Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

This is where it's all going on. One can ask for advice or general information or simply chew the fat about fishing tackle, tips, and locations.
User avatar
OutdoorActionOntario
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 148
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:03 am
Location: Ottawa Region, Georgian Bay region, Kawartha Lakes Region

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by OutdoorActionOntario »

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~
OutdoorActionOntario - Ottawa ON
User avatar
OutdoorActionOntario
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 148
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:03 am
Location: Ottawa Region, Georgian Bay region, Kawartha Lakes Region

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by OutdoorActionOntario »

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
User avatar
lapointeric
Silver Participant
Silver Participant
Posts: 881
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:23 pm

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by lapointeric »

All the time in Algonquin Park. They're considered an invasive species—which is a perfect excuse for my guilty conscience.


Image

Image


I'm with RJ, would love to see people dine on some smallies instead of EVERY SINGLE walleye they caught... Poor things are like swimming filet minions...

E
User avatar
Bass Addict
Diamond Participant
Diamond Participant
Posts: 4536
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:47 pm
Location: I'm keeping an EYE on Fish-Hawk

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by Bass Addict »

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 !
There will be an influx of Great Grey Owls in the winter of 2017
User avatar
colossalboom
Participant
Participant
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 7:20 pm

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by colossalboom »

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.
User avatar
Splake_Hunter
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 1:34 pm
Location: Sunbury, Ontario

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by Splake_Hunter »

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.
User avatar
Spence Scout
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 439
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2004 2:04 pm
Location: Kitchener

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by Spence Scout »

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.
User avatar
bradford2
Silver Participant
Silver Participant
Posts: 677
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:00 pm
Location: Ottawa

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by bradford2 »

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.
What can I say, you must be 'special' :lol:
I didn't say 'me', I said no one. As in the two dozen people attending any fish fry I had this summer :lol:
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 :lol:
User avatar
ganman
Silver Participant
Silver Participant
Posts: 988
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:10 am
Location: 1000 Islands

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by ganman »

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.
User avatar
almontefisher
Diamond Participant
Diamond Participant
Posts: 2971
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:08 pm
Location: Carleton Place

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by almontefisher »

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
User avatar
EagleEyesFlash
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 198
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 12:52 pm
Location: Merrickville On

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by EagleEyesFlash »

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 )
Snag or Fish , Weed or Fish , Oh Fish On
User avatar
toned
Participant
Participant
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:44 pm

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by toned »

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:
Image

I let this guy go:
Image

it was delish!!
User avatar
Spence Scout
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 439
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2004 2:04 pm
Location: Kitchener

Re: Do you EAT Bass? Just curious...

Post by Spence Scout »

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.
Post Reply