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So after reading everyones thoughts on the Mantua topic I got to wondering do all the different types of bass taste the same?
I have never tried small mouth or large mouth but we eat the heck out of the wipers. Those are my son's favorite. I took him to Mantua 2 weeks ago but I told him he had to throw back his catch because they were just little guys.
So is there a difference in flavor or texture? Does it matter the type of water they come from, such as shallow warm water or deep cold water lakes?
I'm sure a few of the Bass guys won't like this question but they don't need to answer it either, I just want to know if I'm putting back some decent table fare.
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If you want to get technical, 'bass' actually only refers to true bass -- White Bass, Striped Bass and hybrids (wipers).
'Bass fishermen' really are fishing for sunfish. Largemouth and smallmouth, rock bass, etc. are actually just a large sunfish species, and not true bass.
They should change the name of bass tournament to panfish tournaments. [cool][:p]
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[cool][#0000ff]Good questions. To a lot of fisherfolk, bass is bass. But, as as been mentioned, largemouth and smallmouth are members of the sunfish family, even though they are universally called bass.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Stripers, wipers and white bass all have a firm white flesh, but tend to get a line of "red meat" along the lateral line...between the skin and flesh as they get larger. Cut that out for a better tasting fish. Otherwise, they are great almost any way you cook 'em.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]For my money, smallmouth under 12 inches are the best eating of the sunfish/bass. They are usually good in larger sizes too, but you get plenty to eat on smaller ones. I think part of the reason smallmouth almost always taste good is because they live in clean water, with rocky bottoms when possible. They also like moving waters.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Largemouths are more comfy in stillwater environments, with muddy and weedy conditions. That, along with the warm water of late summer and the flesh of largies can get softer and develop a muddy taste. You don't want to keep bigger largemouth because they also are more prone to having flesh parasites. Again, for the best eating and the best treatment of the ecology, keep only smaller basses.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Like most sunfish, crappies and other white fleshed fish, bass are firmer and better flavored when taken from cold clear water. Those caught through the ice are about the best.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I keep an occasional small bass, if it is injured or if I just want a couple of fillets and nothing else is cooperating. But, since I probably catch most of my bass while fishing for perch or other species, I usually release them because I am also catching plenty of the more prolific species. Utah does not manage or plant bass. Perch neither. But perch multiply faster and can sustain a heavier harvest, so those are usually what I keep. Of course I do not chuck back any walleyes either.[/#0000ff]
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In my opinion, the white fleshed fish are very similar in flavor and texture until they get big. Walleye, crappie, bluegill, white bass, LMB, SMB, wipers, perch,catfish. It's all very similar until they get bigger. I don't like the texture and sometimes the flavor of catfish and walleye once they get over a couple of pounds. I wouldn't eat a LMB or SMB over about 12". Smaller than that, they are very tasty.
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Bass yes they are all good to eat but like others have said bass LM and SM are better eating when small....
They don't plant them like other fish so 12" and under are best to eat and the 12" and over are better spawners to keep the bass numbers up in the lakes and the bigger bass fight harder...
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OK, thanks for the insight guys! I guess next time my son catches one I'll let him take one home and try it.
Honestly I think he would eat any fish he could catch. He thinks fish is the one and only meal. For me, once a year is plenty. I actually had him buying into the catch and release philosophy until my wife took some trout home for her dinner one night and it's been all down hill since then!
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The consensus of my family (and all my neighbors) is that the wipers taste the best. The last few years we do a couple of spring fishing trips to Lake Powell, and we end up with dozens upon dozens upon dozens of bags of fillets of Stripers (no limit!), which tast almost the same. TubeDude mentioned cutting out the dark stripe of meat on these fish, and he is 100% correct. It makes it a lot better tasting. I'd bet that White Bass tastes the same also, except that I've never caught a big enough white bass to be worth keeping.
Largies and Smallies I just really don't bother eating that much anymore. At Lake Powell, you will catch a lot more stripers than largies and smallies (usually...) so whats the point. At Pelican, the largies have grubs, regardless of the size, Jordanelle, you can't keep any big ones, so basically I've just given up trying to harvest Large and Smallmouth for eating.
However, I have eaten both Largemouth and Smallmouth before, and both taste good to me.
Randy
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I used to N.ot have E.nough T.ime O.ff to go fishing. Then I retired. Now I have less time than I had before. Sheesh.
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Ok, now some divergent opinions. I'm good at that, right? I like LM.!!!!! Hey, that's not to say that the "real" bass ain't good, but I do like LM over smallies, crappie, blus, etc. and they are every bit as good as "real" bass if cooked right.. [sly] Don't think I can explain why, texture, milder????? All my LM are from colder fresh water. Anyway, I just had the last of my Mantua LM [img]../../../images/gforum/pirate.gif[/img] and What a difference from last night. My wife, (yesterday) over cooks everything, (my opinion) and she went to SLC so I cooked my own, Difference? Cooked em hot and for a very short time for myself.!!! - firmer and tastier. [  ] So ------------,what's my point? Maybe different fish require different cooking times, etc. I think TD can address cooking times and temps. for channels as an example. Anyway, for now I'll stick to LM and get people pissed off.[  ]
P.S. Perch are great but not big enough, Walleye are my favorite but I don't fish for em.
Leaky and the Sparkinator
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I've never had largemouth but on occasion from a certain water if I (or my family) injur a smallie it goes into the livewell. A little butter, pepper, garlic, and seasoning salt wrapped in foil thrown on some hot coals with a cold beer under the stars...dinner. I'd rather eat perch or walleye (or fresh salmon) which is better in my opinion. I'm not too fond of the wipers, I've had white bass which I thought was pretty good but they were out of clear, clean water. Never had stripper but I heard they're tough to clean[ ].
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Well hell if you wanted to piss people off lets start discussing which is better, large LMB or 20 + lb Lakers. HEHE I enjoy stiring the pot from time to time.
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I prefer perch and cats believe it or not - or maybe it is just because i usually get plenty of those so i throw back the others. Most any of the white flaky family caught in cold clear water make a real good table fair.
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Well if you ask my ex-wife, she prefers salmon over fish any day[ ] (shes definitely not the brightest peanut) But to be honest, theres not a bass that I didn't like, they all taste great rolled in seaweed or a fish toco[:p]
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Lol!
I think i am going to go with smallies on this one. I have eaten all species from different waters and the smallies seem to be a touch better.[ ]
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[shocked][crazy][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad][mad]
ARGHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LEAKY!!!!!
LOL!
everyone knows trout taste the best c-mon people[sly]
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To me, Largemouth all the way! Second to smallies, then blue gills, perch, catfish, walleyes, and wipers. Don't care much for Whites(too rubery for my taste), never tried Striper, either.
I honestly like larger fish, too, when the regs allow it. Fish in the 12-18 inch range are really firm, have an aweful lot of meat, and, biggest thing for me personally, are easiest to bone out. All the fisheries I take these eaters out of have surplus numbers of nice fish, so it don't affect it adversly anyway.
I like throwing them on the barbie, wrapped in tin foil with some butter, lemon, salt, pepper, and a little tiny bit of garlic. YUM YUM! lol I just had a largemouth dinner, actually. Nothing like some fresh caught Pelican lake fillets!
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Don't get your panties all fluffed up. I rarely keep bass and usually when i do it is because they are bleeding profusely. But, just for you, i think i will keep a limit from Pineview saturday if i can get a limit of legal fish. Hard to find anything under 12" anymore.[:p]
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[quote fsh4fun05] Never had stripper but I heard they're tough to clean[ ].[/quote]
LOL [:p]
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Bassin,
I'm really getting a kick from your posts. [ ] Really, --------, keep it up, they add "flavor". [ ]
Leaky
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Leaky said that Bassins post and flavor....... is that cajun or southwest[:p]
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Smallmouth without a doubt!!! LMB and Stripers taste the same to me, while the taste is good, the texture is too........mooshie for me!!! I do agree with Bassrods that you should try to eat the smaller ones, but in my opinion a 11" smallie doesnt taste any different from a 20" smallie!!! Just a decision you have to make and it sucks when you are fishing for smallies (for dinner) and the first one you catch is a "Pig", do you throw it back in hopes you catch smaller ones or do you keep her for table fair??? Just go with your gut I suppose and dont listen to any "Bass Fisherman's" criticizm (spell check)!!!
TS
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