How Good Do Bass, Bluegill, Etc Taste?

[smr_hga]

Ok so i'll be going to maryland in june and me and my friend are going to go fishing. He knows how to fillet fish so we would like to catch dinner while we're there. As far as i know there are Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Catfish, and what seems like a white perch. I know yellow perch are good but what about white perch? Also i know catfish are good but we are very unexperienced in catching them. So are bluegill or bass anygood? And what about white perch?

[Nolan Hunter]

I've never eatin bass, but my dad's buddies say if you're going to eat them eat the smaller ones you catch because, the 2lb fish and up can be a little fishy. And it's also better for your lake/pond to take out some smaller fish to help produce monsters.

[scaleface]

Bass are good. Especially 12 inchers . Bluegills are delicious. Around here drum are called white perch. They are pretty poor. Channel cats are decent .

[Snakehead Whisperer]

Bass are good. Especially 12 inchers . Bluegills are delicious. Around here drum are called white perch. They are pretty poor. Channel cats are decent .

The white perch in Maryland are closely related to white bass and striped bass. They're good eating. Not a true perch, though.

 

[MIbassyaker]

Not a true perch, though.

 

But technically a true bass!

[scaleface]

The white perch in Maryland are closely related to white bass and striped bass. They're good eating. Not a true perch, though.

 

Here in northern Missouri a lot of fish are misnamed . 

[F14A-B]

Catch em , fillet em , fry em , eat em , decide!

[Snakehead Whisperer]

Here in northern Missouri a lot of fish are misnamed . 

Understood. I've been out that way. Seems like there's one or more in every region. Like calling a walleye a pickerel. 

[joeblowwwww]

Bass taste like **** that's about it..    I'm sure there are a lot of guys on here who think differently but that's just my opinion.

if I'm looking for dinner I hit the ocean.  99% of the places I freshwater fish you couldn't pay me enough to eat it because of pollution and mercury.

[corn-on-the-rob]

bluegill and crappie are tied for 1st place, then yellow perch, then walleye.

[Slade House]

Bass taste horrible, there is no way to cook one without it tastting horrible.  Anyone who thinks differently probably likes to eat squireel and opussum too.  Where are you fishing in Maryland at? cause i woulnd't eat most of the fish in the marlyand area.  

[HoosierHawgs]

Understood. I've been out that way. Seems like there's one or more in every region. Like calling a walleye a pickerel.

When my dad grew up in Florida they called crappie speckled perch.

[WIGuide]

Bass, Bluegill, and catfish are all good eating fish. With the bass keep some of the smaller ones to help keep the population in check. 

[Nice_Bass]

Bass is very good. Anyone that convinces you it taste fifferent than bluegill are losing it. I prefer bass over crappie,catfish etc and the ease of prep per fillet is so much nicer than bluegills crappies or catfish.

[sprint61]

Bass taste horrible, there is no way to cook one without it tastting horrible. Anyone who thinks differently probably likes to eat squireel and opussum too. Where are you fishing in Maryland at? cause i woulnd't eat most of the fish in the marlyand area.

You don't like squirrel ? It's better then chicken!

[livemusic]

Bass taste like **** that's about it..    I'm sure there are a lot of guys on here who think differently but that's just my opinion.

if I'm looking for dinner I hit the ocean.  99% of the places I freshwater fish you couldn't pay me enough to eat it because of pollution and mercury.

 

Your word is blanked out so I assume that is a negative word. And if so, I don't get it. Bass are absolutely delicious to me and actually, my favorite gamefish to eat. People ooh and aah over crappie but to me, bass have more taste; crappie can be bland. Although, I do like them. If I fry up a mess of bass, I can't imagine you not liking them. And whomever said 2 lbs or more can taste fishy, never happened with me. I've never had a bass taste fishy. Catfish, yep. I do like catfish unless they taste real fishy. We are eating bass filets tonight!

 

Bluegill bream taste great. Unless they are very large, you'll need to eat them with bones in, not filleted. Large ones can be filleted.

[bigbill]

Crappie and catfish are the best.

We do them on a wood or charcoal fire a little salt and enjoy.

[scaleface]

You don't like squirrel ? It's better then chicken!

Squirrel is good but I dont eat possum. LOL 

[bigbill]

Trust me cooking on a wood fire makes everything taste great.

My brother would eat fresh caught bluegill with eggs for breakfast.

[livemusic]

Bass taste horrible, there is no way to cook one without it tastting horrible.  Anyone who thinks differently probably likes to eat squireel and opussum too.  Where are you fishing in Maryland at? cause i woulnd't eat most of the fish in the marlyand area.  

 

All I can say is you must not know how to fry fish. I assume you are saying that fried bass are bad. In fact, in this thread, I am assuming the talk is about fried fish. If you guys are talking about baking them or something other than frying, I have no idea. Although, I did bake a 5 lb fish one time whole to try it after I read about it in a magazine. (To scale it like a bream, cut the head off and remove entrails, then bake it whole. It was good. But in the south, gamefish are almost always fried.

[bigbill]

Try some tomato sauce and oregano with the bass.

My mom baked all the fish in tomato sauce, oregano, salt, pepper.

With blue fish she drained the pan after 20 minutes to get the oily taste out. Then add the tomatoes and seasoning.

[Bluebasser86]

All I can say is you must not know how to fry fish. I assume you are saying that fried bass are bad. In fact, in this thread, I am assuming the talk is about fried fish. If you guys are talking about baking them or something other than frying, I have no idea. Although, I did bake a 5 lb fish one time whole to try it after I read about it in a magazine. (To scale it like a bream, cut the head off and remove entrails, then bake it whole. It was good. But in the south, gamefish are almost always fried.

Bass, unless from clean, cold water and of smaller size, taste awful, period. I grew up eating fish out of necessity, bass of all sizes included. Bass was by far one of the nastiest things I've had to eat, and I've eaten some nasty stuff. The bass I've eaten are extremely fishy tasting with a strong flavor of what I imagine moss would taste like mixed in. Frying them is about the only way I've ever had them and I've had them that way by my dad, mom, and both grandmas so it isn't just my imagination. I have no problem with someone who likes to eat them, but to say that someone doesn't know how to fry fish because they think a fish taste bad is ridiculous. 

[MIbassyaker]

I have eaten smallmouth before and thought they tasted fine. I haven't eaten largemouth, but I've heard they're pretty bad if you don't take the skin off. Bluegill are excellent.

[gardnerjigman]

Bass, unless from clean, cold water and of smaller size, taste awful, period. I grew up eating fish out of necessity, bass of all sizes included. Bass was by far one of the nastiest things I've had to eat, and I've eaten some nasty stuff. The bass I've eaten are extremely fishy tasting with a strong flavor of what I imagine moss would taste like mixed in. Frying them is about the only way I've ever had them and I've had them that way by my dad, mom, and both grandmas so it isn't just my imagination. I have no problem with someone who likes to eat them, but to say that someone doesn't know how to fry fish because they think a fish taste bad is ridiculous. 

 

Totally agree. I've eaten bass. Usually the under slot ones from a lake I use to live by. But it's super clear water, and it was always ones I picked up while crappie fishing in cold water. 

 

It's all about how you clean and prepare the meat before cooking, but no way in heck does bass stand up to crappie, walleye or wiper! Dang... now I'm hungry. 

[gardnerjigman]

I have eaten smallmouth before and thought they tasted fine. I haven't eaten largemouth, but I've heard they're pretty bad if you don't take the skin off. Bluegill are excellent.

 

I don't know how people can eat any fish with skin still on it. There is nothing nastier on this planet than when you go to break a catfish fillet open and see one side still has grey slimy skin on it. Freaking gross!