Best eating fish out there?

I’m not really big into eating fish but was curious what others think are the best eating fish in Texas lakes. I catch and release everything. My idea of eating fish is at Papadeaux’s. If I were to keep some fish to eat, I’d rank them:
1. Walleye
2. Crappie
3. Channel Cats (at a restaurant— hate to clean)

Probably my favorite fish of all time goes to saltwater and it’s halibut with Cod not far behind. I just can’t tolerate any of the trout, salmon species. Taste too fishy to me. My wife is almost directly opposite and will order trout any time it’s available. Let me know what your ideas are. Just curious...

2. Crappie for the win

Bluegill

Freshwater - Walleye
Saltwater - Flounder

crappie hands down.
Bluegill 2nd place

Freshwater bluegill
Saltwater pompano

Freshwater
1 Crappie
2 Walleye
2a. Bluegill

Saltwater
1 Yellowfin Tuna
2 Cobia

Fresh water - Walleye

Growing up in Florida, I've eaten just about every saltwater fish out there. There are many you could call the best like Snook, Dolphin, Wahoo etc. Here are a few fish you may never have had and I consider some of the best eating over anything else. They are small sized fish and are overlooked or less sought after.

1. Hog Fish - very rare to catch on rod and reel, have to spear them. They mostly eat mollusk.
2. Moon Fish, AKA Look Down ... you see them in a lot of the big aquariums, not much meat on them but extremely tasty!
4. Triple Tail - caught on the offshore weed lines hovering near the surface.
5. Strawberry Grouper - A small species of grouper.
6. Checkered Puffer fish, AKA Toad Fish generally caught in the inshore waters.
7. Sand Perch - small bluegill sized fish also generally caught in the inshore waters.

Freshwater: flathead catfish, followed by crappie.

Saltwater: sablefish ("black cod"), followed by halibut


If the trout & salmon you've tried is "too fishy", you may be getting farmed fish rather than wild caught. Another possibility is fish that's been improperly handled (frozen, thawed, refrozen, etc).

Walleye but not many in Texas. Crappie are a very close second.

+1

I don’t eat a lot of freshwater fish.

Catfish from some water is really good and other water tastes muddy or grassy. Bluegills are good. Freshwater trout can be really good.

Saltwater, most anything fresh is good. I eat a lot of redfish and trout and love it. Hard to pick favorites, there’s so many good ones. Reef fish like grouper and snapper, northern fish like haddock and halibut, Pelagic fish like mahi mahi, and wahoo, they are all good. I also like strong flavored fish like salmon, bluefish and mackerel.

Fish that isn’t fresh or prepared wrong is the kind I don’t like. Can’t stand any of the Asian farm raised stuff like Basa or tilapia.

Walleye and native brook trout!

Crappie and bluegill with crappie being the favorite. We ate a ton of big bluegill growing up though. The big hybrids are better

White Bass,Crappie,and Bluegill!

Walleye

Speckled Trout

Crappie, but I do miss those shoreline lunches of fresh fried walleye in the north country.

I will take a speckled trout from the gulf any day. We catch and eat a lot of Stripers, but it it’s not my favorite. I usually use it for family and friends fish frys, and keep the saltwater stuff for myself.

I like crappie too but it seems like they’re all 9 3/4” in Granbury. I’ve finally been able to catch a few after many of you give me instructions but no biggies yet.

Several years ago I would have said crappie until I ate walleye up in Iowa. Made me want to throw rocks at crappie.

Yep. Walleye is it for me. Even Culver’s sells Walleye fillet dinners and sandwiches when it’s in season. Best eating fish out there

Walleye or crappie for the win...and the tie! Both equally great and best eating freshwater fish hands down!

Walleye for me!

Walleye is no comparison to fresh Halibut...but unfortunately its not readily available in Texas.

As to normal deep fry, the very best of Catfish, is from BlueCats weighing about 12# to 14#. You shave the 2 back straps from the bone (not fillet them). You cut across to have what looks like small "8" or "B" shaped steaks. About 1.25 to 1.5 inches thick. After deep frying, your batter shell should be slightly crisp. But as you crack it open, the meat will flake (Oh, so Tender!!!). There is nothing better, if fried in Mrs. Tucker's & dipped in ice cold Del Monte ketchup. For some reason, the 12 to 14# pounders are the very best for this, whether from the Trinity River (below TX 21 bridge) or Lake Limestone.

I have never had walleye so I cannot comment. Crappie & bluegill are great especially from the cold water in the winter.

I had never had it until last year. I moved here to Virginia for work, been here 4 years now and the lakes I fish have walleye but not very many. I've caught 2 since I've been here, the first one I took pics and threw back because I'm just not a big fan of eating freshwater fish and was later berated by friends "you threw it back!?", the second one I took home .... it's the real deal, best tasting freshwater fish I've ever had, you could have told me it was snapper and I wouldn't have known the difference.

I agree 110%

Crappie in the freshwater, Snook in the saltwater.

One to two pound channel cats from a flowing river like the San Marcos or Guadalupe.

We had bass, flathead, crappie, bream, and walleye laid out at Ouachita. 4 way tie and the bass was good.

Water quality makes all the difference when it comes to catfish. Chow down on a cat taken from a mossy pond, and chances are it'll taste like moss. The best cats I've tasted came from a clean flowing river, especially one with a sandy bottom. The old timers say the best tasting catfish come from the Great Salt Plains lake in OK. This is supposedly due to the high saline content.

Sand Dabs caught in cold water (55 or lower) then pan fried in garlic and butter. In 55 years of fishing, they are easily my favorite behind Salmon caught fresh in the Pacific Northwest.

Marc

Experience itself had probably something to do with it, but best thing I have ever had were walleye cheeks while on the ice.

Hell, they are all good !!

We got to PB and fell face first into a big time fish fry. Neighbors hauled In over a hundred stripers. I never fish for them thus never ate them. They had way more fillets than folks to feed so they kept bringing hot messes of fish over to us. It was plain old cornmeal fried fish and very tasty. I think it would be better with mustard under the cornmeal but no complaints at all.

Baby Bass are better IMO.

OP said Texas lakes so I say,
1. Crappie
2. 10-15 lb flathead in fish tacos, mmm
3. Bluegill
I would have put walleye in there but the last ones I caught in Texas was Lake Meredith and I think it dried up.

10lb and over largemouth bass.

Freshwater = Walleye. I spent my teenage years in Southern Alberta and fished every slough, river, irrigation ditch and lake within 200miles of Medicine Hat. Fresh Walleye from the Oldman is second to none.

Saltwater = Alaskan Halibut. The spring and fall fish trucks use to come through town loaded with the latest catches from the coast. Salmon were good but the halibut slabs were heavenly. (great job, mom!)

For fresh water fish;
1. Walleye
2. Crappie
3. Channel Cats

Number 1 hands down in my opinion is White Bass to me they taste Even better than crappies

They are decent, but no where near the top on my list.

That's not very good to do because a double digit bass is a fish of a lifetime if I caught a bass that big I would throw it back because they rarely get that big and 2
It's a old fish and 3 I would think it would taste terrible and not worth eating .in my opinion to should only eat bass between legal size a three pound and the rest should live to fight Another day but hey that's you and you have the right to do it but personally I wouldn't .

Your papadeaux's , fish was not caught and released .It landed in your belly, with spices and butter and mushrooms,

Not a freshwater fish but my uncle caught a mahi mahi when I was a kid and when he cooked it and I tasted that fish I knew no other fish i would ever taste would be as good.

That was 40 years ago and still holds true.

8-10 lb bass

Tonight we'll be having fresh Cobia, Mahi and Red Snapper. Don't get much better than that! Crappie and Bream are my favorites from fresh water. Never had the chance to eat Walleye.

Years ago I would have scoffed at this statement. But live and learn.

Once I learned that it is an imperative to wash the heck out of the filets, rinsing
three times with ice water until the rinse water is CLEAR, not pink. On really
big whites it's best to cut out the red stripe. Not needed for ones under 15 inches.

I would put white bass filets treated in this manner right up there with the best.

I still put up bluegill as my favorite, but white bass is right behind, then catfish and crappie.


.

walleye, followed by crappie, and then flathead cats. Black bass, channel cats, and blue cats all fall about number 4. sandbass/white bass are gross IMO

I am a fan of crappie and walleye, but striper is pretty darn good and offers a different texture. I put striper above catfish. Saying that, I wouldn't turn down a meal of any of the above.

I'd love to try Walleye. A great reputation for taste as freshwater fish go, almost always mentioned by folks "in the know" along with crappie. Alas, the only lake around D/FW stocked with a viable population of them? Wheeler Branch. But, they are a tough target.

Ah! Halibut! JackCaster nails it on the head for me. These fish are large enough to present thick slabs for cooking. And, what a taste.

For you catch and release guys still needing options:

Icelandic Cod fish sandwich or plate from Zeke's in FW ordered with okra and eggplant? You'll never eat at a Pappadeaux again. Zeke's is legendary, you never get over it if you need a dose of fried food. Habit forming, be careful. The owner is a great guy, used to be a bit like the Soup Nazi, but has mellowed with age.

Halibut fish sandwich from the Lake Athens Marina Restaurant: very good, great even.

The Bottom on Bluebonnet Circle in FW - Halibut fish tacos. Dear God!

Catfish? Shrimp N Stuff on O street in Galveston, the old location. Even a half order is a big meal. This place knows how to fry fish. Cheap, too.

Brad

I haven't tried walleye, but for Texas freshwater fish the best to me is crappie.

I wonder if anyone has had Rio Grande Cichlids? I haven’t. What about anything in the carp family? Gar doesn’t do anything for me.

Freshwater for me is Walleye then Crappie. If you cut the blood line out of Striper or Sand Bass, they are delish as well.

Saltwater. Snapper, Mahi, Cobia, Tuna. Some of the deepwater snapper in Hawaii like Opakapaka are really good.

this proves the old saying , " there is no accounting for taste or lack of it "


Walleye = Crappie

for fresh water

Flounder in salt water

MO

Baby bass

Crappie and Walleye. Edge goes to Walleye because they live in colder water. Last year in Canada guide bet we couldn’t tell difference between Northern Pike and Walleye. We kept some for shore lunch and everyone tried both. Most of us couldn’t.

Plus 2

Walleye and yellow perch, to me crappie are not even a close second and I really like me some crappie.

Freshwater - 1. crappie, I have not had walleye but imagine it would be as good or better than crappie.
2. tilapia
3. perch

Saltwater - 1. mahi mahi
2. flounder
3. red snapper

striper for me. I don't think crappie even ranks in top 5 too mushy. ive never tried walleye heard its great

.....

My favorite saltwater is fresh caught speckled trout. But every day it sits in the fridge it slips down the list. And if you freeze it it doesn't even make the list.

For freshwater, I love Northern Pike. Then walleye and crappie are tied for 2nd and 3rd. Channel cats are #4, but only if they are caught in clear water. Catfish caught in muddy water don't even taste like the same kind of fish.

Freshwater: Crappie or Walleye

Saltwater: Snook or Tripletail

My favorite fish to eat is barely legal redfish.

Speckled trout are way overrated IMO.

Then it would be a tie between bass, crappie, and big bream; all taste the same to me.


I haven’t eaten walleye, but have eaten most everything else at least once.

May be the first time ever I heard someone say northern pike was their favorite fish, I have never had it so I cannot comment.

northern blue pike shorelunch

Walleye is making a comeback after the low water. Next year could be really good. (I’m working on an article and that’s the word I’m getting from the biologist in the area.)

We don’t have yellow perch in Texas but I’d rate them better than walleye for eating. On walleye, you must cut out the small flesh on the cheek. It is so good. Small bite size though.

They have the perfect mix of flaky and firmness, and a good clean flavor. Perfect for a cornmeal deep fry. They have a Y shaped bone that runs right through the middle of the filet though, so you have to learn a little fancy knife work. And don't ever say you like to eat northern to someone up north. They'll just look at you like you are plum crazy.

nothing compares to a 2lb bass

I'd recommend putting a trophy walleye trip on your to do list. A good excuse for a vacation at the very least!

For me it's:
Yellow Perch
Walleye
Crappie

Even better if they come while you're ice fishing.

Crappie, Crappie and more Crappie

And don't forget about a flat head, they are very good eating.

flathead (yellowcat) #1
Crappie #2

5lbers are more succulent!

Freshwater, Walleye, yellow perch, Walleye are a member of the perch family, a large perch is as good as a walleye. Sauger is basically the same fish.
Crappie and bluegill are a close second.
i should add, that all must be properly prepared. A great fresh fish is easily turned mediocre by a mistake or two in preparation.

Salt Water - My favorite is fresh Bluefin tuna, you can eat them right on the boat, just cut a slice off, squirt of lime juice and enjoy.. Of course it's better in San Diego with ice cold Pacifico
Halibut
Mahi Mahi
Fresh Water - Crappie, bluegil

Whole Bluegill has to be the tastiest freshwater fish by far. Tilapia(Squaw Creek) are delicious as well. Buffalo on the grill is fantastic, wow...so good.

Crappie
Rainbow Trout
Catfish

White Sea bass
Ling cod

For eating, a northern pike to a northerner is like a carp is to a southerner or so I’ve been told. Caught a few up in northern NM but let them go.

On another note, we were fishing up on Eagle Nest Lake near Red River, NM and talked to the guide. He said they had yellow perch and Northern pike brought in illegally by some “Snowbird” from up north because he missed fishing for them while visiting down there. They knew who did it but couldn’t prove it. Now, they’re all over the place and they want them removed whenever caught. The even have a Northern pike derby to try and clear out the water. They’re murderous on the native trout and Kokanee salmon.

This list is based on what I catch/fish for.....

1. Sac-a-lait (crappie)
2. Speckle Trout (would rank equal to crappie if they "kept" better)
3. Flat Head (Opaloosa Catfish)
4. Black Bass
5. Blue Catfish
6. Redfish
7. White Bass
8. Hybrid
9. Striper
10. Gar
11. Drum

1 Crappie

2 Blue Gill

3 Black Bass

1. Halibut
2. Walleye
3. Sockeye salmon

Red Ear perch for fried fish
Crappie for grilled fish

Walleye -1

Crappie - 2

Copper River Salmon - 3

1.Opp
2.Blue Gill
3.Crappie
4.Spotted bass

Crappie caught in the winter. Cold water.

Saltwater:

Speckle Trout
Redfish
Sheephead

Freshwater:
Perch/Blue gill/Panfish or whatever u care to call them.
Sac-a-lait(Crappie)
Drum(Gaspergou)

Nephew caught a bay halibut in California few months ago, fried with a beer batter, best fried fish I've had. Whole deep fried blue gill, crappie, yellow cat from moving water, broiled flounder, and a bunch of other next.

Perch (are different from a Bluegill for all you southerners)
Walleye
Pike
Bluegill

I think the common denominator for the best tasting fish is cold clean water. I'd eat anything that came out of our Minnesota lake before anything out of a Texas lake. Meat is firmer, and cleaner tasting. I like the huge crappies you can catch down here, but always get a little disappointed with the mush consistency.

..Flathead..alligator gar. .cobia..

Trout, and not the farm raised garbage.

Walleye is my favorite.

Fresh water- Walleye
Salt water - Flounder

Crappie and flathead hands down! Not much luck with flathead lately.... open to any advice to help me grab some more!

The king of sarcasm.

Gaspergou is hard to beat. The best part is that nobody will believe us.

Chilean sea bass

I have filleted some pretty good size bass, and the big ones taste just as good as the smaller ones.

Ling cod
White Sea bass

I have lived in many parts of the country and tried many types of fish. I definitely prefer firm textured fish and raw saltwater fish vs cooked. My favorites are:

Saltwater- Wahoo, yellowfin, bluefin, cobra, snook
Freshwater- walleye, bluegill, bass

Cobia, not cobra, haven’t tried snake but eel is pretty good...

Chilean Sea Bass from Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

Freshwater-crappie
Saltwater- wahoo or hogfish

Any bass from lake fork

The real big bass from fork taste best; thick bass steaks. The over's really tasty!

I've had just about everything listed above. I'll take fresh shore grilled piranha all day long. If you ever get a chance to do a peacock bass trip to the amazon, make sure you ask for a shore lunch. The peacock bass is pretty good but piranha definitely steals the show. I bet I ate at least two dozen on a six day trip.

Did they lay a bunch of small green limbs over a platform built over the hot fire, slice the fish crossways, rub salt and pepper into the slits, grill to perfection and serve with tortillas and salsa ?

Freshwater-White Crappie
Saltwater- Blacktip Shark

Yes they did!

Anything in the sunfish family!

Carp or Sucker..

I agree wholeheartedly, plus crappie freeze better than most other fish. Walleye in the southern waters don’t taste as good as walleye in the northern waters, IMO.

I prefer bluegill over catfish from most lakes, that I fish.

I love bass and redfish on the halfshell.

I prefer fresh water fish to salt water fish.

Crappie, bluegill, channel cat, white bass. In that order. Ice white bass immediately, don’t let them hang on a stringer, improves the taste a hundred percent.

Crappie

Ditto on redfish on the half shell.

Also, this time of year Culver's usually has walleye, worth the trip IMHO.

It's funny no one's mentioned fried shad.

For a cornmeal batter fish I like speckled trout.

I like crappie with stripers a close second. Fried in cracker crumbs salt and red pepper.

I was waiting for someone to say Blacktip. I fixed trout, red, and blacktip for my family. They tasted them all and liked the shark the best.

alligator gar 40-65 lbs are hands down my favorite fish!!