How many of you eat bass?

[fishinfey8]

I'm wondering with all this talk of a catch and release early season, how many of you eat/keep bass? I for one don't since I can just catch a walleye or some panfish which I think are a little better eating. I have however tried eating a smallie in the BWCA, and it tasted just fine. So, who out there does eat those bass up?

[Cecil]

Never have

[BillyBoy23]

I don't

[Burchoid]

I dunno... eating a bass would be like eating my dog.

Then again, my dog's name IS Bass... sooo.....

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'll eat a few a year. Every so often I will throat hook a fish.. I will put it in my live well to see if it survives.. if It doesnt, I will bring it home and eat it.. better that that to feed the turtles. and if cooked right, its quite good.

[bassfshin24]

every once in awhile i will keep some smallies but i havent in years...not since back in SD. cook them on the grill in butter and garlic and that taste amazing.

[SledNeck]

I try to eat atleast 4 or 5 21"ers a week.

[Larson15]

same as Deitz, if I throat one good with a hook and am unable to get it out I will put it in the livewell for the day and see how it does.

[Duffman]

Ate some smallies last summer, first bass I've eaten in over 15 yrs, they were delicious.

If I catch a largemouth bass that I know will probably not make it, I usually can find a shore fisherman willing to take it here in the metro. Otherwise, I feed the turtles. "I like turtles"

[JBMasterAngler]

Every once in a blue moon we'll keep some smallies up north, but only if we know we'll fry 'em up that same night.

[Wayne Ek]

I talk to Dean Beck (areas fisheries supervisor) guite often for article information. He is a strong supporter of eating those 11 to 13-inch bass. It will make the fisheries (bass) in this area healthier by removing some of the smaller bass from the system.

[pikestabber]

We hooked a Smallmouth deep one time and kept it. We fried it up with the Walleyes we had and no one even knew the difference. I would keep them more often based on taste alone, but I still C&R. I have kept small Largemouth through the ice before and they are great, too. As with most fish, bass are as good as the waters you catch them from. Cold, clear water and smaller fish are the key, I feel. Five lb. fish in mid-July from a weed-flat when it's been 80 degrees for a week, and your pike and walleye aren't going to be as good, either!

[EBass]

I hate cleaning fish so I release 99% of the time. If I do keep anything it's an eater size walleye or some 10" crappies and that hasn't happened in a couple of years.

That being said my dad eats smallies and he said they are easier to clean than pike and taste just as good. He's a meat hunter/catch and keep kinda guy.

[gurkster]

I keep a few a year, most are released.

[Comit 2]

You can eat them?

Last year I saw a boat from out of state on one of the lakes in my area. They were just comming into the dock with two limits of 18inch Bass. Man that was just sad! And that is why I do not talk of the lakes here in Brisco Co.

[Stick in Mud]

I keep a few little smallies every year, especially if I'm looking to fry up some fish in the BWCA and the walleyes didn't cooperate. I do think that we bass guys get a little too touchy when it comes to people keeping *a few* reasonably sized fish. I once read a post where a guy admitted to almost tearing up because he saw a guy keep a fish.

[Superduty]

I hadn't eaten a bass for probably 20 years. Had my son out a couple years ago and he hooked a couple 1 1/2 lb fish very deep with a senko. We deep fried 'em like shore lunch walleye and I was surprised at how good they tasted. Wayne is right about harvesting smaller bass, it can actually help the population structure of a lake.

[HawgMan]

Never have never will. I will keep a few of the lesser species once in a while though.

[zepman]

I try to eat atleast 4 or 5 21"ers a week.

[Pherris]

I try to eat atleast 4 or 5 21"ers a week.

Thats a lot of bass. You should check the fish consumptipn advisory or you may start to glow.

[gritsnham]

Ate a couple bass as a kid and they are not bad to eat but are a little on the fishy side compared to walleye and panfish. I will considered keeping or giving away fish that dont make it but dont put them in the livewell otherwise.

Bass are just way more fun to catch than eat, if im hungry then I keep some walleys and lessen the competion with the bass:)

[Ralph Wiggum]

I think a lot of it depends upon where/when you catch them. From a clean, cooler lake, largies are pretty tasty. I eat some smaller ones on occasion, but I don't keep that many fish.

[bassNspear]

i have never ate any bass. Just perfer not to!

[pikestabber]

i have never ate any bass. Just perfer not to!

If your name was "Spear'n Bass" instead, I might argue with you, but you're off the hook this time

[goblueM]

smaller 10-14 inch bass taste pretty nice out of cold clean water.

usually the BWCA is where i keep my bass, like someone else said, usually if the walleyes are not cooperating