Eat Largemouth?

Do people eat largemouth bass? I've never kept one before, always considered them too magestic or something. Only way I'm keeping one personally is if it's a mounter! I've always targeted crappie, white bass, catfish and walleye for my eating fish. Number one would be walleye, but not many lakes have them down here.

yes and they are tasty...

I love them. I like them better than crappie. Versatile fish that can be prepared several different ways. I usually keep them between 14 and 16 inches. And I keep those same size while prefishing for a tourney. It's just a fish.

We used to harvest some from Monticello in the winter time, would make fish stew with them.

Sometimes if we camped out at the lake for a few days, we will harvest some and fry some up for dinner, Fresh fish is hard to beat.

Usually I just throw them back, I am not into cleaning fish after a day of fishing regardless of the species.

Absolutely, we have a large fish fry every weekend on Fork with Black bass.

Cut down length ways in two pieces,then angle cut the red meat out and cook like any other. I kept 2 off Somerville once because I opened my mouth to coworkers that I would bring fresh crappie to work and they would fry. Tail end of spawn so bass was coming up the creek to eat the fry. I kept a 3 & 4-1/2lb and upon filleting,you couldn't tell which fish the fillets came from. 4-1/2lb just had a bigger head. Haven't kept any since.

Keeping bass sometimes can actually help a fishery... just release the bigger ones.

Heck yeah....ditch pickle tacos are delicious. I don't keep any over 3 lbs. though.

I like to make ceviche out of them if I have one that takes a hook deep and if I don't think it will make it. As mentioned above the ones from 14-16 inches are pretty good and very versatile. I keep probably less then 1% of what I catch, however sometimes fresh fried fish is hard to beat. Spots are the best eating black bass in my opinion and smallmouth are my least favorite. There are bag limits for a reason and can be good for most fisheries.. I just see no good reason to kill a larger fish, but it is a right people have.

Will be culling all under 12" from our 8 acre lake this weekend. It's been several years since we've done this but it's time again. The good thing is we will have a community fish fry this weekend so I'm sure they will find their way into some grease.

Bass are good to eat, I will only keep a few smaller ones when I run out of crappie.

Very good eats

Closest thing I'll eat is shrimp. I dislike the taste of fish.

Bass are very tasty! easy to clean and also skin out so you are left with a boneless/skinless fillet! less than 16" fish is what I prefer as its enough to feed 2 people. throw em on the grill with some lemon juice and black pepper and nom nom!!

Absolutely! Fillet and coat with Kentucky Colonel and fry til they float, enjoy with the beverage of your choice.

i have a private lake that we have to take them out of. I keep anything under 15 inch that's not genetically strong. they are great fried. I prefer crappie for baking or grilling though. Bass don't seem to be as good baked.

Bass under 14"" out of water with a temp below 55 degrees are right next to Crappie in my world.

Ditch Pickle??? Anything like a limb bream?? That's funny right there never heard it before...

I have before but i wont again. Crappie and catfish though....

Shameful post

Firm, clean white meat that fry's up very good. Not quite as tasty as crappie but not far behind.

Yes, we have an annual fishing tournament then a fish fry each year at a private lake. We are trying to pull the number of small fish down and asking people to take more home. Hardly able to make a dent in the numbers but have a good time with friends and family.

Something about fishermen who don't eat fish has always made me chuckle.

The bigger they are the more majestic they are, get a replica made.

7 to 10 lbrs taste the best

Spotted bass taste great.

I only keep the ones from Toledo like everybody else does to eat.

That's what I was thinking with that statement...

But, I have had the same conversation with a couple friends before that feel that way. To each their own, and as long as people do it legally.. It is yours to do what you want with it.

Not bad eating, but I prefer crappie, walleye or yellow perch. Other than that, give me a steak!

Crappie and White Bass for me!

I couldn't tell you how many 15-20 pound sacks I've cleaned and eaten in the past. Now days, I might clean 1 or 2 a couple times a year mixed in with some crappie or sandbass. If they're cleaned right they all taste good.

My only taste for fish is Ahi. Sushi-grade!!!

No shrimp for me, but I do Crab/Lobster...

Chuckle away, it was a bad run of rainbow trout two days later, then the smell of microwave fish at the office that put me off it for good!

Nothing like 1 lb 1/2 fillet seared in butter and seasoned with Tony's. Dipped in Louisiana fish fry or plain.Excellent!!

It's all in the cleaning. If you don't remove the fat edges ( just pull it off ) it can leave a strange taste. Also soak your fillets in ice water for an hour before bagging to get the blood out. Black bass is great fried or baked.

Marinate fillets in beer for 1hr and coat with Zaterans deep fry corn meal seasoning and release to the grease.

Or smoked...

soak them in buttermilk with mustard whipped in and add some testy phil robertson seasoning and La fish fry new orleans style. can't be beat had some crappie tonite

Once they get over 6 pounds they start tasting real good!

I don't know about that, have you ever heard of the largemouth virus ? bad stuff man, I'm tellin ya.

I cull them from the ponds on our farm, preferring the 12-14" fish.
They are delicious.

And it helps the big fish get bigger - those go back.

There's nothing wrong with eating bass, they are actually pretty good, just don't keep the big females. I don't keep them unless we're pond fishing, but have seriously contemplated keeping a few 2-3 pounders out of Conroe to eat.

Nothing wrong with harvesting a few from time to time. Most biologists will tell you its healthy for a fishery. I will cook up some 14-18 inchers from time to time. Like someone said earlier, its all about trimming the fillets properly. Get that nasty bloodline out and bass are as good as any freshwater fish out there. When cleaning, I throw the fillets in chilled salt water and let em soak for about an hour before I bag the fillets. The salt water really helps to extract any blood that is trapped in the meat.

and yes, +1 on letting them soak in a beer bath before dredging!! Good stuff.

I don't eat any fresh water fish anymore. I have entirely to many specks, flounder and reds in my freezer. They taste WAY better to me. From April till hunting season I'm on the bay most weekends.

Bass are very tasty...almost as good as crappie