Is bleeding out a bass anything like filleting it?

no nothing like it.

In a tournament in this situation most definately they would go home and be processed for consumption. I used to fish tournaments on the aforementioned river and myself and most everybody that fished the tournaments that frequented that river would take home their entire catch for the day home for consumption, but as I said before that river was over populated. Any other body of water that I fished at home the live healthy fish would go back asap.

Occasionally I'll keep a few in the livewell for a pic later in the day, if one doesn't make it, usually I'll give it to a bank fisherman, they will typically be more than happy to take it off your hands. Happened today. Not worth filleting a fish or two. IMO

They will bleed out when they are filleted though.

Bass, Catfish, Crappie and Perch are all good eating!

BigDozer66

Yep Dozer, that was kinda where I was going with my post.

I live 4 miles from the lake, so after weigh in they went straight to the filet table, I'm sure they were still good, they were not stiff or anything yet.

I've never heard of anyone "bleeding out a bass", i really don't think it's nessisary like with big offshore fishes of some types, but to each his own i suppose.

for me it's

step one filet
mix up a coupe eggs with a little milk to help the batter stick
cover bass in mix
cover bass in batter of choice, I've made my own before, but i was short n time so i just used Loisuian fish fry(chick fry is good too)

and fry, I love the taste of fish, so i don't get all fancy with sauces to take away from the natural taste.


And they were excellent, i didn't really want to clean and eat fish tonight, but they were about to get chunked in the dumpster, and i really didn't want them to go to waste..

So i have about three meals worth of fish now, well two more now, I eat some just now

there is a difference...when they are still alive gut them and cut there throats through the gills. also scratch the inside of the spine with the tip of the knife real good after gutting them and swoosh them around in the water till there's no more bleeding, it only take a minute and then through them on ice...fillet them cold. The fillets will be much whiter. This is very true with catfish.

Ever fillet a fish and one side of the fish will have a realy white fillet and the other will be a little more bloody....that bloody side is the side the fish was lying on while it died and laid in the cooler before you got to cleaning it.

Rinse them off with a hose , then chink them in a bowl of water while you are filleting the rest, problem solved..

with a little salt in it. I never bleed a bass myself but I always do the cat fish.

LMAO

Black bass are excellent eating. Those big slabs on this double digit fish will feed the whole family.

on 14" lakes, you should harvest some small fish, doing the fishery a favor.... and most definitely eat the ones that wont make it in a tournament. I dont eat fish but If we have fish that arent going to make it, there is always someone thats wants a few for a fish fry.... that person gets our fish.

don't waste your time bleeding a bass, soak the filets over night in ice water and you get the same effect. I try to keep a limit when i go to Fork. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the "catch and release" push went a little to far and now people look down on those who actually keep bass. Heck there are probably a bunch of fisherment these days that don't even know how to clean a fish! LOL

With bass under 3 pounds I really don't think you need to do anything but process and cook, larger ones can be a little "fishy" and LSU I believe you are probably right on the money about folks not knowing how to clean a fish.......