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

[bass4life]

I fish for largemouth bass primarily and have caught a few fish in my day. My mom tried cooking the bass we used to catch many moons ago then told me not to bring them home anymore because they tasted so bad. I catch and release as a rule (bass that is) but there are times when the hook gets swallowed and it seems such a waste to throw the bass back in when it looks like it is skewered from the inside and won't make it. I was wondering if there is a method to cook the fish so that it won't taste bad. I love fried trout, the easiest/tastiest way I have found to cook them is to clean them, then basically ms. dash on the inside cut a clove of garlic and put it in the middle, sprinkle some ms. dash on the outside and fry it in extra virgin olive oil then squeeze a little lemon on the top after your done frying. Bass on the other hand is a different story, it seems to have a certain fishy taste/smell that you just can't get rid of. Any suggestions?

[Drewp]

Hey Bass4Life,

You can cut the hook off if it's too deep, and lots of the time it will eventually rust out and the fish will survive. But here's a cool thread from a while back about removing deep hooked bass: http://washingtonlakes.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=561 I like to hear that you are a C&R angler when it comes to bass!

Sorry, don't have any advice on cooking largemouth - I say if it don't taste good, don't eat it.

[fishnislife]

Hey Drewp, good link buddy. I think I know that guy who posted that article.

I agree with Drew on this one bass4life, if it doesn't taste good, don't eat it.
But with enough butter, salt, lemon and seasonings you can pretty much make anything taste at least edible.
Now, I don't eat bass, nor have I ever, but I would think that like most fish it you bleed them right after catching and properly store them until you get home to cook them, this will make the fishy taste fainter. Or you could just fry the crap out of them. :chef:

I'm sure someone around here has a half way decent recipe.


fishnislife

[DennisZ]

Hey bass4life
I live in the Benson Hill area, and while I was signing in as a new memeber today, I included this recipe. So when I got around to finding the question again, I wanted to be sure you did not miss my suggestion.

I saw a posting request today for a recipe for largemouth bass to get them to taste better. I suggest an old recipe for Sand Hill Cranes which might work. Using the Inuit cooking approach, a water tight wolven cedar root cooking vessel filled with water is brought to a boil with hot rocks from the fire pit. The Crane is dressed out and inserted into the boiling basketful of water and left to cook for about two hours. Then you take out the Crane and eat the rocks. I sure hope someone has a better idea.


However, since we live so near, and should you succeed in cooking up a good tasting bass, let me know and I will drop in and help you test the recipe.

Dennis Z

[beerman1981]

Filet it, cut it into bite size pieces, beer batter it and deep fry it. You can't go wrong!

Joe

[spadam98]

beerman has got the best answer just fillet it out like a walleye and beer batter it and deep fry it i just had some last week i think it tast just as good as walleye myself oh yeah make sure and use a beer instead of water for the batter

[beerman1981]

beerman has got the best answer just fillet it out like a walleye and beer batter it and deep fry it i just had some last week i think it tast just as good as walleye myself oh yeah make sure and use a beer instead of water for the batter

You are dead on spadam98. Deep fried, you will not taste a difference between largemouth and walleye. I've eaten lots of fish, and its all in the preperation.

[panfisher]

i think it's all in how you prep the fish before you cook em. i like to fillet the bass (skinless) keep the meat in a bowl full of cold water in the frig over night rinse untill the water stays clear, then i'll fry or put them up in the freezer. i like to use egg and crackers. pat the meat dry, dip in well scrambled eggs, throw into a bag of finely crushed cracker crumbs, have heated skillet ready with 1/4-1/2" of oil fry till golden. this is good for all panfish, bass, walleye, pike, etc. beer batter is also good just find the right beer!!! <')//<

[bass4life]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'm wondering if I'm just not preparing the fist right. I'll give the filleted beer batter a try.

[YellowBear]

We eat a lot of Bass and as long as you keep the smaller ones there just fine.
The beer batter works real well but try 7-up with some Zaterans fish fry.

[bob johansen]

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

[bpm2000]

I ate my first LM this yr - it wasn't so bad! I would just fry em up if I had to eat another one. Remove the skin and such, and soak it a bit if you really want to drive the fishy taste out. but like the others said, deep fried and it all starts to taste the same hehe

[FishFearMe]

My Grandfather used to tell me the secret to preparing good bass.

1. Get out your fillet board and fillet both sides, leaving the skin on.
2. Then thow away the fillets and cook the board. :chef:

[iPodrodder]

Hey bass4life
I live in the Benson Hill area, and while I was signing in as a new memeber today, I included this recipe. So when I got around to finding the question again, I wanted to be sure you did not miss my suggestion.

I saw a posting request today for a recipe for largemouth bass to get them to taste better. I suggest an old recipe for Sand Hill Cranes which might work. Using the Inuit cooking approach, a water tight wolven cedar root cooking vessel filled with water is brought to a boil with hot rocks from the fire pit. The Crane is dressed out and inserted into the boiling basketful of water and left to cook for about two hours. Then you take out the Crane and eat the rocks. I sure hope someone has a better idea.


However, since we live so near, and should you succeed in cooking up a good tasting bass, let me know and I will drop in and help you test the recipe.

Dennis Z

My Grandfather used to tell me the secret to preparing good bass.

1. Get out your fillet board and fillet both sides, leaving the skin on.
2. Then thow away the fillets and cook the board. :chef:

Looks like you guys have the same train of thought. I've been laughing for the last two minutes. Sounds GOOD!
=p~

[tnj8222]

I ate my first LM this yr - it wasn't so bad! I would just fry em up if I had to eat another one. Remove the skin and such, and soak it a bit if you really want to drive the fishy taste out. but like the others said, deep fried and it all starts to taste the same hehe

yeah it is good man. i dont eat them to often, but i keep a couple small ones every now and then. people go overboard when they say the meat taste like mud. never tasted like mud to me!

[sanfrandan]

I agree that Bass is a little muddy tasting. I prefer Perch or crappie. Just salt pepper and egg then roll them in corn meal and fry. Just like Granny did...

[bob johansen]

The very best way to cook bass is to release them -- and catch some nice perch and filet them. Perch are plentiful and taste great.

[Bigbass Dez]

Eating Bass is worse than eating carp , there is no good way to cook them .. this was never ment to be a good eating fish ... there are too many other fish out there too fry up over bass ... my question is what makeS you want to eat a bass anyway ? ...BBD:scratch:

[tnj8222]

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

[Drewp]

Eating Bass is worse than eating carp

I don't think that there's anything worse than carp.