I'm a far cry from a cook, but when comparing the natural flavor of different fish species, I think it's important to only compare

fish that have been 'sauteed', 'broiled' or 'grilled'. In other words, No deep-frying, No heavy coatings, No spice-drenching

and No blackening. Otherwise you're really not comparing 'fish flesh', you're comparing Coatings, Spices, Oils and stuff.

Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips fooled the public for many years with his heavy batter-coated Alaskan hake.

One day I peeled all the coating off the fillet and the flesh underneath tasted like parboiled wallpaper paste (zero flavor).

 

In our opinion at least, among the most naturally flavorful fish are Bluegills (but they're small), Yellow Perch (but they're small),

Walleyes (perfect), Largemouth Bass (perfect), Smallmouth Bass (perfect), White Bass (perfect), Northern Pike (but they're bony),

Chain Pickerel (but they're bony), Blackfish (saltwater), Summer Flounder (saltwater) and Orange Roughy (depleted).

 

Roger

 

In our opinion at least, among the most naturally flavorful fish are Bluegills (but they're small), Yellow Perch (but they're small),

 

I with you there, bluegills are my favorite too.

Bass taste good, why wouldn't they since they eat the other good tasting fish like bluegill/perch/crappie/etc. The river bass taste the best though, fresher.

LMB is my mother in laws favorite fish to eat so she hates it when I C&R she keeps her bass and her bother brings her some Georgia. My wife's favorite is blue gill and me personally I like all kind of fish.   

Bass taste good, why wouldn't they since they eat the other good tasting fish like bluegill/perch/crappie/etc. The river bass taste the best though, fresher.

 

That's true enough.

And on another note, bass and bluegills are both in the same taxonomical genus.

So in effect, a bass is just a large sunfish (which may explain why they both taste so darn good)

 

Roger

If you're gonna eat them, go to a lake with a slot limit and get the little ones. Much better eating. Still, I haven't eaten one for a loooong time.

Large mouths are decent. Not even close to as good as walleye or blue gill but those are about as good as it gets.

Funny that this topic came up now. I've been meaning to ask how they taste. I'm planning on trying this season. I'm assuming that smaller 1-2 lbers would probably be better?

I love most fish. Tryed a LMB once. Lets just say I wouldnt care for it again. Ill stick to releasing them for a possible rematch one day. If I target a fish to eat around here ill go bluegill or perch. Hopefukly this year ill land a eye and give that a go. I heard there awesome.

Brian

I personally have never eaten a bass, I put them is the category of sport fish, with Muskie. Up here in the north there are plenty of eating fish, Crappie, bluegills, walleye, perch, catfish, and pike. I dont see any reason to eat bass, unless the lake has an over abundance of small fish, then the ones under about 12 inches i would understand eating. Still I think there are plenty of other options.

 

Mitch

I grew up very poor and we ate anything we caught, bass including and bigger ones just meant we had more to eat. That said, they always tasted terrible to me, very much like I imagine dirty algae would taste. I probably haven't ate a bass in almost 20 years now. Honestly I wish I liked the taste though. We have a lake with a 13-15 inch slot limit right by our house that has very clean water and is loaded with 12 inch bass. If I liked to eat them at all I'd have no problem getting a fresh fish dinner once in awhile. 

I haven't eaten a bass in years and really do nothing but catch and release. I honestly don't really remember the taste but I don't really like any kind of fish for that matter. I prefer my meat red and bloody 

I had some chilean sea bass for dinner last night. As fair as LM or SM when I was little my grandfather would cook them and I remember it being alright. It was smothered in butter though. Then agin you can smother my shoe in butter and it will taste alright.

I am an advocate for C&R. It is a proven method of maintaining a valuable resource that everyone here loves. It is only one though. When combined with selective harvest it is even more effective on many bodies of water. My home lake (Cedar Lake) has a 14-18" slot limit. It is one the best bass fishing lakes in southern Illinois, in large part as a result of this. It has many other characteristics that make it a fine fishery, including deep cold water and an abundant food supply. A few times a year I will keep a few smaller bass for the table. Like RoLo I believe handled properly it is a fine eating fish.

The bass down here in the lowcountry taste murky...grosses me out.  But thankfully we live on the coast and have some of the best saltwater eating in the area.....redfish, trout, sheepshead.  I feel like the saltwater gives it a good marinade ha

Funny that this topic came up now. I've been meaning to ask how they taste. I'm planning on trying this season. I'm assuming that smaller 1-2 lbers would probably be better?

IMO, yes. No question.

My family and I eat them on a semi regular basis. In my opinion Largemouth taste great. Smallmouth don't taste nearly as good. 

I typically catch and release, however I will keep them from time when I know I'm gonna cook them that night or that weekend.

If the crappie or white perch bite is on, ill target them first. I also like to eat stripers.. it all depends on what I can catch the easier that day and what I am set up for

They are few down here, but I have a few spots that ill normally go to first with life shad in hopes of bringing in a waleye. My goodness they are yummy

Grew up eating Mississippi bass and still enjoy them. My dad always let em sit in ice for a day sometimes or cleaned them fresh. We ate crappie the most but believe me with Dad being a bass fisherman bass was always in the fish fry also..

Here in south Florida there are signs in all the popular fishing areas warning you not to eat the Bass. They contain high levels of Mercury and Pesticides from the runoff of all the farming areas that the water runs thru. I do not eat any fish that I catch in the everglades, Frogs and Alligators are a difrent story.

This is kinda humorous because a generation before, the question would've been, "Do you ever throw back a bass?"

 

But to answer your question, Bass caught in cold, clear water are quite good if they are kept that way (cold) until they are cooked.  In Canada's Lake of the Woods we keep smallmouth all the time.  I rarely keep a largemouth because the aforementioned conditions are largely absent (around here).

 

Its a personal preference. I guy I knew from baltimore said that every bass he ate on the east coast tasted like moss.

 

Here in minnesota I am picky about which fish i keep. but yes i do eat plenty of bass. largemouth less than 5lb and big enough to be a keeper will be eaten. similar rules for smallmouth and walleye.

 

For pike and muskies its 8-15lbs. large enough to cut out the Y-bone but over 15 need to go back to become larger.

 

And Lake of the woods is a minnesotas lake 

I have never kept a bass I always catch and release. But I have heard that smallmouth in the boundary waters is very good.

I'm a Cajun; if it walks, crawls, flies, or swims I've probably ate it!

Selective harvesting is a far more efficent use of our fish than 100% catch & realease.

My favorite by far is Crappie on the grill with a couple dozen 6-8 count Gulf shrimp scattered among the filets!

I'm a Cajun; if it walks, crawls, flies, or swims I've probably ate it!

Selective harvesting is a far more efficent use of our fish than 100% catch & realease.

My favorite by far is Crappie on the grill with a couple dozen 6-8 count Gulf shrimp scattered among the filets!

I agree. I agree. I agree. !!!!! Every point you made, you nailed it

My dad used to say if it has fur, feathers or fins....then we eat it

i only practice CPR... catch picture release