Smoking rock bass

[minky]

Has anyone had any luck smoking rock bass?

I have smoked sunfish in the past and they turned out good.

I have about a dozen rock bass going into the salt / brown sugar brine tonight.

[eyeguy 54]

never have.  crappies for me.  

[minky]

I had the Rockies head removed and gutted in the freezer. I was going to fillet the meat off but changed my mind. Online research showed me keeping them just gutted would keep them moist. 

[Wanderer]

Hope they turn out good!  It would be good for the fish’s image. 

[PurpleFloyd]

If it works try small mouth and largemouth as well.

 

If you can combine catching bass with cooking them on a smoker you may be starting a revolution. 

[minky]

Or get strung up by the bass guys!

[PurpleFloyd]

It could take some pressure off the Walleye though. 

 

But then again as far as volume goes think of the fillets you could get off a 55" muskie. 

[Juneau4]

Quote

 

 I've never smoked rock bass, but have smoked lg mouth and IMO they are the best.

[Wanderer]

2 hours ago, PurpleFloyd said:

It could take some pressure off the Walleye though. 

 

Haha!  Never in MN!

[Mike89]

smoke them all!!!   LOL!!!

 

the rock bass I would try for sure...

[Duffman]

I would think they would turn out decent, being another member of the sunfish family.

Especially if caught out of some clear water.

Not like you are smoking a dogfish.

[smurfy]

What next? Smoking mudpuppies. I'll pass.

[Mike89]

1 hour ago, Duffman said:

I would think they would turn out decent, being another member of the sunfish family.

Especially if caught out of some clear water.

Not like you are smoking a dogfish.

 

I know a fellow who does smoke dog fish!!!  and surprisingly they were not bad at all...  

[PurpleFloyd]

A lot of old timers in this area would smoke carp and pickle northern Pike. A friend of mine smokes sheephead. 

 

If you put enough smoke and spices at anything it probably gets tolerable eventually. 

[minky]

Rock bass turned out ok, I would for sure keep some again for the smoker! 

[delcecchi]

Old farmer buddy of my dad used to pressure cook dogfish for his wife's cat.   Said it looked just  like canned salmon.   He hadn't tried eating it however. 

[chaffmj]

Pickled northern is really good!

[Wanderer]

Yeah, pickeled pike is pretty common in these parts. 

 

One of the best smoked fish I’ve ever had was carp.  And I’ve had some really good smoked salmon but nothing like that candy carp.  

 

Glad and to hear the Rockies turned out good!

Edited August 1, 2018 by Wanderer

[minky]

Is the trick to good smoked carp cutting out the mudline before smoking? I bet the carp would smoke up good if the meat was in filleted.

[Duffman]

My first experience with smoked fish was with some Red Horse that we speared as kids in Daggett Creek by Fifty Lakes.

Didn't think too much of it then, but I didn't like beer at that time either.

 

 

[tacklejunkie]

I have caught a few rock bass trolling for walleye  and I’ve always wondered if they’re  palatable

[delcecchi]

On 8/1/2018 at 2:32 PM, tacklejunkie said:

I have caught a few rock bass trolling for walleye  and I’ve always wondered if they’re  palatable

Yes.  Not a lot of meat on them unless they are good sized.

[minky]

So true about small ones not having a lot of meat!

The large ones were well worth the work.

I just ate the biggest (and last of them) tonight.

[Juneau4]

The best smoked Carp are those of about 5# . The big un's 

[Juneau4]

On ‎8‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 2:32 PM, tacklejunkie said:

I have caught a few rock bass trolling for walleye  and I’ve always wondered if they’re  palatable

Fillet them like crappies. cook them the same and I would say very few people would know the difference.