Do you eat....

[Transom]

If they're 18 or under they have a 50/50 chance of going home with me.

What?

[shemstreet]

Taste as good as most fish, even the big ones if they are from cold water. Deep fried they are good. Not a blue cat or a walleye, and drum actually taste at least as good, but no reason not to eat them. Big ones can be a pain to fillet because of their scales though, and are tough sometimes. Under 20" is about right.

[dean c]

No.

[Goldstar225]

C&R mostly but I'll keep a few smaller ones occasionally. Deep fried.

[99 Cardinal]

Absolutely. Beer battered and fried in peanut oil. I have an uncle who grew up rather poor and keeps every fish he legally can. That sure raised a stink after his first few club tournaments haha

[JHelms]

I've eaten one largemouth and one smallmouth, both gut hooked and relatively small. I coated and fried them like any other panfish. the LM tasted kinda musty to me but the SM was really tasty. However neither hold a candle to by favorite (bluegill) or perch or walleye.

[bassnpro1]

I usually keep a dozen or so a year.

[twitch]

No problem here I don't eat fish of any kind........

[magnumb]

Have never eaten a bass, but white perch and bluegills are on my menu.

Mag, what are Jays chips?

Kinda like Lays, but doesn't have that aftertaste I get from Lays.

[berudd]

Not much but I have. I may now if one get's deep hooked and dies. My son has always wanted to catch some to eat so while camping last spring we kept one or two small ones (we can keep two under 14" here) and fried them up. They were OK but I had also caught a really nice blue cat that trip and we had it at the same time. There was no comparison between the two. I think that pretty much killed his desire to eat anymore.

[yandeltx]

When I was a kid my dad taught me how to worm fish (7 1/4 purple flip tails) fishing farm ponds. We ate what we caught and that was quite a few. Thinking back I thought we ate them because we loved the taste, now that I am much older I think it was more about food for the table. Regardless I will never forget my dad allowing me to tag along.

[bayouXpress]

Absolutely. Smaller ones, 18-20", are good eating. Helps allow the trophies to flourish.

I need to fish your area when 18-20" are considered small. Lol.

[shortstick]

The last time was on a canoe trip in Canada. We ate either smallmouth or walleye for 7 days.
That was probably the best fishing trip I have ever been on.

[Ky-triton]

I like to keep a few 15" largemouth out of our pond. Fillet them and then cut into small pieces. Add some olive oil to a skillet and then place the fish into a medium hot skillet. Season with Tony Chacher's creole seasoning.

[fuelleak]

Here in New England Smallmouth Bass are #1 as having the most mercury with Largemouth being #2. I eat small Walleye and yellow perch. An occasional Landlocked Salmon hits the dinner table too.Our problem with Mercury being deposited into our lands and waterways from mid West coal burning facilities has taken its toll on our area. Its a shame as we are as remote as it gets and you would never suspect it. Had fillets tested back in the early 90s to confirm and the mercury is highly concentrated in the flesh.

[terry5357]

I keep a few, just enough to have some frying fish in the freezer. Or if I happen to catch 5 or 6 that are 14"- 16" long. They fillet nicely then cut fillets in half so the fit my my fry pappy. Corn meal and southern star fish fry mixed 50/50 tastes great. Oh yea always in peanut oil

[plki]

Catch and release
In hot grease

[Tritonal186]

Never even tried it.

Same here, I have eaten Crappie, yummy!