In this age of sport fishing, why don't people target Bass more often?

[bobbymalone]

I've never caught a bass through the ice, but last year I saw one after another come up from the hole 10 feet away from mine. Looked like fun to me.

I don't understand why people have this ford vs chevy debate with fish. I would get bored fishing for the exact same species or two, three, four, five forever. My gramps has walleye fever so bad I almost think he doesn't even enjoy catching other fish. I know he never tries to catch anything else but sometimes you can't help but catch a northern or a stray bullhead with a crawler on a lindy rig. If you can pull him away from the walleye for a bit it's only to fill the frying pan with crappie.

Lots of untapped resources and good times if you're willing to think even a bit outside the box.

[Raider4ever]

No, if you hang one on a laker or stouter 'eye rod, they don't fight well. But, if you bust a 3lb+ SMB on one of those perch rods you are in for a blast. Plus, they bunch up in large numbers in their select wintering areas. Numbers can get ridiculous late in the year if they are bunched up near crappie hang-outs. Don't keep any, as you can seriously dent a lake real quick. They are the only reason I go ice fishing.

[laportian]

Years ago I used to fish a little lake that I would catch big bass out of thru the ice fairly consistantly. And always in the same little corner of the lake in 17 to 20 feet of water. Must have been their wintering spot. Bay de noc do jiggers in glow would hammer em. Lots of fish in the 4 plus pound range. Never thought to eat them. Actually used to have to stuff them back down the hole. Used to fish with a real mad man that would actually stick his arm down the hole to land some of these fish cause they'd be so fat that they needed help getting them up. If it was real cold out it would pretty much end our trip as he'd get too cold.

[paceman]

I have caught lots of bass through the ice. I have kept and ate a bunch of them. IMO they are delicious in the winter. Folks that I gave some too pretty much always asked for more. You guys are missing out on some good eats.

[Ed Carlson]

Are you being serious or joking? Since the folks in here compare them with carp and they may not be the tastiest fish I think making them open to spearing could lead to trouble.

Pike get the short end of the stick is my point.

Or the sharp end, as the case may be here.

Bass are too Politically Correct in the industry to meet the same end.

I think "Pike" needs to get a better agent.

[Farley]

On avereage, how big do bass get around here? Down south they are twice that size. I think thats why its not quite as popular around here.

[Zoob]

On avereage, how big do bass get around here? Down south they are twice that size. I think thats why its not quite as popular around here.

Bass *are* popular around here, just in the summer months. Ice fishing seems to be more walleye/crappie/perch crowd. Yes, all fish get bigger down south - y'all have a longer growing season, which is why.

We have winter, then six weeks of really crappy sledding.

.

[Slabasaurus]

Bass taste excellent, done right. If I shared the stories I have about fixing bass and walleye and rock bass and sunny and crappie, all done shore lunch style, and how few people realized there was any difference . . .

yep. I could taste the difference between the Nonbass from the Bass when I did the same thing, but that's because I was the cook and knew which was which. Definitely no complaints. Dash of hot sauce and side of tater salad and some hush puppies... mmmm.

Nobody else I was with could taste the diff. Even the ones who spoke out against eating that nasty bass

[dougger222]

I know three lakes that you can go out and ice bass all Winter long. Typicaly we run shiners under tip ups with thick line for pike.

A few years ago my brother and I caught and released 10 bass ice fishing that averaged 3 pounds. Biggest bass personaly seen iced? 7 pounds.

The above mentioned lakes are heavily weeded even in the middle of Winter. Most often the best bass fishing occurs in 5-8 fow.

We do from time to time take 1-1.5 pounders for the table and they are fine to eat. Just as good as pike or walleye.

[bobber_down_1979]

I could not agree more. I am primarily a sport fisherman and do support CPR for "large" bass. They are a very slow growing fish. I do however keep fish to eat from time to time. I have kept bass and would do it again. As previously noted, especially if you know what you eating, you can tell a difference, but the difference to me is not a bad difference. Hey people love salmon, and salmon is far more "fishy" tasting than bass. I have however had bad experiences with some that have tasted stronger than others. If someone had that same "one time" experience, plus hearing what others say, I can understand how they get a bad rep as an "eating" fish.

[Duffman]

I've always said I wouldn't be surprised if the next state record Largemouth Bass is caught on a tip-up. I'm guessing the stripper glitter boat boys would just cringe.

[Acemac]

heck you know someone has already caught a fish that would beat the state record bass while walleye fishing and just tossed it back down the hole without thinking twice.

[OnAFly]

Haha, I could imagine the look on some faces!

As far as eating them, I never thought the texture was very appetizing. They seemed a little more tough or chewy or something. Maybe there's a better way to cook them than whole fillet frying. Just didn't work for me.

[Raider4ever]

*Pike get the short end of the stick is my point.

Or the sharp end, as the case may be here.

Bass are too Politically Correct in the industry to meet the same end.

I think "Pike" needs to get a better agent.

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson ~ ~ ><,sUMo,> ~ ><CD*

Maybe if Pike quit biting off $6.00-$15.00 frogs and crankbaits with fantastic regularity they wouldn't need a better agent.

[Raider4ever]

*stripper glitter boat boys*

ROFLMAO

[CHEX1982]

Because if I'm gonna be freezing my butt off all day fishing, screw the sport aspect, I'm bringing something home to eat! [hold the bass]

[leakywaders]

I catch a fair number of bass in the winter and I like to eat the 1 to 2lbers. I think I'd rather eat a bass than a mushy crappie.

I wonder how many people simply over cook their fish, or leave them in the fridge too long, or let the guts spill on the meat,etc...

I've eaten most freshwater fish available here in MN (yes, even sheephead and carp) and most of them taste pretty darn good when they are cooked properly.

Big fish in the photo was released. Yes, I posted the pic last year too. Sorry.

Brian

[bobber_down_1979]

Impressive fish and beard. Nice.

[river rat316]

Don't know if its been said or not, but remember that Smallmouth are all catch and release this time of year!

[JeffB]

That bass looks fatter than the hole it came out of. Nice

[popriveter]

I ate a 10" bass last night alongside crappies, perch, and sunnies.

It stood up well with the competition.

I won't be releasing many small bass through the ice, but the big ones are too valuable to eat. According to the studies I've read, 14+" bass eat more small sunfish than pike and muskies do. They counteract us sportsmen always trying to stunt our bluegill populations by eating the biggest and brightest gills.

[Mainehazmt]

same catagory for me as perch trash fish yea tick some of you off but its an opinion question not much eating of bass I know of in maine and less of perch!

[bobber_down_1979]

I ate a 10" bass last night alongside crappies, perch, and sunnies.

It stood up well with the competition.

I won't be releasing many small bass through the ice, but the big ones are too valuable to eat. According to the studies I've read, 14+" bass eat more small sunfish than pike and muskies do. They counteract us sportsmen always trying to stunt our bluegill populations by eating the biggest and brightest gills.

Very well stated.

[Ben_Fish_Catchin]

Large bass are dam fun to squeeze through an 8" hole.. and so are large sturgeon.

[panfishpounder00]

i think alot of it too, is that bass are somewhat lathargic this time of year and harder to catch. i do agree that a small bass taste just as bit as good as any other ice caught fish. plus when one does catch a pig on the hardwater, it's a blast!