Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

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Bigbass Dez
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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Bigbass Dez » Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:19 pm

Drewp wrote:
Bigbass Dez wrote:Eating Bass is worse than eating carp
I don't think that there's anything worse than carp.


Thats my point why eat a Bass just release them !!:-s


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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by beerman1981 » Thu Jul 19, 2007 10:00 pm

tnj8222 wrote:probably cause they are good. like i said i have never ate a bad tasting bass. im from a family of fish eaters but i do C&R most of my bass espacially the big ones. i think the people that say bass doesnt taste good are really just trying to say that so people wont eat them. i like the taste of bass so i dont care what any of you say otherwise.

on a side note i have a bag full of trout i smoked from pine. i would say i like fried bass better. i still havent found the perfect smoker recipe yet.

people could go on and on aout how a bass taste. i really wonder where these mud bass are caught cause the bass i have ate was awesome
Yeah bud, I totally hear you there. Perhaps people don't know how to cook/ prepare it right. Seriously, when you filet it and take the skin off, so there are no bones, and you bread it and fry it, I could honestly not tell the difference between the bass and a perch/ bluegill, etc. The same applies to the deep fry method. I'd rather eat bass any day vs trout/ salmon etc. Before y'all jump on my back though, I must stress I usually release all of my bass, but on occasion I will bring one home to cook. My family has eaten bass my entire life, and it's not because we are poor. It's because it tastes good when prepared properly. Don't diss it until you try it the way I cook it.

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Last edited by Anonymous on Thu Jul 19, 2007 10:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by bassackwards » Thu Jul 19, 2007 10:53 pm

Bass Tracker wrote:Release the bass - catch a few nice perch and filet them, dip the filets in milk-egg mix, roll the filets in cracker crumbs, roll them again in flour and deep fry in hot oil. Yummmmmmmmmm
BINGO...

The best way to cook bass is NOT to cook bass. Put 'em back to catch another day. Go down to Long John Silvers and order the Fish-n-Chips combo and have at it.

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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by kzoo » Fri Jul 20, 2007 3:36 am

To all my fellow bass fisherman, I grew up keeping bass. Now, I keep a couple small ones time to time, I always let the larger ones go. I believe if you don't keep some smaller ones, a lake can have an overrun on small bass, this can easily happen on smaller lakes. I use to fish this small private lake (<10 acres) with my old man back in the day, he use to keep everything, I use to argue with him to catch and release, he didn't really care, he was from the old school. Eventually my dad moved, and I stayed in the area, a couple years later, I went to fish the lake and it was just filled with stunted skinny bass, the lake had too many bass and there was not enough forage for everyone. There was an article in Bass Masters magazine last year about this same scenerio, slot limits do work, they produce better quality fish.
Last edited by Anonymous on Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:40 am, edited 1 time in total.

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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Drewp » Fri Jul 20, 2007 9:50 am

Bigbass Dez wrote:
Drewp wrote:
Bigbass Dez wrote:Eating Bass is worse than eating carp
I don't think that there's anything worse than carp.


Thats my point why eat a Bass just release them !!:-s
No, your point was that eating bass is worse than eating carp. That is simply not true. I'm saying that carp is one the most bony, disgusting fish out there, and bass are BY FAR, better table fare than carp. I'm not sure I understand your logic. You can't argue with, or hold it against someone for keeping a perfectly legal bass.

Sorry BBD, but bass to carp is like salmon to dogfish.

That being said, I don't keep bass, but that doesn't make me any better than the next guy that does (as long as said guy is following the rules of the slot).
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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Bigbass Dez » Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:33 pm

Drewp wrote:
Bigbass Dez wrote:
Drewp wrote: I don't think that there's anything worse than carp.


Thats my point why eat a Bass just release them !!:-s
No, your point was that eating bass is worse than eating carp. That is simply not true. I'm saying that carp is one the most bony, disgusting fish out there, and bass are BY FAR, better table fare than carp. I'm not sure I understand your logic. You can't argue with, or hold it against someone for keeping a perfectly legal bass.

Sorry BBD, but bass to carp is like salmon to dogfish.

That being said, I don't keep bass, but that doesn't make me any better than the next guy that does (as long as said guy is following the rules of the slot).



:-# POINT WELL TAKING , AND IF "YOU" STAND BEHIND TAKING LEGAL BASS TOO THE DINNER TABLE GREAT .. I WILL ALWAYS PUSH FOR C&R ON BASS PERIOD ! Its has nothing to do with being better than the next guy , im not that shallow of a person ... maybe when your favorite bass gets fished out and since the state doesn't stock bass like they do trout here , maybe you will understand why C&R LEGAL BASS IS STILL IMPORTANT ...IM DONE HERE..![-(
Last edited by Anonymous on Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Drewp » Fri Jul 20, 2007 2:20 pm

Bigbass Dez wrote: :-# POINT WELL TAKING , AND IF "YOU" STAND BEHIND TAKING LEGAL BASS TOO THE DINNER TABLE GREAT .. I WILL ALWAYS PUSH FOR C&R ON BASS PERIOD ! Its has nothing to do with being better than the next guy , im not that shallow of a person ... maybe when your favorite bass gets fished out and since the state doesn't stock bass like they do trout here , maybe you will understand why C&R LEGAL BASS IS STILL IMPORTANT ...IM DONE HERE..![-(
Now now BBD, no need to get angry. Here are a few really good articles about how selective harvest, i.e. slot limit management promote better fisheries. You might want to check 'em out and it could possibly change the way you think....

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/cat ... _bass.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/slot.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/harvest.html

I'm done now too.
Last edited by Anonymous on Fri Jul 20, 2007 2:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by tnj8222 » Fri Jul 20, 2007 3:14 pm

i for one agree with selective harvesting. always have, always will.

to many of the lakes around here are just slammed full of 1 pound bass.
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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Bigbass Dez » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:16 pm

Drewp wrote:
Bigbass Dez wrote: :-# POINT WELL TAKING , AND IF "YOU" STAND BEHIND TAKING LEGAL BASS TOO THE DINNER TABLE GREAT .. I WILL ALWAYS PUSH FOR C&R ON BASS PERIOD ! Its has nothing to do with being better than the next guy , im not that shallow of a person ... maybe when your favorite bass gets fished out and since the state doesn't stock bass like they do trout here , maybe you will understand why C&R LEGAL BASS IS STILL IMPORTANT ...IM DONE HERE..![-(
Now now BBD, no need to get angry. Here are a few really good articles about how selective harvest, i.e. slot limit management promote better fisheries. You might want to check 'em out and it could possibly change the way you think....

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/cat ... _bass.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/slot.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/harvest.html

I'm done now too.


Thanks for the insight and link and will read keep a open mind , im not angry i just honor C&R, im not from here so maybe that has to do with some of my opinions and thoughts on this site .. im still tring to figure this state out for bassing and i have caught too many 1 pounders .. i assumed it was due to people not C&R but i get that there ae other factors that play into it .. im a cool guy and i think the same of you DREWP so dont take my smart_ss remarks to heart thats just the way i talk in general .. lol .. i will take the time and read this link .. thanks dude and happy hooking ...BBD :bounce:


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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by gpc » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:17 pm

While growing up my grandfather always kept and ate bass. My father hated the taste of bass so we never kept them. Now as much as me and my dad fished and love the sport of fishing we loved to eat fish as well. So we spent most of our time targeting crappie, walleye, and salmon. As well as perch bluegill and trout. So for the past 10 years or so if I caught a bass I would through it back in. But recently while I was fishing at duck lake I kept a bass to give it a try. So we had a fish fry of perch crappie and a bass. The bass wasn't bad, it wasn't in my opinion as good as the crappie or perch but still an edible species of fish.

This is how we cooked them. We took one of those huge freezer bags and put cashews in there, smashed them up really fine. Then put some Ritz crackers in there and crushed them up really fine. Then we added seasoning and flour. Then I put some foil on the BBQ, melted some butter on the foil, dipped the fillets in eggs, threw them in the freezer bag with the goods and threw them on the BBQ. Not a bad fish fry, I dint know about a strictly bass fry, but with perch, crappie and bluegill as well it will be excellent.

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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Drewp » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:22 pm

Happy hooking to you too BBD. :cheers:
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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Proverb » Mon Jul 23, 2007 1:59 pm

I hope I don't get scolded.. but I actually really like the taste of bass. Here is my favorite recipe. I rather you cook them then throw them back after you've injured them really badly.

To cook them place several fillets on tin foil. Sprinkle with salt, and pepper them well (to your liking). Zest a lemon and sprinkle that on there and cut off all the white parts of your lemon (it's bitter) and slice the lemon and put those slices on there too, then chop one onion and layer that above the lemon slices. On top of that lay several strips of hickory smoked bacon (or butter if you are on a diet) and a little fresh parmesan cheese (optional). Wrap up the tin foil and go place that on a grill for a few minutes (5-10).
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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Bigbass Dez » Mon Jul 23, 2007 3:31 pm

Drewp wrote:Happy hooking to you too BBD. :cheers:
okay Drew i read the articals on C&R and i get your point .. I feel like the States wildlife managment should play a larger role in controlling the amount of "dinks" in smaller lakes, they seem to have a good handle on trout, but there are far more trout fishermen here than bassguys .. i still stand behind C&R but i now do have a different outlook on it .. thank for the insight dude, " information is power "... BBD :batman:


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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by iPodrodder » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:40 pm

Guys, if you think letting big ones go helps fish not get stunted, just read this for a little extra information.

http://washingtonlakes.com/Forum/viewto ... =9430#9430

P.S. That sentence has sharper wording than I would like, I'm not trying to offend anyone's intelligence.

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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by YellowBear » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:12 am

The WDFW says that I can keep 5 Bass and thats what I do.
I like them little 12 inchers for fish and chips.
Fillet and remove the skin.
1 egg.
1/2 cup of milk.
A dash of Tobasco.
Whip this up in a large bowl and add the fillets, let them soak a bit.
Take a box of Zaterans fish fry and add some Longhorn BBQ all seasons and mix them together.
Now just roll the fillets in the Zaterans and drop them in a deep fat fryer. Make sure the greese is hot.
To me the Bass is just as good as any other Panfish.
The Bass is after all,just a big ole Sunfish.
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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by zen leecher aka Bill W » Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:23 am

Anyone who doesn't like fried bass fillets either doesn't like fish or doesn't know how to cook them.

The "release all bass" argument is similar to the one a month ago over on the muskie forum.

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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by beerman1981 » Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:27 pm

Yeah buddy... I caught some smaller bass the other day. I fileted them out, soaked them in egg, dipped them in flour, soaked them back in egg, then dipped them in bread crumbs. I put a bunch of oil in a heated pan, heated until crispy, and they were to die for. They didn't even need seasoning! We all loved them. People who think that bass taste bad are doing something wrong when cooking them.

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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Geoffrey Ring » Fri Aug 17, 2007 2:09 pm

I've never had bass, but would like to, so thanks for all the suggestions (even if they weren't aimed at me). I have a massive book all about freshwater fishing (I do love 'fishing theory') which offered a suggestion as to how to prevent fishy/muddy taste. It had been suggested in this thread, but it seemed to be more of a foot note. The book reccomends soaking the fillets in either milk or baking soda/water solution for 30 mins or something like that. If this will be any help, I don't know, but I figure my two cents wouldn't be unwelcomed. ;D


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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by Proverb » Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:55 pm

I don't know about soaking for 30 mins but I just stick all the fillets in a strainer and run cold water over all my filets no matter what the fish type. Then I dab it dry with a paper towel.

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RE:Largemouth bass - 'Is there any way to cook 'em that doesn't taste bad?'

Post by muskyhunter » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:57 pm

Hey kids,
Simple solution...really..I have learned that after you filet the bass. Lay the meat down..look at at it..There is a lateral line that runs across the top part of the filet. Use you knife cut above and below it all the way to the tail.Remove it, throw it in the trash. That lateral line is the mudline. Fishy/muddy taste.Once that is taken out your bass will taste fantastic! Deep fried,baked or however you do it...Try it, you'll like it!! Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes..Todd
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