Wintertime Smallies

[bat man]

We use water bottles with the line wrapped and held with electrical tape when we bobber fish. 6 oz no rolll sinkers. 40 - 80 lb mono. Best nights we have ever had are 12 flatheads. Biggest calculated weight between 55- 62 lbs. 20 inch baits are not laughed at.

 

[j-bird]

Talk about a fish that is like catching a tree trunk! I used to fish for channel cat a lot as a kid with light gear just for the fun of it. We would eat them once in a while, I just liked catching them. Most of my fishing was in farm ponds so no smallies. I like watching the guys in the south finger/noodle for them big flatheads - talk about a good way to drown!

 

[sandbur]

View attachment 3733

I am glad the catfish get no respect in MN. Got a whole watershed all to myself. Flatheads are my favorite to chase. Had a cover built for the jet boat and we sleep on the river with clickers engaged. Don't eat them though as they smell like the farm runoff they live in.

Those are ugly critters!

 

[j-bird]

Bur - that's no way to talk about the boys in the photo with the catfish! Them boys may not be pretty, but flat out calling them UGLY CRITTERS, well that plain ain't nice!:D Get your hand slapped for call'n folks names!

 

[Critter Chaser]

Funny how different things are in different places. We consider catfish a garbage fish and eat lots of small and large mouth bass. Bass in the 12-15" range are our favorite behind perch and walleye.

You eat Bass? I catch hundreds of bass a summer and have always been told not to eat as they taste horrible. How do you cook them?

 

[chummer]

You eat Bass? I catch hundreds of bass a summer and have always been told not to eat as they taste horrible. How do you cook them?

It depends on time of year and body of water but I think they taste great. Deeper and cool water they taste better. Fish in the 12-15" range we deep fry in a beer batter. 15-18" we grill in foil with old bay seasoning and lemon slices. Make a lemon juice,paparika, mayo dipping sauce. The grill method might be the families favorite over perch and walleyes. Anything bigger than 18" we throw back. My neighbor said the same thing until I fried some up for him. He used to curse all the 12-14" small mouths in the reservoir, now he targets them. That being said there were two lakes we fish for what ever reason they tasted horrible, we stopped fishing there because we fish for bass.

 

[Critter Chaser]

It depends on time of year and body of water but I think they taste great. Deeper and cool water they taste better. Fish in the 12-15" range we deep fry in a beer batter. 15-18" we grill in foil with old bay seasoning and lemon slices. Make a lemon juice,paparika, mayo dipping sauce. The grill method might be the families favorite over perch and walleyes. Anything bigger than 18" we throw back. My neighbor said the same thing until I fried some up for him. He used to curse all the 12-14" small mouths in the reservoir, now he targets them. That being said there were two lakes we fish for what ever reason they tasted horrible, we stopped fishing there because we fish for bass.

This is Awesome news. We love to fish and hate it when we cant eat what we catch. The best fishing is bass. My boys will be so happy. Thank you for sharing.

 

[j-bird]

Lots of people don't eat bass of either type simply because of the "catch-and-release" movement of the past. The thing I have found (especially in small bodies of water) is that these bass become stunted because they lack predators and people think if they continue to put them back they will grow. A pond is a confined ecosystem and as such there is only enough room for a fixed number of bass as the top predators. They need thinned and kept in check just like anything else. I even saw a study once that essentially stated that the value of bass in excess of 5 lbs is limited as they are only consumers and don't reproduce well and as such should be removed - sort of like bucks past their prime. Not sure why but most fresh water fish taste better coming out of clear cold water - we especially like fish thru the ice.

 

[Critter Chaser]

We mostly fish the rivers. They are cold and full of small mouth. Lots of days we catch 50+ and to bring home 4 or 5 would be great. We love fish and have always been told you really cant eat them. I am going give it a try this summer.

 

[bat man]

Went back out. Bluegills (Busch Light) and more cats were biting.

 

[bat man]

Boy is learning quick that fat girls make men smile.:p

 

[SmallChunk]

I am a bass fishing nut and fish tournaments all summer long, so I always release them. I don't mind people keeping some to eat, more power to them! Lots of my area lakes a shallow and muddy and I know most say they taste terrible.

Lots of people don't eat bass of either type simply because of the "catch-and-release" movement of the past. The thing I have found (especially in small bodies of water) is that these bass become stunted because they lack predators and people think if they continue to put them back they will grow. A pond is a confined ecosystem and as such there is only enough room for a fixed number of bass as the top predators. They need thinned and kept in check just like anything else. I even saw a study once that essentially stated that the value of bass in excess of 5 lbs is limited as they are only consumers and don't reproduce well and as such should be removed - sort of like bucks past their prime. Not sure why but most fresh water fish taste better coming out of clear cold water - we especially like fish thru the ice.

I would think the same thing, but there are several lakes in the area that are strictly trophy bass lakes that are catch and release only. It is absolutely unreal how you can go there and catch monster fish after monster fish and huge numbers of fish on top of that. My personal best largie comes from one of these lakes. Makes one wonder!

 

[LessRice]

SmallChunk do you fish in the Chisago area? Not many other bass C&R lakes around that I know of.

 

[SmallChunk]

Lol, ding ding. Another one south of there too

 

[j-bird]

I'm not saying you cant grow monsters, what I will say is that a pond or even a lake is an ecosystem and much more confined and as such you need a good food supply to feed your predatory fish (which bass are considered). I see lots of small ponds full of 12" bass in my area and they struggle to produce anything larger simply because there are too many mouths to feed. Just like with deer - lower the number of mouths and increase the quality and quantity of the food and now you can get someplace - especially if folks let some grow older. Nothing wrong with eating a few fish now and again - especially if you feel where they come from is safe.

 

[LessRice]

Lol, ding ding. Another one south of there too

I figured. We catch some absolute tanks around there. So much pressure but the big fish always seem to bite.

 

[ruskbucks]

I'm not saying you cant grow monsters, what I will say is that a pond or even a lake is an ecosystem and much more confined and as such you need a good food supply to feed your predatory fish (which bass are considered). I see lots of small ponds full of 12" bass in my area and they struggle to produce anything larger simply because there are too many mouths to feed. Just like with deer - lower the number of mouths and increase the quality and quantity of the food and now you can get someplace - especially if folks let some grow older. Nothing wrong with eating a few fish now and again - especially if you feel where they come from is safe.

I see this a lot around me too. Stocking pike will help with the over abundant small bass. The pike will target the long skinny bass over the panfish. After years of promoting c&r on bass in N WI, they now want anglers to keep more, the walleyes are going down all over. Many because it's because of the largemouths.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

yep...have to agree...eating bass really depends on the body of water they come out of. Cold and clear = good eats, warm/shallow, weedy/muddy = not so good eats. I'd rather eat perch, gills, and crappie tho. I also like to take a big pick and fry it up...really sweet white flakey flesh. just have to get a big to get enough meat with out bones.

 

[Rally1148]

I've never had a bass taste bad.... just kind of bland. I don't usually keep them because we can get a mess of gills usually.

 

[sandbur]

Speaking of largemouth bass, few taste decent that are over 10 to 12 inches in length. I usually do not keep any of them.