tell someone what makes the best BBQ or Chili than to say what a person's reaction to their first meal of any type of fish. The only way to tell is to try it several different ways to see if it something the person enjoys.

As a bass is a member of the panfish family, I like to prepare any I eat the same way I prepare bluegills. A boneless and skinless filet, soaked overnight in salted water. Once the filets are drained and somewhat dry, then lightly dusted in a mixture of flour, lemon pepper, and Lowry's seasoned salt. Placed into a cast iron skillet heated to 375 degrees with just a small amount of butter. Depending on the thickness of the filet, it shouldn't take more than 45 seconds to one minute per side, or until the middle of the filet has turned completely white. Over cooking the fish will make the filet tough and chewy so you only want to cook the fish for the minimum required time.

[jdw174]

Bass is alright to eat but to me it's nothing special.

I like shark better.

But in my opinion NOTHING tastes better than fresh Walleye!

Mike

Can't answer for the shark, but a resounding for the walleye (followed very closely by yellow perch/crappie).

[K_Mac]

I suspect that the OP making this his first post is just trying to rattle our chain a bit. What tickles me is that the question has been answered without anyone launching into a rant on either side of the selective harvest/catch and release divide. Good job guys. For the record smaller bass, whether fried, grilled, or sauteed are fine eating fish IMO.

[K_Mac]

Mom said they have been catching snapper off the coast in Oregon. Said it puts freshwater fish to shame. Anyone ever tried it fresh?

Red Snapper is the best tasting fish I have ever eaten. Grilled or blackened, it is as good as food gets in my opinion.

[Bob C]

I agree. My favorite fish to eat is Mako Shark, specifically nuggets that are fried up with some honey mustard drizzle . (Insert Homer drool noise here)

How do you know if you like it if you put "honey mustard drizzle" on it? If it's good you don't need to hide the flavor with seasoning.

I eat Bass quite often. The inland lakes I fish are very clean and clear so that could be why they're so good. I also keep them happy in my live well until I get home. Can't get any fresher than that.

[Nitrofreak]

There is nothing like a dutch oven cooked bass.

Skin on, scaled of course, slices of lemon cover the bottom, with a light coating of extra virgin olive oil.

Pepper, old bay seasoning, are mixed in the butter and spread over the fillet, as the butter melts the seasonings slowly cook into the meat, about half way into the process, 1/4 of a scallion is added to the top of the fillet's and then I add crab meat in small round portions, 4 total, made the same way as a crab cake.