Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
- OutdoorActionOntario
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Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
Guys, really great responses. I absolutely see the different perspectives being offered here and appreciate all of them. I agree with a lot of what got said. I guess for me it is just personal preference to let my Bass go but it doesn't make me superior or inferior to anyone, it's just different strokes for different folks, you know?
That said, I really think we have a great community of Anglers on here who seem to practice manageable conservation techniques and it also looks like there is a healthy respect for ensuring the Big Mama's of ANY species get released, which really was the crux of what I was driving at - I agree keeping smaller bass for a fish fry is OK, my beef was more towards those who keep Hogs without realizing the full impact they are having by removing that fish from the breeding cycle of that specific lake.
Either way, really great comments and thanks to everyone for offering their two cents, was very interesting to read what everyone had to say!!!
I also think I need to have a fish-fry this weekend now...
~OAO~
That said, I really think we have a great community of Anglers on here who seem to practice manageable conservation techniques and it also looks like there is a healthy respect for ensuring the Big Mama's of ANY species get released, which really was the crux of what I was driving at - I agree keeping smaller bass for a fish fry is OK, my beef was more towards those who keep Hogs without realizing the full impact they are having by removing that fish from the breeding cycle of that specific lake.
Either way, really great comments and thanks to everyone for offering their two cents, was very interesting to read what everyone had to say!!!
I also think I need to have a fish-fry this weekend now...
~OAO~
OutdoorActionOntario - Ottawa ON
- OutdoorActionOntario
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Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
JZ wrote:I generally don't because they are too much fun to catch, but iam not opposed to it and usually keep a few throughout the year to eat especially if iam on a lake where there are no pike walleye etc.
Bass taste fantastic, some of the whitest meat you will find and most of the lakes I fish they are plentiful. If iam going to keep bass I target ones in the .75lb to 1.5lb range. Ones in that range taste just as good as perch walleye bluegill etc. i have similar rules for all species, to name a few... back lake lakers over 4lbs get released, bluegill over 10inches and pike over 28inches also go back in the lake. I understand that the tournament guys see bass almost like you would a family pet and therefore it's strictly C&R, that's their decision and I respect that.
But I always find it amusing how some people get hung up on what type of fish they will or won't eat because of perceived taste. I mainly eat panfish and pike in the spring/fall and lakers/pike and panfish in the winter. I have had people turn their nose up at bluegill or pike but will eat crappie and walleye. It's ok to have your favourites but most white flesh fish taste great if you prepare and cook them properly. I have a long standing bet....
I will prepare 6 types of fish,making the fillets equal size,... Perch walleye pike bass bluegill crappie. And I guarantee two things,
1) they will all taste great
2) if you can correctly identify all 6 by taste I will let you s*** in my hat.
OK JZ you win the quote of the day for making me spit my coffee out through my nose from laughing at your final comment here. LMAO...
OutdoorActionOntario - Ottawa ON
- lapointeric
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- Bass Addict
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Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
Leave the bass alone !
I want my Grand kids to be able to catch a Bass one day !
I'd much rather people eat Gar or Carp than eat EVERY bass they catch !
I want my Grand kids to be able to catch a Bass one day !
I'd much rather people eat Gar or Carp than eat EVERY bass they catch !
There will be an influx of Great Grey Owls in the winter of 2017
- colossalboom
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Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
I'm usually catch and release, but every once in a while I or someone in my family has a craving for a little fish feed. Nothing wrong with satisfying that order with a couple bass, especially smallmouth as they have a nicer taste than largies, in my opinion.
- Splake_Hunter
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Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
Bass is on the table for my family a few times a month during the bass season. Pan fried in olive oil, its a beautiful thing.
- Spence Scout
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Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
When I was younger Id keep the odd one, but I realize now it was just to show everyone at the camp ground what I caught. It wasn't necessary nor preferable in taste as far as species. I've targeted these brown & green fellas for 8 yrs competitively. Probably fishing for them 3 times a week come the summer months. Id even take a 2 weeks holiday twice a summer and fish them from 7am-7pm everyday rain or shine 7 days a week, on those holidays. After what Ive seen them actually swim in and get caught in. I'm turned off huge...And trust me they weren't swimming there because they had too.
Ive fished NY tributaries with heavy farm fertilizer run off. Ive also fished an area with sewage overflow unknowingly one time and caught them in there on frogs..I literally saw turds floating after I fished for about 25 mins not realizing what was going on...Until I saw sewage run off on surface of water all over...They are a species which feed on a vast amounts of other prey. Mostly because bass are a species that swim all over a body of water. They can live in all areas of the water column successfully year round. Deep, shallow..etc..Thus making them very seem abundant...and what some people say easy to catch..Its because they live at all depths of every body of water...This is how they survive and multiple successfully. They dont need cool water to survive..They can adapt and are strong fish.
A fishes diet too must lead to the way they taste as well. Bass feed on everything literally...Frogs, fish, turtles, snakes, even small birds...tadpoles, crawfish etc etc.
So I dont eat them.....not only because where Ive caught them, but because they dont taste better then walleye or panfish or trout. I think the flavor also depends on the body of water you catch them out of. But honestly I can tell the difference between a bass and pike or walleye....Even in fish crisp...Ive passed that test several times with friends...
I also truly believe with the growing of this past time (fishing) there will always be anglers whos sole purpose is to consume, and there will also be anglers whos sole purpose is for sport. All I know is if we as anglers this day and age kept fish the way they did in those ol black and white photos wed be fishing today for apparitions. The amount of anglers and the amount of technology we have to catch fish these days wed probably make most species extinct. So theres definitely a need for catch and release anglers. And I also agree its extremely important to release quality fish. Big fish tend to lead to more big fish existing come the future.
Flewdogg- there is a slot size of 12 inches in ontario for bass...last time I looked
Bradford2 - You must of burnt your taste buds with too much coffee or hot pizza or something lol...there's a significant taste difference for me.
Almontefisher - Bass are considered a sport fish, so are musky people keep those too...Every fish can be kept except sturgeon and some other species depending on where your fishing and the regs.
Ive fished NY tributaries with heavy farm fertilizer run off. Ive also fished an area with sewage overflow unknowingly one time and caught them in there on frogs..I literally saw turds floating after I fished for about 25 mins not realizing what was going on...Until I saw sewage run off on surface of water all over...They are a species which feed on a vast amounts of other prey. Mostly because bass are a species that swim all over a body of water. They can live in all areas of the water column successfully year round. Deep, shallow..etc..Thus making them very seem abundant...and what some people say easy to catch..Its because they live at all depths of every body of water...This is how they survive and multiple successfully. They dont need cool water to survive..They can adapt and are strong fish.
A fishes diet too must lead to the way they taste as well. Bass feed on everything literally...Frogs, fish, turtles, snakes, even small birds...tadpoles, crawfish etc etc.
So I dont eat them.....not only because where Ive caught them, but because they dont taste better then walleye or panfish or trout. I think the flavor also depends on the body of water you catch them out of. But honestly I can tell the difference between a bass and pike or walleye....Even in fish crisp...Ive passed that test several times with friends...
I also truly believe with the growing of this past time (fishing) there will always be anglers whos sole purpose is to consume, and there will also be anglers whos sole purpose is for sport. All I know is if we as anglers this day and age kept fish the way they did in those ol black and white photos wed be fishing today for apparitions. The amount of anglers and the amount of technology we have to catch fish these days wed probably make most species extinct. So theres definitely a need for catch and release anglers. And I also agree its extremely important to release quality fish. Big fish tend to lead to more big fish existing come the future.
Flewdogg- there is a slot size of 12 inches in ontario for bass...last time I looked
Bradford2 - You must of burnt your taste buds with too much coffee or hot pizza or something lol...there's a significant taste difference for me.
Almontefisher - Bass are considered a sport fish, so are musky people keep those too...Every fish can be kept except sturgeon and some other species depending on where your fishing and the regs.
Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
What can I say, you must be 'special'Spence Scout wrote:Bradford2 - You must of burnt your taste buds with too much coffee or hot pizza or something lol...there's a significant taste difference for me.
I didn't say 'me', I said no one. As in the two dozen people attending any fish fry I had this summer
Keeping in mind these fish live in the same place and eat the exact same food, they are not far off.
But like I say, it's all personal preference, and I totally get why eating bass seems gross to you
Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
A lot of nonsense there Spence Scout. I don't know where you came up with those half baked opinions. How does a guy who doesn't eat fish know what each tastes like with such certainty? You must have a master chefs palette. If you saw turds floating around you should have contacted someone at the MOE right away. Dumping turds is illegal.
- almontefisher
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Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
Thanks Spence I did not know they were classed as sport fish. So by those standards then I am assuming all tourney guys have a sport license to be able to keep more than 3 in the livewell??
Fishing isn't a matter of life and death....
It's much more important.
ORWL
It's much more important.
ORWL
- EagleEyesFlash
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Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
If you kill a bass, the ethical thing to do is to eat it .
I find if a bass bleeds too much it's done.
Doesn't happen too often, but have had to keep 3 this year
after a 4/0 hook has made a bloody mess.
Save a walleye, eat a bass ? ( Sorry Ed )
I find if a bass bleeds too much it's done.
Doesn't happen too often, but have had to keep 3 this year
after a 4/0 hook has made a bloody mess.
Save a walleye, eat a bass ? ( Sorry Ed )
Snag or Fish , Weed or Fish , Oh Fish On
Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
if my plan is to bring food home, and I catch a bass, she's ending up on my plate...unless it's 3+lbs...walleye if it's over 18 inches, I put it back...keep the big ones out there
bass (s+l), walleye, trout I'll keep
yesterday's catch:
I let this guy go:
it was delish!!
bass (s+l), walleye, trout I'll keep
yesterday's catch:
I let this guy go:
it was delish!!
- Spence Scout
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Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...
Almontefisher - You got it bud, def need a sport license to fish a bass tournament.
Ganman - Ive consumed plenty of fish in my day. Ive fished for 28yrs..And during those 28yrs Ive fished more then people twice my age. Im just talking from what I have come to know. Fishing has been a huge part of my life for my entire life. To me its a lifestyle. I have chosen to take the path of releasing 99% of the fish I catch in a season so I can continue to pursue this passion and lifestyle of mine. If you choose to doubt me then thats your choice entirely.
As far as not contacting the authorities about the turds. At the time I was fishing with an individual who I never got to spend time with. I was more focused on that and it slipped my mind. However I am pretty sure a local contacted someone regarding the matter.
Ganman - Ive consumed plenty of fish in my day. Ive fished for 28yrs..And during those 28yrs Ive fished more then people twice my age. Im just talking from what I have come to know. Fishing has been a huge part of my life for my entire life. To me its a lifestyle. I have chosen to take the path of releasing 99% of the fish I catch in a season so I can continue to pursue this passion and lifestyle of mine. If you choose to doubt me then thats your choice entirely.
As far as not contacting the authorities about the turds. At the time I was fishing with an individual who I never got to spend time with. I was more focused on that and it slipped my mind. However I am pretty sure a local contacted someone regarding the matter.