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blue vs. channel for taste... #11000911 07/26/15 10:51 AM
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MBDLAW Offline OP
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I started keeping some of the catfish i catch in the last few months and cooking them blackened cajun style- used to catch and release all so somewhat new to this - seems to me that the blues taste much better than the channel cats - just curious if this is common knowledge or just my preference (or the specific fish i caught) - all on cedar creek lake - not a huge difference, but if this is the norm i am going to release all channels - any experienced thoughts appreciated!!


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Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: MBDLAW] #11000941 07/26/15 11:55 AM
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I hear this from others also--
When I do eat fish, I fry them and honestly I can't tell the difference--
The meat does look a bit different though, and I bet if you cook them another way you will tell a difference--
Just my 2 cents-


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Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: MBDLAW] #11000975 07/26/15 12:47 PM
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I really can't tell the difference. Maybe if I had them side by side I could.

Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: MBDLAW] #11001053 07/26/15 01:43 PM
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What I've found is the meat isn't as oily on the blues and a little firmer.
The channels and this depends a lot on what lake you catch them from, but the channel meat tends to have that yellowish meat which is fat and a lot of people trim that off for obvious reasons.
I do prefer the smaller blues over the channels, but once the blues reach close to 10 pounds they can be a bit bland and the meat tends to be a bit coureser.
I've caught channels out of clear water lakes and you just can't beat the flavor of those cats.
That's just my opinion but it's what works for me!


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Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: Jimbo] #11001074 07/26/15 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted By: Jimbo
What I've found is the meat isn't as oily on the blues and a little firmer.
The channels and this depends a lot on what lake you catch them from, but the channel meat tends to have that yellowish meat which is fat and a lot of people trim that off for obvious reasons.
I do prefer the smaller blues over the channels, but once the blues reach close to 10 pounds they can be a bit bland and the meat tends to be a bit coureser.
I've caught channels out of clear water lakes and you just can't beat the flavor of those cats.
That's just my opinion but it's what works for me!




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Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: Jimbo] #11001163 07/26/15 02:56 PM
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Originally Posted By: Jimbo
What I've found is the meat isn't as oily on the blues and a little firmer.
The channels and this depends a lot on what lake you catch them from, but the channel meat tends to have that yellowish meat which is fat and a lot of people trim that off for obvious reasons.
I do prefer the smaller blues over the channels, but once the blues reach close to 10 pounds they can be a bit bland and the meat tends to be a bit coureser.
I've caught channels out of clear water lakes and you just can't beat the flavor of those cats.
That's just my opinion but it's what works for me!


That's pretty close to my findings. I prefer toe Blues up to 10 lbs or so, I release the larger ones. I find the texture of the Blues is more to my liking than channels. The Channels in the lakes I fish have the whole filet looking like a nuclear yellow mass of flesh, but they taste fine.

Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: MBDLAW] #11001197 07/26/15 03:24 PM
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My guess is it has to with their diet. Blues eat mostly freshly dead or live fish, mullosks and crustaceans (maybe some insects for the smaller ones) but channels will eat absolutely anything they can put in their mouth. I have literally seen channels with a stomach full of mud. I was told it was from eating random things off the bottom.

As others mentioned, when deep fried, I can't really tell the difference but cooked any other way, I will always choose blues. The meat is just cleaner.


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Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: MBDLAW] #11001204 07/26/15 03:28 PM
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I know this is about blues vs channels but a flathead beats them all.
My preference for taste is a 12 to 14" channel fried whole in yellow cornmeal, salt and nothing else. After that I prefer channels over blues simply for the meat texture.
Even a lowly little polywob bullhead is pretty good eating IMO if caught from clear water and better fare than a big blue.
A big channel is better than a big blue but smaller ones of both species are best for my taste buds.

If it's big enough to get on the hook is it big enough to go in the skillet?

Last edited by Muzzlebrake; 07/26/15 03:29 PM.

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Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: MBDLAW] #11001458 07/26/15 06:16 PM
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I can't tell the difference , but favorite freshwater is crappie and saltwater flounder.


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Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: MBDLAW] #11001492 07/26/15 06:38 PM
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The body of water has a lot to do with how the fish taste along with how they are cleaned. I prefer blues over everything which includes crappie, flathead, and channels. Here again different people have different likes and dislikes. What one thinks is best others may think of it as so-so.


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Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: MBDLAW] #11001540 07/26/15 07:22 PM
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I like channels better. To me blues are like the tilapia you buy or get in a restaurant, only flavor is what you add. Channels taste like fish, but my experience is somewhat limited.

Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: Jimbo] #11001571 07/26/15 07:47 PM
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Originally Posted By: Jimbo
What I've found is the meat isn't as oily on the blues and a little firmer.
The channels and this depends a lot on what lake you catch them from, but the channel meat tends to have that yellowish meat which is fat and a lot of people trim that off for obvious reasons.
I do prefer the smaller blues over the channels, but once the blues reach close to 10 pounds they can be a bit bland and the meat tends to be a bit coureser.
I've caught channels out of clear water lakes and you just can't beat the flavor of those cats.
That's just my opinion but it's what works for me!
Hit the nail on the head!!

Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: jackiekennedyfishingguide] #11001792 07/26/15 10:11 PM
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Originally Posted By: jackiekennedyfishingguide
The body of water has a lot to do with how the fish taste along with how they are cleaned. I prefer blues over everything which includes crappie, flathead, and channels. Here again different people have different likes and dislikes. What one thinks is best others may think of it as so-so.
nail it Jackie.



Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: jackiekennedyfishingguide] #11006847 07/29/15 08:05 AM
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thanks to all that replied - good information - i think i am going to stick with the blues unless frying them


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Re: blue vs. channel for taste... [Re: Jimbo] #11006924 07/29/15 11:00 AM
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+1


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