For the last 2years I have been White bass and Hybrid fishing with a friend and we (on his recommendation) always released the Hybrids and I have beleived that they weren't very good eating. But here lately I have talked to some people that claim that the Hybrid makes pretty good table fair...

Now I'm confused!!! Are they good, are or not...

If they are, how is the best way to prepare and cook them? Do you need to bleed them and remove blood lines?

I've taken a few home over the past year & I think they taste just fine. I do remove the blood line after I cook it, as I think it adds a bit more flavor to the fish (but the line itself is mushy and icky).

Something to consider - once a hybrid has hit 22"-24" in length, it probably doesn't have much longer to live anyways, so you may as well put it to good use.

They're a heckuva lot better than white bass for sure. You have to cut out all the red meat but after you do that they're great.
I like to grill the trimmed up filets on a piece of aluminum foil over hot coals. Brush on a little lemon & butter, salt/pepper to taste and chow down on some good stuff. The bigger ones make a much nicer filet than the barely legal ones do. For grilling, the larger ones are lots easier to fool with.

I don't think they are any better than whites but just as good. All depends on how you prepair them. Just cut out the dark red meat. Great on the grill or broiled in the oven.

they are just as good as whites. i prefer hybrids becuase you can get a nicer fillet, (bigger). when i fry them you cant tell the difference. other than you have one that is a giant fillet compared to the others.

not to steal the trend but has anyone used cotton seed oil when frying, i used it once over peanut oil and the fillets wouldnt hold together. i ahve used peanut oil tons of times and used the same prep method the only thing different was the oil. i ended up with fish nuggets

I would not use cotton seed oil--if you do--12 hours later you will have explosive poo--not good! haha!

We eat hybrids at home as long as I take the redline out and soak them in iced non-iodized brine for a while. However I prefer 11-13 inch sand bass for the fryer.




Good point Jason, you know I get that with Peanut Oil and not Cottonseed. Ken is right about the cottonseed oil turning fish into mush, however you need to get the temp to 350 and that will take care of that. All I use now is cottonseed oil, when I can find it.

You can re-use cottonseed oil but they do not recommend you reuse peanut oil.

Wonder why you cant re-use peanut oil--that gets EXPENSIVE!! Peanut oil never caused me any issues but cottonseed ---whoa look out!

Of course my favorite is a mess of 5-6lb fried LMB

Hybrid's taste bad so just call me and I'll come pick um up and get redd of them for you.

I think the reason people throw them back and not the whites is cause they don't reproduce. I use them as purely a sporting hard fighting fish and throw them all back, but thats just me. I think they taste the same as a white, and same as a striper just get that blood line out. If I really had my choice it would only be cats and crappie for dinner.

Nothing better than a 5lbs LMB!!!

I only cut the red out of the really big ones....but thats a rarity, so I just filet/fry/feed the family/friends..

didn't know that about the cottonseeed oil. now, THAT'S worth remembering!!

Fried, Baked, Broiled, Char-grilled, Stir fried its all good! But as far as table fare goes Whites are my favorite. When I have fish in the freezer that has not been eaten they all go back when caught. That's why I have a camera and clicker. Along with everyone else..cut out the red strip before cooking.