Eating bass

[Catt]

11 hours ago, gimruis said:

The two camps I see: the meat hunters and sport anglers. It’s usually an age thing because the older generation fished for food and the younger generation fishes because they enjoy it. Just for the record, I am in the younger generation and very rarely keep any fish. Most of the meat hunters I see are luckily not specifically targeting bass.

 

I see two camps also ?

 

Those who put bass on a pedestal & the who don't!

 

The benefits of selective harvesting far out weigh those of catch & release.

[Mobasser]

Well, I'm in the "older generation" camp. I like to eat fish, so what? I always obey all slot, creel limits and all other laws. I do the same with hunting, always have. I'll be this way all my life. Like I've said before, obey the laws, and enjoy a fish dinner! No harm done

[Tennessee Boy]

19 minutes ago, Catt said:

The benefits of selective harvesting far out weigh those of catch & release.

I agree.  Fisheries are complicated.  I haven't filleted a bass in 35 years but I think some harvesting can be very good.  When you remove a fish from the lake you reduce the number of fish in the lake but you also reduces the competition for food for the other fish.  In some lakes this is good for others this is bad.  It depends on the lake and that's why some lakes have different size limits or slot limits.  Trust the people who make the rules and follow the rules.  

[scaleface]

13 hours ago, gimruis said:

It’s usually an age thing because the older generation fished for food and the younger generation fishes because they enjoy it

I enjoy the heck out of it , twice  .?

 

  A few years back the Conservation dept changed the regulations of a nearby lake . The creel limit for bass became 12 a day with no length limit . They were begging people to harvest bass . i did my part . Now the lake is back to the original regulations . On the lake I fish the most there is a sign stating that they want the small bass removed , yet the majority of the anglers still have this notion that keeping bass is wrong . 

[Hog Basser]

I eat bass out of our private lake in the 10-15 inch range because we harvest those to keep the lake population healthy and I don't want to waste them.  I don't know why so many think bass isn't that good to eat, I think it's great.  We have crappie in there too and keep every one of those.  If we have one in the keeping range that looks like a stud (football), I will put it back.  My goal is to keep the numbers down so we get good top end growth.  

 

That being said, I don't keep much out of larger public lakes, but do on occasion.  

[Ksam1234]

I never keep or eat bass. I don’t like seeing them be taken either but I know sometimes it’s good. I hate seeing people abuse it and taking way over the limit etc. if your legal then by all means feed the family but don’t go overboard 

[Russ E]

I am not a fisheries manager. this is just from personal observation.

 On well managed waters selective harvest can produce big dividends.

I wish the state of Kansas would take a more hands on approach to bass management. 

They seem to  have the Ronco set it and forget it attitude on most of our lakes.

while we have a few decent lakes, it could be a lot better.

A good portion of the lakes have a standard 18 inch limit, and that is where it stays.

If you harvest a legal bass, it is more than likely a female. 

A few of them could use an occasional slot limit to thin out the smaller male bass.

 

In regards to Bass tasting bad. They are a sunfish. not much different from crappie or bluegill. Mushy fish are generally not handled correctly before cleaning it. If you are keeping any fish during the summer, It should immediately be thrown on Ice. this keeps the meat firm, until you can process it.

[soflabasser]

Have eaten a couple largemouth bass before and they are ok at best. I rather practice catch and release bass fishing, especially for big bass. When it comes to eating fish I prefer keeping hogfish, grouper, snapper, snook, lobster, and other seafood I catch since saltwater fish taste much better than freshwater fish.

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

other seafood I catch since saltwater fish taste much better than freshwater fish

I can agree that salt-water fish are better tasting, I grew up in MA - but the closest ocean to me is a thousand miles.

[soflabasser]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I can agree that salt-water fish are better tasting, I grew up in MA - but the closest ocean to me is a thousand miles.

You have walleye in your state which is a decent tasting fish. A couple months ago I caught a walleye on vacation up north and I kept it for dinner. It tasted good since I put it on ice, made fillets, and cooked it in less than 3 hours of being caught. Not as good as hogfish but better than store bought tilapia.

[MN Fisher]

Just now, soflabasser said:

You have walleye in your state which is a decent tasting fish.

I've mentioned it before in this thread - I prefer the taste of Bass to the taste of Walleye/Sauger, Pike, or Perch.

[soflabasser]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I've mentioned it before in this thread - I prefer the taste of Bass to the taste of Walleye/Sauger, Pike, or Perch.

Maybe the bass in your area taste better than the bass in South Florida. Down here bass have a muddy or grassy taste, especially when they are over 5 pounds. That is one of the reasons why I focus more on saltwater fish when it comes to keeping fish. I will consider keeping a bass the next time I fish up north, especially if the bass comes from clean water.

[MN Fisher]

Just now, soflabasser said:

Maybe the bass in your area taste better than the bass in South Florida. Down here bass have a muddy or grassy taste, especially when they are over 5 pounds. That is one of the reasons why I focus more on saltwater fish when it comes to keeping fish. I will consider keeping a bass the next time I fish up north, especially if the bass comes from clean water.

Only ones I take home for the grill/broiler are between 2# and 3#...maybe a 4#er once in a while. Once they get larger than that they start getting too gamy. Remember that they grow slower here and the state record is just under 9#...so we don't get the big ones you do and our 5#ers are probably as old as your 9#-10#ers.

[soflabasser]

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Only ones I take home for the grill/broiler are between 2# and 3#...maybe a 4#er once in a while. Once they get larger than that they start getting too gamy. Remember that they grow slower here and the state record is just under 9#...so we don't get the big ones you do and our 5#ers are probably as old as your 9#-10#ers.

Our 9-10 pounders can be anywhere from 4 years old to over 10 years old. Have read that northern strain largemouth bass live longer and grow much slower than Florida strain largemouth bass, so that is more reason to let go 5 pound or better bass in northern waters. What is your opinion on how smallmouth bass taste? Do they taste better than largemouth bass? 

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

What is your opinion on how smallmouth bass taste? Do they taste better than largemouth bass? 

Dunno - never caught a smallie.

 

Also found this info - The growth rate of bass in Mille Lacs is slow due to the water's cold temperatures. A 20 to 21 inch fish may be 11 to 15 years old - so 5#-6# are older than your 10#.

[soflabasser]

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

Dunno - never caught a smallie.

Have caught a couple smallmouth bass, they seem to have some decent fillets on them. Maybe I will give them a try the next time I fish up north along with yellow perch and other fish.

 

[Glaucus]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Dunno - never caught a smallie.

 

Also found this info - The growth rate of bass in Mille Lacs is slow due to the water's cold temperatures. A 20 to 21 inch fish may be 11 to 15 years old - so 5#-6# are older than your 10#.

How have you never caught a SMB in Minnesota?! Get on that! Amazing fish to catch and should be easier and more plentiful than LMB. 

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Glaucus said:

How have you never caught a SMB in Minnesota?! Get on that! Amazing fish to catch and should be easier and more plentiful than LMB. 

Probably because the only lake I fish that has smallies according to the DNR surveys is Minnetonka. Since I only fish Phelps Bay, they may not congregate in that particular spot.

[Glaucus]

Just now, MN Fisher said:

Probably because the only lake I fish that has smallies according to the DNR surveys is Minnetonka. Since I only fish Phelps Bay, they may not congregate in that particular spot.

Any rivers/streams/creeks you could hit up?

[MN Fisher]

Just now, Glaucus said:

Any rivers/streams/creeks you could hit up?

Minnehaha Creek is the only one close - but it's the far side of Minnetonka from me (Minnehaha drains Minnetonka into the Mississippi). So not in my 'fishing range'.

 

Crow River is a bit further away.

[The Maestro]

I've never kept bass.  I'm not opposed to the idea of keeping a few smaller bass it's just that my livewell is not very good.  I could do it but it would be a pain. Too much babysitting and the pump is pretty noisy and could spook fish.  I'd really have to bring a cooler and throw them on ice right away.  It's just too much hassle.  I started another thread about food/snack ideas.  After seeing this video a few months ago I was seriously debating buying one if these portable burners and frying the odd one up right on the boat.  I doubt it would take much time out of the day and would be an awesome meal of quality protein.  Go to 5:00 min. to see what I'm talking about.

 

 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, The Maestro said:

I doubt it would take much time out of the day and would be an awesome meal of quality protein.

Hmmm - I've got a camp grill that runs off of bottled propane. I could set it up on the middle seat between the outrigger mounts.

 

Oh the possibilities.

[Bluebasser86]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Probably because the only lake I fish that has smallies according to the DNR surveys is Minnetonka. Since I only fish Phelps Bay, they may not congregate in that particular spot.

I don't think Minnetonka has a lot of them either. I've got a buddy that lives on the lake and he never talks about catching any smallmouth, just largemouth, pike, and occasional muskie. He's on Casco Point, over by Carman Bay. I've only fished it once with him and didn't catch any smallmouth either, just largemouth and pike. 

[Glaucus]

3 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I don't think Minnetonka has a lot of them either. I've got a buddy that lives on the lake and he never talks about catching any smallmouth, just largemouth, pike, and occasional muskie. He's on Casco Point, over by Carman Bay. I've only fished it once with him and didn't catch any smallmouth either, just largemouth and pike. 

I wonder which river(s) ndyakangler catches those giant smallmouth in in Minnesota.

[Bluebasser86]

1 minute ago, Glaucus said:

I wonder which river(s) ndyakangler catches those giant smallmouth in in Minnesota.

I have my guesses. A friend from work and I have spent a lot of time analyzing his videos and different small rivers to have a pretty decent idea. Hoping to maybe someday make a trip up there to find out if we're right or not. Our rivers have nothing but catfish, gar, carp, drum, and other rough fish in them and visibility of less than an inch in most cases.