Rock bass for eating...

[rich_ace_G]

I've been catching a lot of rock bass lately. They are bigger than sunnies. On average is 3/4Lbs to 1.5lbs slabs. Yesterday I was fishing side by side another dude and he seems to be keeping his catches as I was tossing mine back. Then he asked if he can have my catches of rock bass. I gave him 4. He said they're good to eat deep fried. Has anyone tried rock bass? I heard they get worms easy so i never tried.

 

[salmotrutta]

Italo did an episode on them. I think he simply gutted and scaled them. If it was me, I would cook them in a pressure cooker, so I could eat the bones as well and not worry about picking around them.

 

[MuskieBait]

Depends on the water where I get them. Deeper, clearer, and colder lakes, they are great and not always wormy. If you get them out of warmer lakes and rivers, they usually have those black spot parasites.

Even in Algonquin Park, I've caught Rockbass with black spot parasites on them.

But...those black spots won't hurt you if you thoroughly cook the fish. I've eaten some with those black spots in them. The parasites does not affect the taste.

In good waters, Rock Bass are great eating. I'd rather keep a few 3/4lb to 1lb Rockbass than a 2lb Smallmouth. They just taste better.

 

[[email protected]]

With any fish, depends on what the water is like, warm water bass gets a little wormy and doesn't taste all that great, but bass that come from deep lakes with cold water are great tasting.

rock bass can get pretty large, my buddy caught a 17" rock bass through the ice on scugog this past winter, just be sure to get all the little pin bones out, use your knife and run it both ways up the centre line, then use a pair of small needle nose pliers and pick em out

 

[usernamehere]

Tried all the fish around here except carp, goldfish, american eel and "minnows". Catfish, all panfish, all "bass", drum, pike, trout, salmon, had them all. Only one i remotely liked was a sweet/sour largemouth. Now i dont eat fish from around the city. they have a weird taste to them.

Havnt eaten a wormy one. at least i dont think i have. :unsure:

 

[classic drifter]

Tried all the fish around here except carp, goldfish, american eel and "minnows". Catfish, all panfish, all "bass", drum, pike, trout, salmon, had them all. Only one i remotely liked was a sweet/sour largemouth. Now i dont eat fish from around the city. they have a weird taste to them.

Havnt eaten a wormy one. at least i dont think i have. :unsure:

i usually check under the gill plate if im keeping any fish, see worms on em, send em back, most of the time dropbacks and post spawned steel and boot salmon, is where i find them the most, and on some walleye, the odd one, never saw it in smallies at least where i fish for em, and yes sweet and sour smallies is king specially when done right!

 

[Alfiegee]

Tried all the fish around here except carp, goldfish, american eel and "minnows". Catfish, all panfish, all "bass", drum, pike, trout, salmon, had them all. Only one i remotely liked was a sweet/sour largemouth. Now i dont eat fish from around the city. they have a weird taste to them.

Havnt eaten a wormy one. at least i dont think i have. :unsure:

Ya don't try the American Eel. There is no open season for them.

Alfie.