05-18-2021, 09:57 PM
Working with fisheries managers and biologist on and off for years has taught me several things. First, you can't manage fish if you don't have water. This year may test that.
Second, all waters have a "biomass" limit. Biomass is the total mass, call it pounds of animal/fish, that it can sustain. It is determined by the fertility of the water. You can have lots of small fish, you can have a few large fish, you can, on rare, and frequently on a temporary basis, have a good mix of all sizes. Some natural lakes develop the good mix of all sizes but IMHO to get it for normal fishing lakes and reservoirs you need to have "management".
Are bass good tasting, yes. In fact, I prefer them to trout. I don't keep very many, but I don't keep very many trout either. Now, walleye? My wife would make me sleep outside if I did not bring home walleye now and then.
So, how about releasing bass. I agree that catch and release has helped sustain many fisheries, but it has hurt many as well.
In the early 80's I could fish the lower Provo and I would catch maybe a half dozen browns a day, but many would be over 24", some up to 30". Now I can (when I feel like minnows) catch a couple dozen browns but seldom catch one over 14". We have loved (catch and release) it to death. Too many fish for the food and space available. The middle Provo is so bad that the state is experimenting with allowing bait fishing there to reduce the population. The Blacksmith Fork is another example. Jordonelle is a great example of too many SMB being released. I don't concur that taking the large spawners out of Jordonelle was the problem: it takes many decades to degrade the genetics but only a few years of overpopulation to stunt the fish. When the perch die-off happened, the remaining perch never had a chance to keep up with all of the mouths, and the lack of willing fishermen to help reduce the numbers, we are left us with Wiper and Tiger Muskie to try to reduce SMB numbers.
Even in Louisiana, the result of C&R is that they now allow up to 50 (fifty) bass a day on some lakes to try to fix the balance.
Most of our community pounds are designed for the low skilled fishermen or the ones limited to time. For the most part they are designed for put and take, and they do encourage releasing the bass. I have heard of a couple of community pounds that are now overpopulated with bass (don't fish the community ponds so I don't pay attention).
Here is my humble opinion. Follow the regulations. The fisheries managers will react to the change of populations as best they can. Believe it or not, most of them actually do know more about what is going on they we do. Second, if you wish to keep a fish (in this case bass), please eat what you keep. Fish is a healthy and sustainable protein source.
Now, to respond to the "if cooked right". Bass are a low oil fish while trout are high oil. If you cook a bass like you cook your trout, you will probably be disappointed. But, if you cook a catfish like a trout you will likely feel the same. Some of my suggestions for simple preparations.
Trout: Fillet, keep skin on, remove pin bones. Get a cast iron pan with a little peanut oil quite hot. Salt and pepper the trout fillets (Lemmon pepper and or garlic optional). Place fillets skin down to crisp skin. Turn over and finish cooking a minute or two more until the flesh is opaque and done. Serve with lemon wedge.
Bass, Crappie, Perch, even Walleye: Fillet, removing skin. Make a mix of 50% corn meal, 50% all purpose flour. For two cups of this mixture, add a teaspoon of baking powder if you like it more "fluffy". Replace AP flour with Rice Flour for a unique and crispy texture. Salt and pepper to taste. You can add only a small amount of cooking oil in a pan or more oil to deep fry. Cook on both sides until done and golden brown.
Carp, Sucker, Chub: Yes, you can eat this, but I won't. Fillet and remove skin. Remove the blood line and any belly flesh. Soak in buttermilk for at least one hour, overnight is best. Carp can be super thick so cutting the fillets in to thinner pieces is preferred. Cook like Bass....
Catfish, even bullheads: Fillet and remove the skin. Soak in regular milk for 10 to 15 minutes. Cook like Bass.....
Yes, haters are everywhere. If only one in a thousand are haters, once it is on the internet the shear volume of people will mean that several, or dozens, will potentially be a hater. It is, what it is.
Second, all waters have a "biomass" limit. Biomass is the total mass, call it pounds of animal/fish, that it can sustain. It is determined by the fertility of the water. You can have lots of small fish, you can have a few large fish, you can, on rare, and frequently on a temporary basis, have a good mix of all sizes. Some natural lakes develop the good mix of all sizes but IMHO to get it for normal fishing lakes and reservoirs you need to have "management".
Are bass good tasting, yes. In fact, I prefer them to trout. I don't keep very many, but I don't keep very many trout either. Now, walleye? My wife would make me sleep outside if I did not bring home walleye now and then.
So, how about releasing bass. I agree that catch and release has helped sustain many fisheries, but it has hurt many as well.
In the early 80's I could fish the lower Provo and I would catch maybe a half dozen browns a day, but many would be over 24", some up to 30". Now I can (when I feel like minnows) catch a couple dozen browns but seldom catch one over 14". We have loved (catch and release) it to death. Too many fish for the food and space available. The middle Provo is so bad that the state is experimenting with allowing bait fishing there to reduce the population. The Blacksmith Fork is another example. Jordonelle is a great example of too many SMB being released. I don't concur that taking the large spawners out of Jordonelle was the problem: it takes many decades to degrade the genetics but only a few years of overpopulation to stunt the fish. When the perch die-off happened, the remaining perch never had a chance to keep up with all of the mouths, and the lack of willing fishermen to help reduce the numbers, we are left us with Wiper and Tiger Muskie to try to reduce SMB numbers.
Even in Louisiana, the result of C&R is that they now allow up to 50 (fifty) bass a day on some lakes to try to fix the balance.
Most of our community pounds are designed for the low skilled fishermen or the ones limited to time. For the most part they are designed for put and take, and they do encourage releasing the bass. I have heard of a couple of community pounds that are now overpopulated with bass (don't fish the community ponds so I don't pay attention).
Here is my humble opinion. Follow the regulations. The fisheries managers will react to the change of populations as best they can. Believe it or not, most of them actually do know more about what is going on they we do. Second, if you wish to keep a fish (in this case bass), please eat what you keep. Fish is a healthy and sustainable protein source.
Now, to respond to the "if cooked right". Bass are a low oil fish while trout are high oil. If you cook a bass like you cook your trout, you will probably be disappointed. But, if you cook a catfish like a trout you will likely feel the same. Some of my suggestions for simple preparations.
Trout: Fillet, keep skin on, remove pin bones. Get a cast iron pan with a little peanut oil quite hot. Salt and pepper the trout fillets (Lemmon pepper and or garlic optional). Place fillets skin down to crisp skin. Turn over and finish cooking a minute or two more until the flesh is opaque and done. Serve with lemon wedge.
Bass, Crappie, Perch, even Walleye: Fillet, removing skin. Make a mix of 50% corn meal, 50% all purpose flour. For two cups of this mixture, add a teaspoon of baking powder if you like it more "fluffy". Replace AP flour with Rice Flour for a unique and crispy texture. Salt and pepper to taste. You can add only a small amount of cooking oil in a pan or more oil to deep fry. Cook on both sides until done and golden brown.
Carp, Sucker, Chub: Yes, you can eat this, but I won't. Fillet and remove skin. Remove the blood line and any belly flesh. Soak in buttermilk for at least one hour, overnight is best. Carp can be super thick so cutting the fillets in to thinner pieces is preferred. Cook like Bass....
Catfish, even bullheads: Fillet and remove the skin. Soak in regular milk for 10 to 15 minutes. Cook like Bass.....
Yes, haters are everywhere. If only one in a thousand are haters, once it is on the internet the shear volume of people will mean that several, or dozens, will potentially be a hater. It is, what it is.