Shead's post got me to wondering... No easier fish to catch why dont we see more recipes for this delish fish? Wacha got?

Because there are only two ways to cook them. Fillet the big ones. Gut and scale the smaller ones, leave the fins on!!!. Rinse. Pat dry. Dip in your favorite frying batter (corn meal, flour, s&p for me), and some hot grease, preferably lard. Serve with the ice-cold beverage of your choice. Maybe some fresh-cut fries and cole slaw on the side, if you're short on bream.

That is the only way i have ever had them.

I used to date a girl whose dad made pickled bluegill. I don't have the recipe, but wish I did. They were awesome. I think the bones were left in and softened by the pickling process. Anybody have a recipe?

Cut head off
Gut and scale
Fry in hot oil whole

You can also cut alongside the dorsal fin on both sides and pull it out with some pliers before seasoning and putting the meal on. Lets you separate both sides easier off the bone.

I've steamed them, flaked the meat off and scrambled them in eggs on somebody's recommendation but didn't like it too much. I think you could take the flaked, cooked meat and make some pretty good cakes like crab cakes though.

Do they have a lot of bones to pick around when they are fried whole like that?

***Voice of Octogenarian, story telling Old Coot, with "corn relief slits" in his shoes***

"Three ways Sonny Boy! Fry 'em CRISP! Eat the WHOLE THING!"

If they're small enough and the grease is right, I do that very thing. Bones and all!

Why do yall leave the fins on?

It saves a LOT of time!

Scale, cut off the head, flip out the "guts"......you're done!

Toss in corn meal or corn flour, a quick dip in HOT peanut oil and ....VOILA!!

When you eat the bream, you just use a fork to "flake" the meat off each side. It readily detaches from the bones of the fish and leaves a clean "skeleton" on your plate. You are then ready for another!

This really adds up if you are cleaning and frying a couple of hundred big bream for a family get-together.

There is really no advantage to cutting off all those bony fins, it just uses up time and dulls your knife!

Give it a try!

Will do thanx!

Yep, unless you're lucky (or good) enough to catch some big 'uns, just clean 'em, bread and fry.

Just note that kids may have trouble with bones, so a parent or someone should probably flake it from the bones for them.

Man, fried perch, 'gills, bream, whatever ya want to call them is some of the best fish ever.

If you're not gonna eat 'em right away, clean, put a bunch in a tupperware type bowl, fill with salted water and freeze. They taste fresh when thawed out.

People eat the fins like potato chips