Rock Bass

[Boss Hogg]

Does anybody fry Rock Bass up? I went fishing for sunnies, and caught a pile of Rock Bass. Threw them back. Got me to wondering how they would taste. If someone eats them, let me know what they are like, and how you prepare them.

If nothing else, they sure are fun on a 9 foot flyrod.

[mainbutter]

They are a "panfish", eat the same stuff as 'gills and crappies, thrive in (from my experience) clean/clear water, and are in the same family as the sunfish/black bass/crappies.

I've never eaten one because the only lake I regularly fish them gets too much fishing pressure for me to want to take ANYTHING out of it, but I feel confident they eat well.

I'd prepare them exactly as I do bluegill, de-scale (not necessary unless you like to eat the skin) and side fillet, fry in olive oil with some pepper/salt, squeeze lemon juice before removing from the pan. In other words, as typical a pan-fry as you can get.

[Chris Haley]

Give em a try!! I'll keep a couple to throw in the mix when doing fish fry's. Haven't had anybody figure it out yet!!!

[RebelSS]

That's a popular question....I'm surprised at all the folks who haven't eaten Rockies. I always cooked them like sunnies...roll in flour, salt and pepper, into the oil in the fry pan. Light, sunfish type flavor and texture.

[buzbunni]

They taste great!

Just fried some up last weekend at my friends cabin. I had heard (via this board) that rock bass tasted decent, so we decided to fry one up. We had Northern Pike, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, and Rock Bass on the fish fry menu. All tasted great. Sure there were some skeptics in the group but after the tasting, we've all been converted and will put them on the menu without hesitation.

Keep in mind, this was early summer and the water was around 66 degrees. Don't know if they would taste as good later in the summer. I know we don't cook up Largemouth later in the year as they (we assume) begin to taste a bit "muddier" and the meat gets soft.

Eat 'em up!

[BTL]

I've eaten lots and always liked them. They cook up just like any other panfish. Although judging by some recent posts on one of the regional boards, there are certainly people don't like them, and some who aren't willing to even try them. I say give it a shot.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

We used to pound fat rock bass out of West Battle Lake when I was growing up. Would take the paddle boat out, fish the weed beds in 15-20 f.o.w. and get a basket full of rocks and gills. They will slam a leach all summer long. To me they taste just like bluegill. I have noticed that on the alexandria area lakes that the rock bass tend to get those parasite black spots on them very quickly, and I don't care what anybody says, I'm not eating a fillet full of those. Clean fish from a clean lake, and somebody better have some shore lunch along because we are frying them!

[slipperybob]

Cook it just like any other freshwater panfish. They tastes very similar to bluegill, but I'll say between a bluegill and a sheepshead.

[lutzy]

I have been catching (by accident) and throwing them back for years because I have been told they taste horrible. And I have been told this by people who already eat large mouth (and so do I by the way I think they taste good). If they taste like sunnies never again will I throw one back. Sunnies are my favorite. Thanks for the info everyone.

[CAMAN]

Eat em up! Potato lake in Park Rapids has a huge population of them, and they get big too. Take them all!

[Koepper08]

Rock bass fry up real good! Don't hesitate to take them outta the lake, more room for big gills and crappies then! Plus, if you find one rocky there is usually many more in the same spot. Fun to catch and your buddies will never know that they are eatin' red eyes! LOL

[DogGone]

They are great eatin!!

[bogwalker]

I eat them if they are caught in cold water.