overpopulation of small bass

[darren]

I posted the question the other day about a strip pit overpopulation problem, with a few large bass but a bunch of small ones...You could catch bass under a lb all day long...We were going to speak to the owner about catching a bunch of the small ones and having a fish fry right there... are the small ones good to eat... anyone have a special recipe for fried fish?

[roadwarrior]

Well, coating them with cornmeal and just frying them up is the traditional recipe and that's great! However, if you're looking for something special, give this a try:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/emerils-fish-provencal

8-)

[HogHunter]

I've been to lakes that sound just like the one you are talking about.  If you like a deep fried fish try this.  Get some instant pancake mix (the kind where you just add water) and mix the batter with beer instead of water.  The kind of beer doesn't matter.  Then after you rinse the fillets off cut them in smaller sections and coat them with the pancake beer mix and pop them into a pan of hot cooking oil.  Make sure that there is enough oil for the fish to float off the bottom of the pan so the batter stays on.  Cook them a few minutes on each side until the fish are golden brown.  Enjoy!  

[GonzoFishing]

I've been to lakes that sound just like the one you are talking about. If you like a deep fried fish try this. Get some instant pancake mix (the kind where you just add water) and mix the batter with beer instead of water. The kind of beer doesn't matter. Then after you rinse the fillets off cut them in smaller sections and coat them with the pancake beer mix and pop them into a pan of hot cooking oil. Make sure that there is enough oil for the fish to float off the bottom of the pan so the batter stays on. Cook them a few minutes on each side until the fish are golden brown. Enjoy!

d**n, that sounds GOOD!!

[HogHunter]

I really like it, along with my family.  Even the people who say "i don't like fish" enjoy it.  Have used it mostly with perch, walleye, and bluegill.  But, its good for the occasional bass as well.  If you have any extra batter cut some onions slices and make some home made onion rings.

[Wayne P.]

Harvesting small bass is a good practice. This sign is posted at a public lake that I fish a lot:

[Certified Public Angler]

In my experience smaller fish taste better, the older they get the more gamey the meat taste, IMO.

[platinumjason]

Last fish I ate was a 3lb small mouth my friend caught. We cut it up into fillets and then crushed up a bunch of Ritz crackers and coated the fillets in crackers, very simple to do and tasted great.

[J Francho]

Managing a fishery isn't so simple. Slot limits work well on on some waters, on others doesn't make a bean of difference. Your creel samples are anecdotal and do not provide a good indicator of average size and numbers. However, keeping a few, if that's your choice, to eat will probably not hurt the fishery, and may help. Age of the pit, forage, structure, source water, etc. all play a part. Real professionals spend a great deal of time and effort determining what is best (budget providing that's possible) and there's really no way for you or I to know what will maximize average size. The best bet is to keep a few if you must, and let the rest go, and observe what develops. It can take years to develop even a small water into a real honey hole.

[Wayne P.]

JF, you are right about the slot limit. Fisheries managers set the slot limits to develop an ideal population. The elitist attitude of bass fisherman condemning the keeping of bass for food has lead to many fisheries having out of balance populations and less than ideal catching results.

[Muddy]

GOT THIS WHEN I LIVED IN NEW ORLEANS:

Beat up some eggs and add milk and a few drops of Woshtersire Sauce.Put bass filets in this mixture

In a Bag ( Plastic or Brown paper) add CORN FLOUR ( not corn meal, but flour) WALLY WORLD HAS IT SO DO A LOT OF HEALTH FOOD STORES

add some oregano, cayene peper, garlic powder , finley crushed anise seed and salt

shake all the ingredients and then add filets and shake them until fully coated

using a thick black old fashioed skilet, heat up your veggie oil, until it's hot, almost to smoking point

put filets in THEY COOK FAST!!! until each side is golden brown

put filets on a plate with paper towels to get rid of the excessive oil

squeeze some lemon juice on them

attsa nice 8-)

ps If you do not want to mix the spices just a some Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning to the corn flour. Watch out it is pretty salty , so go a little at a time. It is readily available in larger Super Markets

[snapper G]

Eat!

I gave you a BUNCH because i thought that you would tied of eating the same flavor!  ;D

Baked Bass

1 (5 lb.) bass or equivalent

1 lg Onion, chopped

1 Bell pepper, chopped

1/2 Stick margarine

2 cn Tomato sauce

1 cn Whole tomatoes juice of 1 lemon

1 c Cooking wine

1/2 c Green onions and parsley dash Tabasco sauce salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Sprinkle fish with lemon juice and season well, ahead of time, preferably overnight. Wilt onions, and bell pepper in margarine. Add tomato sauce and whole tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes in uncovered pot. Add 2 cups cold water and seasoning to taste along with dash of Tabasco. Cook for 25 minutes over medium heat. Add wine and pour mixture over fish you have placed in a baking dish. Bake in 325 degree oven for 40 minutes. Baste several times. Sprinkle with parsley and onion tops and serve, garnishing with slices of lemon. Serves 6.

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Bass

salt

pepper

vegetable oil

2cups flour

1 cup corn meal

1 ziploc freezer bag

milk

8 fillets

Combine salt, pepper (as much or as little as you like) flour, and corn meal in the ziploc bag. Shake well. Place fillets in a bowl full of milk. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Place fillets one at a time in ziploc and shake well. Place 2 fillets in a frying pan with the vegetable oil, and fry until golden brown. Serve and enjoy.

Makes 4 servings.

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Bass With Avocado Sauce

1 sm ripe avocado coarsely chopped

1/4 c skim milk

1 tb lime juice

1 clove garlic minced

1 ds hot sauce

2 tb lemon juice

1 tb light soy sauce

1 ts lemon rind grated

1 ts dijon mustard

16 oz bass fillets

1/3 c fine dry bread crumbs

1 vegetable cooking spray

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Set mixture aside. Combine lemon juice and next 3 ingredients in a shallow dish, dip fillets in lemon juice mixture, and dredge in bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450oF for 7 minutes; turn fillets over, and bake an additional 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Transfer fillets to a serving platter, and top with avocado sauce. Makes 4 servings.

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Bass With Cucumber Sauce

1 cucumber

1/4 ts salt, sugar, and wine vinegar

1 c sour cream (or 1 part yogurt and1 part sour cream)

2 tb minced fresh dill or (2 to 3) watercress leaves

6 bass fillets 6 to 8 ounces each poached as directed below

Neatly dicing the cucumber:

Peel the cucumber and halve it lengthwise; scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Cut the halves into quarters and the quarters into crosswise pieces 2 inches long. Finally cut the quarters into matchstick julienne, stack the julienne, and cut into dice.

The sauce:

Toss the cucumber in a bowl with the salt, sugar, and vinegar. Let stand 5 minutes or so, then fold in the sour cream. Season carefully to taste, and fold in the dill or watercress.

The fish:

Cook fish directly in salted boiling water OR wrap tightly in greased heavy-duty aluminum foil with chopped onion, celery, salt and pepper; place in rapidly boiling water. Cover pan, return to boil, then reduce heat to simmer 5-7 minutes cooking time per cm of thickness (10 minutes per inch) for fresh fish and 10-12 minutes cooking time per cm of thickness (20 minutes per inch) for frozen fish. To poach smoked fillets, cover with cold milk flavored with butter, bay leaf, pepper; simmer.

-Use fresh or frozen fish

-Use 2ml of salt per L of water (1/4 tsp per quart) for fish

To serve hot:

Remove and drain the fillets; arrange on hot plates or a platter. Either decorate with sprigs of fresh dill or parsley and pass the sauce separately, or spoon the cucumber sauce decoratively over the fish.

To serve cold:

Let the fish remain in its poaching liquid at least 20 minutes, to pick up flavor. Remove, drain, and chill. Serve on a bed of greens, and decorate with the sauce.

Makes 6 servings.

Ahead-of-time note: May be completed hours in advance; cover and

refrigerate.

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Bass 'N' Beer

6 fillets bass (1/2 to 3/4 thick)

1/4 ts pepper

1 paprika

1/4 c chopped onion

1/4 c butter

2 tb all-purpose flour

2 c beer

1 tb brown sugar

2 whole cloves

1 tb lemon juice

Sprinkle fish fillets with 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and some paprika. In a skillet, cook onion in butter till tender. Stir in flour; cook and stir till brown. Gradually stir in the beer. Cook and stir till the mixture bubbles. Stir in the sugar and cloves. Add fish fillets to sauce. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes over low heat till fish flakes with a fork. Remove fish to a platter. Stir lemon juice into sauce in the skillet. Serve sauce over fish with rice, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

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Bass Hash

2 lbs. bass (cooked)

1 lb. hash browns (thawed)

1/2 cup green pepper (chopped)

1/2 onion (chopped)

1/2 lb. bacon (cooked, crumbled) saving grease

Lemon pepper

Chili powder

Garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Take oil from bacon, put into sauce pan. Sautee onion and green pepper. Set aside.

Add hash browns, fry till slightly browned. Add lemon pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and fish.

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Broiled Bass

4 8oz. boneless bass fillets

1 large onion (sliced thinly and separated into rings)

¼ cup butter or margarine

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon lemon pepper

2 lemons

½ teaspoon cayenne red pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Dip bass fillets into melted butter and place on non-stick broiler pan. Sprinkle fish evenly with lemon pepper and cayenne pepper. Place onion rings on the fillets and then sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce. Bake for 8 minutes on center oven rack, then turn on broiler at 500 degrees and allow enough time to brown

the fish and onions (3 to 6 minutes). Remove and allow to cool for 3 minutes. Squeeze lemon over fish and serve. Yield: 4 servings

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Cajun Fried Bass

1/2 c Bisquick

1/4 c Milk

1 Egg

1 c Cornmeal

2 ts Cajun seasoning

1/4 ts Salt

1 1/2 lb bass fillets

Oil for frying

Whisk together the Bisquick, milk and egg in a medium bowl. Mix the cornmeal, cajun seasoning and salt in shallow dish. Dip the fillets into the wet batter first, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture. Fry the fillets in hot oil until golden-brown, turning once. Drain on

paper towels and serve. Ranch dressing makes a great dipping sauce.

Makes 1 serving.

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Crispy Fried Bass

1/2 c Quick or old fashioned oatmeal

1 c Milk

1/2 c Cornmeal

1 Egg

1 ts Baking powder

1/2 ts Dill weed

Salt to taste

1 lb Bass fillet

1/2 c Vegetable oil

Place oatmeal in a blender or food processor and process about 60 seconds. Combine oatmeal and next 5 ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt to taste and mix well. Dip fish into batter, coating thoroughly. Fry in 1/2-inch deep oil at 375 degrees about 2 minutes per side or until crisp and golden-brown, turning once. Drain on absorbent paper.

Makes 1 serving.

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Fancy Fried Bass

1 1/2 lb Smallmouth bass fillets

1/4 ts Salt

1/8 ts Freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 c Flour

2 tb Butter or margarine

1 c Sliced fresh mushrooms or more

1/4 c Green onions

2 tb Dry white wine

1 tb Lemon juice

Place the flour on a plate. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in flour.

Melt about 2 tablespoons butter or margarine over medium heat. Fry the fillets until golden-brown on each side and remove to a plate, keeping them warm. If necessary add more butter or margarine to the skillet and add mushrooms and green onions. Cook them for about 3 minutes then stir in the wine and lemon juice. Pour this mixture over the fish and serve. Makes 1 serving.

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Fish Neapolitan

3 Tablespoons vermouth

1 onion, chopped

1/4 green pepper, chopped

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

3 medium tomatoes, cut in pieces

1/2 cup tomato juice

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 pound of fish fillets (sea bass, snapper, or perch)

Heat vermouth in large frying pan and cook onions 2 to 3 minutes. Add rest of ingredients except fish. Simmer until tomatoes and peppers are soft, or about 10 minutes. Add fish and simmer until fish flakes. Great low calorie meal!

Yield: 4 servings.

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Grilled Bass with Mango-Basil Relish

2 mangoes, pitted, peeled and chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 pounds bass fillets, rinsed and patted dry

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat grill to medium-hot. Mix together mangoes, bell pepper, orange juice, lime juice and basil; set aside.Brush fillets lightly with oil. Place on grill and cook, turning once, until done, 3 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from grill and serve with relish. Season to taste. Serving Size: 8

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Mexican Bass with Red Salsa and Olives

1 1/2 pounds bass fillets, rinsed and patted dry

1 can 6-oz. tomato paste

6 tablespoons water

1/4 cup chopped peeled onion

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon minced red chile pepper*

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup black olives, chopped

1 lime, sliced

Place fish in a microwave-safe baking dish. In a food processor or blender, combine tomato paste, water, onion, garlic, cumin, chile pepper and chili powder; pur ée. Spoon pur ée over fish. Top with olives. Cover and microwave on MEDIUM for 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Serve with lime slices.

* Capsaicin is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers. Serving Size: 4

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Mustard Batter Bass

1/3 cup Dijon mustard or prepared mustard

1/4 cup water plus 1 tablespoon

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups seasoned coating mix

2 1/4 pounds bass fillets cut in 1 1/2" pieces

canola oil

In small mixing bowl, combine mustard, water, juice, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne.

Place coating mix in shallow dish. Dip fish first in mustard mixture and then dredge in coating mix to coat. In 10-inch skillet, heat 1/2 inch oil over medium heat. Add fish. Fry three to four minutes or until golden brown. Turn once. Drain on plate linew with a paper towel.

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Pan Fried Bass with Maitre D' Hotel Sauce

MAITRE D' HOTEL SAUCE:

1/2 Clove garlic, smashed

1/4 c Butter

1/2 ts Salt

1 tb Lemon juice

1/8 ts Pepper

1 tb Finely minced parsley

THE FISH:

1/4 c Yellow cornmeal

4 1-lb. bass, dressed and

And skinned

1/4 c Flour

4 tb Butter

Salt and fresh pepper

This recipe includes a very simple sauce that enhances sauteed, broiled or baked fish. It can be made in camp if you brought parsley and usually impresses any old "fried fish angler." Make the sauce first. In a bowl set the butter out to soften. Then cream it with a fork and then a spoon until it is light and fluffy. Work in the salt and pepper. Mix the smashed garlic and the lemon juice, then work this liquid into the butter. Take a bit of time to do this. Mix in the parsley and serve in a gravy boat with a spoon. Pan fry the bass remembering to brown the fish on both sides but not to over cook. Serve hot on hot plates and pass the sauce. Makes 4 servings.

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Quickly Sauteed Bass Fillets

1 Lemon cut into 6 wedges

1 lb Bass fillets cut into 4 serving-size pieces

2 tb Flour

1/4 ts Paprika

1 tb Olive or salad oil

Salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

LIGHT AND LEMONY DILL "BUTTER"

1/3 c Light margarine softened

1 tb Finely-chopped green onion

1/2 ts Dried dill weed

Grated peel of 1/2 lemon

1/8 ts White pepper

Squeeze juice of 2 lemon wedges over both sides of bass fillets. Let stand 5 minutes. Lightly pat dry with paper toweling. On plate combine flour and paprika. Dip fillets in flour to coat lightly. In large non-stick skillet sprayed with no stick cooking spray, heat oil. Saute fish over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until fish is opaque and just flakes easily with a fork. Salt and pepper to taste. In small bowl, combine all Light And Lemony Dill "Butter" ingredients. Makes about 1/3 cup. Serve 1 to 2 teaspoons over each serving of bass fillets or garnish each serving with remaining lemon wedges, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

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Sassy Southern Crumb-Coat Bass

2 (2-lb) bass or similar fish

1 c milk

1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c white; yellow or blue cornmeal

1/4 c finely minced green onions include some tops

1/2 ts kosher or sea salt

1/2 ts pequin quebrado cayenne pepper

1 lemon cut in 4 to 6 wedges

1 tb minced parsley

1 c unsalted butter (up to)

6 sprigs parsley

Cut fish in chunks or fillets. Rinse well, then soak in salted water 30 minutes. Drain & rinse. Pour milk into large, shallow bowl & add fish. In another large, shallow bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, green onions, salt and pequin or cayenne. Dust center edge of each lemon wedge with minced parsley; set lemon wedges aside & add any remaining minced parsley to coating mixture. Melt butter in large, deep, heavy skillet. Dip each piece of fish into coating, being sure to crush coating into fish for maximum flavor. Cook fish until golden on all sides, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot, garnish each serving with a parsley-edged lemon wedge & a parsley sprig.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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Sesame-Seed Bass Fillets

2 lb bass fillets

1/2 c butter melted

1 tb lemon juice

1/4 ts dried parsley flakes

1 tb sesame seed

Lightly grease the unheated rack of the broiler pan, arrange the fillets

atop the rack. In a bowl, combine melted butter, lemon juice, and parsley. Brush

fillets with mixture. Broil fillets 4 inches from heat for 4 minutes. Turn fillets and brush with more butter mixture. Broil for about 5 minutes more or till the fish flakes with a fork. Sprinkle with sesame seed. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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Sauteed Smallmouth Bass

1/2 pound smallmouth bass, filleted

5 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup flour

1 tablespoon vinegar

Parsley for garnish

Dredge the fillets in a mix of cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper. Sautee slowly in melted butter over medium heat until well browned. Turn; brown the other side. When the fish has turned opaque, remove to a warm platter and garnish with parsley. Stir the vinegar into the fat and crispies, heat and pour over the fish.

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Southern Fried Bass

Four to six bass fillets

Cornmeal

Salt and pepper

Mix cornmeal, salt and pepper in plastic bag. Shake to mix. Heat oil in deep cast iron pot (preferably over an outdoor fish cooker). Shake fish in cornmeal mixture and drop into hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Serve.

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Stuffed Bass

2 lb bass

1 salt

2 tb butter

1 onion minced

2 tb parsley minced

6 mushrooms chopped

6 anchovies chopped

1/3 c breadcrumbs

10 sm shrimp cooked or

1 cooked fillet of flounder, sole, or halibut

1 egg slightly beaten

1 salt and pepper

1 lemon juice

2 sl bacon cut in strips for larding

1/2 c butter melted

1 onion sliced

2 tb parsley minced

1 white wine or fish stock

3/4 c sour cream

Remove the center bone but do not cut in half or behead. Wash, pat dry, sprinkle with salt and refrigerate 45 min. Preheat oven to 400. To prepare stuffing, melt butter in skillet and when bubbling saute onion, parsley and mushrooms 5 min. Mix in anchovies, breadcrumbs and shrimp or cooked fish. Toss and mix in beaten egg. Rince and dry fish, sprinkle inside with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Lard fish across back with bacon strips. Stuff the fish and truss with skewers or sew shut. Spread a little melted butter in a baking dish, add fish and top with onion slices and parsley. Pour the rest of the butter over the fish and vegetables. Bake 45 min basting frequently with wine or stock. Add sour cream to the pan not on the fish for the last 10 min. When fish is done remove trussing and serve on a heated platter garnished with the vegetables and covered with the sauce.

Makes 2 servings.

["Lunker Hunter"]

I agree with rose angler the larger the fish the gamier. Also the larger fish will hold more mercury in the fatty portion of the meat.

[basser89]

I've been stuck on a really simple recipe for fish for a while now. Place a fillet (I usually use walleye) on a piece of aluminum foil, add McCormick's Lemon and Herb seasoning. Add a generous amount of butter around the fillet and fold up the sides to create a "bag". I'll throw the bags in a cake pan (to catch any butter that may run out) and broil it. Half way through, I'll pull the bags out and flip the fillets and add more seasoning.

[Troutfisher]

Harvesting small bass is a good practice. This sign is posted at a public lake that I fish a lot:

That's an excellent sign for a public pond- I wish that would get posted at several of the ponds I fish!