My girlfriends parents are from a different culture where they will eat nearly anything that swims.  They recently found out that I love bass fishing, and her mom has begged me to keep some bass for her to cook.  I was wondering if you guys thought if it was fine to keep a bass from a small lake near a neighborhood, or if there would be too much pollution/fertilizer from the homes nearby.  I've never kept a bass for food before, so I was also wondering how they would taste.

Should be fine. First of all keeping a few bass every once and a while will NOT hurt the ponds' ecosystem. Second, I used to live on a small private pond & I would keep a few bass from time to time to eat. If cooked correctly they are quite nice, but as a whole they are not the best tasting fish. IMO only the smaller bass taste OK. Once they get past 2.5lbs they usually start tasting pretty fishy.

I don't see anything wrong with it as long as you're not over harvesting.  I've never had largemouth bass before, but I've heard they're quite good.

I've tasted a little bit of just about every type of freshwater N. American game fish, and although all members of the Micropterus genus are by all means edible, I'd trade a stringer full of bass for just one nice, fresh, snowy white Walleye fillet. A few trips to northern Ontario back in the mid 90s made me a believer.

Or 3 or 4 slab 'O good ole KY black crappie. Or wait a dozen giant bluegill in a little crackermeal and clarified butter might give any of the aforementioned a run for their money in the ole fryin pan.

Dang, now I'm hungry. Do we have any fish sticks in the freezer . . .

Does this lake have people's yards next to it? If so, I'd be a little concerned with septic leech field runoffs and/or chemicals from their yard treatments.

If you're trying to impress the girl's parents just go to the supermarket and buy some good fillets. Take them over there saying you already cleaned the fish so they wouldn't have to.

Does this lake have people's yards next to it? If so, I'd be a little concerned with septic leech field runoffs and/or chemicals from their yard treatments.

If you're trying to impress the girl's parents just go to the supermarket and buy some good fillets. Take them over there saying you already cleaned the fish so they wouldn't have to.

Yelp start your relationship off with a lie that works every time

Go catch 6-8 bass, filet them, let her mom cook them

If you're trying to impress the girl's parents just go to the supermarket and buy some good fillets. Take them over there saying you already cleaned the fish so they wouldn't have to.

Yelp start your relationship off with a lie that works every time

;D

I guess that did sound bad. I meant that if people's yards DO butt up against that lake, then just buy some fillets from the store. Rather lie than die.

I've only had Bass once, and they were fried.

just dont keep anything over 2 1/2 lbs and don't worry about it. the smaller bass taste better any way. less mushy too.

What nationality are the parents?  They will probably want the whole fish to cook.  My ex's folks would make fishhead soup with the head and carcus.

I've tasted a little bit of just about every type of freshwater N. American game fish, and although all members of the Micropterus genus are by all means edible, I'd trade a stringer full of bass for just one nice, fresh, snowy white Walleye fillet. A few trips to northern Ontario back in the mid 90s made me a believer.

Or 3 or 4 slab 'O good ole KY black crappie. Or wait a dozen giant bluegill in a little crackermeal and clarified butter might give any of the aforementioned a run for their money in the ole fryin pan.

Dang, now I'm hungry. Do we have any fish sticks in the freezer . . .

you got something there....a little walleye cheek meat will cause you to throw every bass back....just doesn't compare.

But it is fine to eat bass, not bad, but not the best.  I prefer a meal of dinks to a mess of chunks.  The lake back home has a slot limit from 12-15'', those 11'' and under bass make a mighty fine meal.

Find out if it's safe to eat the fish first from your wildlife.Reason i say this is because there is a few around here i wouldn't eat anything that came out of it including walleyes,bluegills and perch.(you don't to get them sick  ;D )

Then start harvesting a few smaller ones,won't hurt the lake one bit.If anything It'll be good for it.

There's one lake here that is overrun by bluegills that none of them get past 6".Couple years ago that place was deemed "unsafe" to eat anything from it.  

If you're trying to impress the girl's parents just go to the supermarket and buy some good fillets. Take them over there saying you already cleaned the fish so they wouldn't have to.

Yelp start your relationship off with a lie that works every time

;D

I guess that did sound bad. I meant that if people's yards DO butt up against that lake, then just buy some fillets from the store. Rather lie than die.

If she's anything like my mother-in-law, feed them to her!

There are many other fish that taste better than bass; Crappie, Bluegill (Bream in the south), Strippers, White Bass, Hybrids, Catfish.

But if you want to keep LM Bass to eat, the 12" to 16" are the better.  IMHO, over 2 lb, the taste goes way down.

I have only ever kept one fish, that was because the spinnerbait hook was in his eye. I see nothing wrong with taking 1-2 fish max, but be careful with the numbers you take out though.

            -gk

I've kept a few largemouth over the years. They were all around the 2-3 lb range. I can count on one hand the number I've kept.

Generally, if I want fish to eat I make a trip to the seafood store.

Then I guess there are some that would say doing that contributes to the demise of saltwater fish?????

I think that your going to be all clear.

You don't see any 3 eyed frogs swimming around any where do you? That might not be a good sign.