Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

[OutdoorActionOntario]

Some of you have seen that I am mostly catch and release. This doesn't mean I am opposed to a Walleye Shore lunch, FAR FROM IT. There is nothing tastier than fresh fish you just caught fried up in batter with some home fries, right?

However, I recall fishing with my in-law a couple of summers ago, and he was incensed when I let a 2.5 pound smallie go. "That was perfect for the table, right there", he huffed under his breath. You could have cut the tension with a filet knife. Now, granted we were fishing for walleye and hadn't caught any yet (I soon put 3 nice platers in the livewell) but to me, eating a Smallmouth bass is borderline blasphemous. It's a sport fish, not table fare in my opinion. I've even had discussions with my boss, who is a bit older, on this. Seems to be a generational thing that anything caught swimming is good for the table. It reminds me of the pictures you would see of Old Time fishing trips where they have hundreds of fish on stringers they are posing with - no sense of conservation whatsoever, back in the day.

Now, what specifically prompted this post was something I saw at Extreme Angler's Facebook page (full disclosure I love Karl Kalonka and think he is doing really great things as an Ambassador of the Sport.) One of his followers posted on a picture of a huge (at least 5 pound) Largemouth "You will get some nice Filets off that one" or something along those lines. Now, to me, that comment was absolutely ridiculous - who would eat a 5 pound largemouth, right?

Still, it got me thinking. Obviously, there are people who eat bass - and I'm not saying in general there is anything wrong with that, but overall I have to wonder, what is the thoughts around here on eating bass? I let them go to swim another day, and especially for the Big Pigs, to reproduce and spread their genetic success on to future Generations of Big Pigs... What about you? Are Bass fair game for table-fare in your opinion, or is it just totally misguided when you hear about people eating Large and Smallmouth Bass?

As you can tell I'm a little biased to one side of the discussion here, but it's a free world and to each their own. I wouldnt' be a libertarian if I didn't truly feel that way... So, what do YOU think?

[Wally]

They are full of worms that s why people release them..

[bradford2]

How anyone could think a 2.5lb smallie is any less fit for the table then a comparable sized walleye is far beyond my level of comprehension.......

[flewdogg]

I personally don't eat bass but don't see the harm if someone keeps a few smaller ones (less than 3 lbs) for the table. The big pigs should be let go, for conservation reasons. There's no slot limit for bass of course but those anglers rightly concerned with conservation should self-impose one for the future of the sport.

I can relate to the "incensed fishing buddy" thing. My regular fishing partner brought a friend on one of our early runs into Mississippi Lake this year. I caught a few small pike, like 2 pounders. I let them go and the new guy was all upset about me "wasting food". I told him to catch his own and then he could keep one. He eventually did hook one and he kept it. He didn't know how to fillet it though so I'm told he had quite the bony meal!

[bradford2]

Certainly not all bass are full of worms. I haven't seen a single one in the many sub 3lb smallies that have made the fish frys this summer.
Also, the same conservation principles mentioned IMO should be applied to walleye as well.
However where I fish this is rarely the case. Every single walleye over the 20" slot gets bonked.
So I choose to let those fish go and keep the bass. Neither one is more of a 'sport fish' than the other in my eyes.
However the bass are more abundant, have a healthier age class structure, and when fried in fish crisp, no one can tell the difference anyhow
As I mentioned in another thread, this is really all personal preference, so everyone will feel differently about it I'm sure.

[almontefisher]

Just curious when bass became a sport fish. By mnr guidelines is it a sport fish?? Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking bass just curious if that is the right tag to give them. Do you need a sport lic to keep any??

[JZ]

I generally don't because they are too much fun to catch, but iam not opposed to it and usually keep a few throughout the year to eat especially if iam on a lake where there are no pike walleye etc.
Bass taste fantastic, some of the whitest meat you will find and most of the lakes I fish they are plentiful. If iam going to keep bass I target ones in the .75lb to 1.5lb range. Ones in that range taste just as good as perch walleye bluegill etc. i have similar rules for all species, to name a few... back lake lakers over 4lbs get released, bluegill over 10inches and pike over 28inches also go back in the lake. I understand that the tournament guys see bass almost like you would a family pet and therefore it's strictly C&R, that's their decision and I respect that.
But I always find it amusing how some people get hung up on what type of fish they will or won't eat because of perceived taste. I mainly eat panfish and pike in the spring/fall and lakers/pike and panfish in the winter. I have had people turn their nose up at bluegill or pike but will eat crappie and walleye. It's ok to have your favourites but most white flesh fish taste great if you prepare and cook them properly. I have a long standing bet....
I will prepare 6 types of fish,making the fillets equal size,... Perch walleye pike bass bluegill crappie. And I guarantee two things,
1) they will all taste great
2) if you can correctly identify all 6 by taste I will let you s*** in my hat.

[SeaMonster]

I dunno, I think it's all about what you are used to.
I never keep brookies under 1 pound, to me that's wasting a fish, while others would never keep one over that.
Personally I don't eat bass, nor do I know anyone that does for that matter. In my area trout are king and bass are kinda, well, somehow inferior.... I realize how that sounds, but that's the impression I get from trout/dore elitists

[banjo]

Yes.

[RJ]

The question should be "Why don't you eat bass?" It's been engrained in us somewhere along the lines that we shouldn't. I don't eat fish except for a few Crappie feeds a year but I'd way prefer to see folks keep a few 2 lb Bass than EVERY walleye they catch.

RJ

[ganman]

It is kinda dumb NOT to eat bass because they are far and away our most numerous gamefish by a huge margin....And believe it or not a LMB is a better eating fish than a SMB. People assume that the SMB is a better eating fish because it comes out of cooler and clearer water but I find SMB have a lot stronger flavour. Living in the 1000 Islands and doing guide style shore lunches for years I have put the two side by side. Many thought the LMB was a walleye. Get some LM out of a nice clean lake up on the Madawaska Highlands and they will be as good as anything that swims....definitely better than a BOQ walleye. Their flesh is firm and white not blotchy like a BOQ walleye.

[ShawnD]

I do keep bass from time to time, maybe 3 times a year, I'll keep 5 or 6 Bass all ranging in the 1- 1 1/2 pound range.
Make a fish fry for myself and some friends.

Bass taste great, as for the "Who eats a 5 pound bass"? Question, people that live where five pounders are common.. The best Bass I've eaten was in Mexico, gutted and then fryed (skins eyes straight up) then in a Lime/Cucumber mix.. It was amazing...

I also fish tournaments.


I get the question every single year, "why don't you keep the fish you catch to eat??" Because if I did, if we all did, there wouldn't be any fish left in the water!!
( Except for the Rideau, I can't seem to catch any there )

could you imagine Renegade keeping all there fish or even Ultra Bass LOL 31 Boatsx5 fish each, on a two day tournament...

I plan my fish fry's, I don't waste any and I enjoy seeing my friends, who barely fish, eat Bass.

[Haulin Bass]

I eat bass..and trout and pike and walleye.. all are great table fair I have 2 or three fish fries a year. To me there is no better enjoyment from fishing (and hunting) than to share the rewards of each sport with those who do not have the luxury of being able to do what I do. Also, being able to get out 2 or three times a week makes catch and release mandatory for me.It is quite rewarding in a personal way, as well as to those who may enjoy catching the fish I release.

[campnfish]

Bass are good eating, but IMO you have to filet and eat them right away (same day).

I would much rather eat a walleye or a pike (if you know how to filet them) than a bass. I grew up keeping almost all the fish we caught but now I would only keep the odd trout for food. If I'm camping then I'll usually plan a meal or two of fresh fish so whatever I catch I'll eat.

[CyrusG]

I kept a few 2 pound largies out of white lake once and they tasted great, I've never tried keeping any out of the Ottawa or Rideau. I would much rather keep some crappie, walleye or trout and let all the bass go, I only have a couple of fish fries every year and most are caught ice fishing.