I like that idea. Always did that with bream and spots (small GREAT tasting fish caught in the surf off the east coast).

It's interesting how different peoples tastes are...for me lake,river or creek, sand bass tast awful if the red isn't trimmed out...when I get through with it, everyone prefers it over crappie...I put a dash of lemon juice in the oil with each batch of fish when I'm frying, and it seems to make the fish taste really clean.

I do about 3 tablespoons of regular salt in a large bowl of ice water for about half an hr. The longer you let it sit the the less it even tastes like fish. I leave the red on sandies but most importantly I wash the blood off immediately after i fillet them because it absorbs back into the meat