Flaky, white fish - the multi-species taste test

[ThunderLund78]

Noticed there's a couple of threads on here recently regarding eating "less-than-desirable" species. Well, we had a fun debate amongst a few friends at the cabin last week. One friend was adamant about keeping and eating largemouth bass, and most of us gave him a hard time about it. He had already kept and cleaned one and it was in the freezer from the day before. On our main outing that day we were lucky enough to catch both pike and walleye. It was determined that my bass-eating friend would clean and cook the fish along with the bass from the day before and we'd have a taste test--only he would know what's what.

Out of 5 experienced fish eaters, I was the only one that got it right--and I think it was mostly luck. In fact, two of us thought the bass was the walleye. At least with the fabled green carp, there's very little, if no difference between Walleye/Pike. I detected a VERY slight sandy-like taste to the bass, but it was not objectionable in the least and I'd eat it again. the only thing that gave the pike away was a small, flimsy Y-bone I happened to get in my chunk.

So there you have it, Bass may be on the menu in the near future! I think next time it will be Rockbass or Drum in the Pepsi Challenge!

[Pherris]

I would agree that most people can't tell the difference. My wife refuses to eat northern which I think is one of the best so I have been feeding it to her for years telling her its walleye.

[hockeybc69]

Good challenge. I have done that many a time to family and friends(mixing fish fillets in a meal that is) and have yet to ever have someone puking off my deck because they ate pike and thought it was sunfish.....

Yes, I filleted up some 16-18 pike just 2 weeks ago and cut them up in fairly small pieces and mixed it in with a batch of sunfish for a feast at the cabin with 11 people...

All I heard from everyone was how good the meal was and I let the cat out of the bag after that.... Then I got some goofy looks, but I say tough..... If you liked it, you liked it.

[nofishfisherman]

I agree its all in peoples minds. Pretty much all white fish tastes the same, or at least close enough you'd never know the difference once breaded and fried.

Peoples perception is the only thing that can change the taste. Its similar to serving two identical plates of food in 2 different locations. If you serve someone a plate of food in a run down fast food joint served by a sweaty guy in a grease stained apron they'll probably find a million things to dislike about the taste. If you serve that same plate of food in a 5 star restaurant with white table clothes, fine china, and mood lighting they'll probably rave about how good it is. Its all about their expectations going in.

[bobbymalone]

I'm thinking a lot depends on how you prepare it. I'm pretty convinced you can shore lunch anything and call it walleye.

I bet lightly seasoned and either baked or grilled might reveal more differences.

[TruthWalleyes]

I had some bullhead and bass this weekend; little flower and butter - Yumm.

The only fish i eat is the day i caught them - that certainly helps the taste of every species!

[Todd Caswell]

I did a fish fry a couple years back for our retriever club, I was asked ahead of time what kind of fish we would be serving, crappies and sunfish was my reply, well I ran into a mess of rockbass while prefishing for a bass tourney and kept a bunch ( I have eaten them in the past and there no different than any other pan fish) well I never did serve any sun fish and was asked a dozen times where I was finding 3/4 pound sunnies. I finally spilled the beans after every one was done eating, no one believed me untill I pulled out the phone with the picks..

[deerminator]

I don't get how people don't like pike. I think a lot of its perception. It's easy to catch pike according to a lot of people but you have to be a "real fisherman" to catch walleye so they taste better. Phooey. Walleye are the Bud Light of fish. Fairly tasteless when it comes down to it. So you can't tell me they're so much better than pike or rock bass or sunnies or whatever.

[Craigums]

I don't get how people don't like pike. I think a lot of its perception. It's easy to catch pike according to a lot of people but you have to be a "real fisherman" to catch walleye so they taste better. Phooey. Walleye are the Bud Light of fish. Fairly tasteless when it comes down to it. So you can't tell me they're so much better than pike or rock bass or sunnies or whatever.

Is it that people don't like to eat pike, or that they don't like to clean pike?

Anyways, anybody here ever try sheephead (freshwater drum). Thats another fish that will draw cringes but I heard was actually pretty tasty

[LABS4ME]

Ate many sheepies out of Red Lake. Buy some Chef Prudhommes Redfish Magic seasoning and blacken them on a cast iron skillet... AWESOME! Cut out the belly meat and the mud line and you are left with nice clean meaty fillets.

Good Luck!

Ken

[bak2MN]

Quote:

Walleye are the Bud Light of fish.

Don't be knocking BUD LIGHT now.

[hockeybc69]

For those that have problems with y bones, watch this vid.... The guy makes it look almost too easy. ha....

[eyeguy 54]

you can't catch em mark so why the video??

[eyeguy 54]

Love northerns! Always fry or bake with the Y bone in here. So easy to take out while eating and I don't loose one single bite of that scrumptious fillet.....

[hockeybc69]

Whatchu talkin about willis?

Fresh batch of pickled pike ready for delivery! Y bones removed for the super finicky.

[DonBo]

This is my favorite way of eating northerns.

[Gordie]

I had sheephead pickled and never again and I love pickled fish. It was done in a jelly style pickling so I think that was the reason.

I have passed off white bass, catfish, and red horse sucker as walleye. Tell someone its walleye and they devour it no questions asked.

[harvey lee]

I enjoy eating pike but hate the slime. Getting the y bones out is not big deal after one has done it a few times.

Do I eat many pike, no as I simly hate the slime and smell but they do eat well.

I give all my pike away to a neighbor lady who loves them and pickles them also.

I catch a ton of sheepies every summer and have yet to eat one. I will let all the others enjoy them.

Almost all of my fish are eaten the same day caught. very few frozen unless they are for friends.

I believe I could tell the difference in red horse and whithies from walleye.

I will leave all those other fish for others to eat. I like my eyes and gills and a few crappie.

[Comit 2]

You might be on to something with the slime. I once watched a guy clean a Northern. He removed the meat from the skin and plopped the meat right down on the slimie cutting board and started removing the bones. I think that may add just a bit more flavor then some people may like.

I have to agree with some of you in that with how little flavor Walleye has, Walleye is for people who don't like the taste of fish.

Now Drum, pan fry (shorelunch or whatever). Remove from the pan. Drain oil from the pan. Melt some butter, add capers (12 or so per piece of fish). Add juice of a lemon to taste. Reduce the lemon juice (boil off). Pour over fish. Serve with rice. It is way better then you would think.

Serve this to an non-bias non-fisherman and they will want the recipe. Along with 2nds.

[delcecchi]

Sheephead piccatta. Love it.