Do You Eat Bass?

[dee tee]

There's a short survey in the November BassMaster indicating that only about 2% of bass catchers eat their catch. How come? Does the fish not taste good or is it the strong commitment to catch and release?

Wondering.............

dee tee :-/

[skillet]

Catch and release plus there are better tasting fish that are easier to catch ...

skillet

[Branuss04]

Both...

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

The thing about bass is... well it just plain out sucks to eat.

[=Matt 5.0=]

Mmmmmm Mmmmmmmmm  

[-nick-]

When me and my friends first started fishing (last summer) we thought we'd try some sometime. So we finally did and it was delicious! But it wasnt worth the trouble of filetting them and everything plus we'd rather catch them again than eat them so that was only a one time thing.

[Redlinerobert]

No.

[BassinSoldier]

Every once in a while I'll eat a couple, not very often though.  I tried smallmouth for the first time last year and found they taste ALOT better than largemouth.  I still find it hard to kill such a pretty fish to eat it so for the most part I just stick to catfish, crappie, and shell crackers. (And store bought tilapia fillets..mmmmmmmm )

[fourbizz]

I kill spotted bass. They are delicious and I hate them. Good way to end up dead  

Smallmouth and Largemouth are zero kill for me.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

no

[Big Bait Fishing]

never have and never will , it's all about catch and release........  

[T-rig]

Never. Would be like eating my brother.

[bigfruits]

i much rather catch them again than eat them. panfish taste better.

[UrbanRedneck]

Yes, I eat bass and have since I started fishing over 30 years ago.  However, I am very critical of where Ill eat bass out of and I practice selective harvest.  Ill only eat bass out of waters that I know are not polluted, and in CA this means higher elevation lakes with minimal upstream pollution sources.  Flat ground waters are totally out of the question, I wont even swim in those waters.  I selectively harvest only the small, barely keeper fish as well.  Ill keep a limit of 12" spots every time I go to Shasta or Oroville.  And for those that dont like the taste you havent cooked them right!  Chunk the fillets, roll in egg and your favorite coating and deep fry.  Then dip in your favorite sauce (for me thats ketchup with tabasco added).

I would never eat a larger bass, or any fish for that matter.  I cant believe it when I see people keep 20 pound catfish out of Clear Lake.  Totally disgusting.

[TrippyJai]

I will take a bass or 2 from each trip, but I am allowed to keep up to 7 from my fishing lisence. I much prefer to eat other fishes such as crappie, walleye, trout, and especially salmon RAW (sushi).

bass is okay, but not the best tasting fish.

[ptomacbass]

Never.

[Grey Wolf]

NO

Salmon or walleye occasionally.

[SMfisher]

the only fish i eat is the aggravating red eye good way to thin them out plus they are really good to eat.

[Jake.]

No, I prefer Flounder.  

[hamer08]

I haven't much in the past, but I plan to in the future. Almost every lake I fish is way overpopulated with LMB.

[RobbyZ5001]

I only eat the 5lb plus fish.  

[SoFl-native]

Never. It makes no sense to me kill a fish i enjoy catching so much.

If i wanted to eat fish i would target crappie or others.

[Daniel My Brother]

Sometimes.

[Matt 825]

Never, if I want to eat freshwater fish I will catch some crappies or catfish or trout.  Bass dont even taste remotely good.  You might as well grab a chunk of weeds from the lake and stuff them in your mouth if you like the way Bass taste.  

[fourbizz]

Never, if I want to eat freshwater fish I will catch some crappies or catfish or trout. Bass dont even taste remotely good. You might as well grab a chunk of weeds from the lake and stuff them in your mouth if you like the way Bass taste.

You've never had spotted bass then. Better than crappie.