There’s really no reason to keep and eat bass when there’s crappie, sunfish, walleye, perch, or trout to eat. They are all very plenty up here in the north and they are all much better table fare than bass. Pike isn’t bad either if you can get past the slime and remove the bones properly.

On 8/16/2019 at 7:44 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

The bass in our lakes are crawling with worms when the water temps get higher. They won't hurt you, but it's pretty gross imo. One of the nastiest tasting fish I've eaten, and I ate a lot of bass growing up out of necessity. 

 

Smaller ones out of clear, colder water are the best if I was going to eat them, but I turn crappie and walleye loose so what do I know. 

Are the worms in their flesh or in their mouths? I'll see worms and what I would call fleas in their mouths during the summertime. 

 

I don't keep any fish when the water is above 65*, no matter what the species. I have no issue keeping almost any species of fish when the water is cooler. I like the taste of LM bass. Not a fan of SM bass and I will not keep them simply because I don't like the taste.

I havent eaten a shad or skipjack, but there's not a freshwater fish I've run into that was inedible on a regular basis, even carp and drum. Ive had an occasion bad-textured or flavored fish from time to time with every species, from rainbow trout to catfish but by and large if you get it on ice quickly, keep it there until you clean it a readonable time later, and then treat the filets the same until you cook them, you'll be fine. Dont blame the soup blame the chef.

 

Bass are big bluegills.

Bass don't do it for me, they are fun to catch, but I don't eat them, crappie on the other hand are in deep doodoo if I hook into one, because he's swum his last race, I have also always enjoyed rainbow trout as table fare, and have many fond memories of catching and cooking them growing up. 

1 hour ago, slonezp said:

Are the worms in their flesh or in their mouths? 

In the fillets. Looks like zits on the fillets, pop a knife into it and a worm explodes out like an alien, but people  eat them like that and don't seem to care or don't know. 

31 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

In the fillets. Looks like zits on the fillets, pop a knife into it and a worm explodes out like an alien, but people wat them like that and don't seem to care or don't know. 

I think all sunfish get them. we used to catch bluegills and rock bass in the summer that were loaded with worms.

My friend ate them. 

If there were any worms, I did not eat them

i live in an area where there are plenty of restaurants that offer excellent seafood and catfish ... all of it tasty and fresh... would never eat a bass ... 

 

good eating ...

As a kid we used to catch bass, white perch, pickerel, and hornpout (small catfish). I've eaten them all. For a long time now though I prefer cold water fish. Ocean fish mostly. Here in Maine haddock (the king of eating fish to me), cod, and even mackerel, an oily fish but very good.

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What do bass taste like?

Chicken. Everything unknown tastes like chicken.

I really like raw gold fish...about 2" long. I just go to my local pet store, dip in the net and drop one down the ol' gullet. It tickles a bit on the way down, but it's a great variation of sushi.  It's "American!"