Who Eat Sunfish?

[MikeyMikey]

Hello.

Just wondering if anyone enjoy eating sunfish (Bluegill) ?

If so what is the best way to cook it ?

(just fry it? just like every fish?)

 

[ec1]

you know what? Frying is actually pretty good. i would have to admit its not as good as frying crappie or walleye, but theyre a good fish to eat.

If you really wanna try something different, my family makes soup out of it. it is a yellowish coloured soup with tofu and ginger in it. If you want the instructions on how to make it, i will have to ask in about it for you

 

[kennyhman]

i've never liked eating sunfish, but my parents love it. they would usually fry it or use it to make sweet/sour soup for more flavour.

 

[idesign]

Sunfish 1 of my favorite.very tasty.specially when you fry with spices on and eat with rice & curry.
there is only 1 problem.lots of bones & hard to clean.

 

[frozenfire]

i never really touch sunfish. not saying i haven't tried though. the meat is more hard compared to that of walleye or crappie. less tender.

if you're asian, like i am, then you're going to have family that makes soup out of them haha.

 

[Jitterbug]

tried it once just for the heck of it.......didnt like it......no didnt like it

 

[bahk7]

I tried it before, but just to many bones then meat. My family also had made soup out of it, but they prefer catfish instead for hot/sour soup.

 

[Spinninreel]

With all the bones, and so little meat, I don't bother eating them.

 

[MikeyMikey]

With all the bones, and so little meat, I don't bother eating them.

You just need to catch more than :twisted:

 

[Barrakkuda]

As with virtually all freshwater fish...

...you have to fillet them -no need to scale,or even gut them -the classic fillet style or the Canadian version will work- no bones as you remove the rib cage as the second step.The sunfish do have to be at least a 1/4 of a pound and the meat is quite good with salt/pepper ,a dusting of flour ,milk or egg wash and a final bread crumb coating-about 2-3 teaspoons of vegetable oil in pan ,heat till hot -cook about 45 secs per side-savoury,toothsome and nutritious ...no left overs.Bluegills,Pumpkinseeds all taste the same and in my opinion it's the slime coat on freshwater fish that gives it the often objectionable,"weedy,muddy" flavour that so often taints the good meat inside.I also don't eat the belly meat and if the fish is large enough I also remove the reddish/brown dark-strp of the lateral line on the fillet as those 2 parts contain most if not all of any pollutants/contaminants. :twisted:

 

[McLean]

Wow, great info Barrakkuda. I dont think I will actually go try a sunfish, but if I was ever really hungry and had to eat them i would. I think I'll stick with my walleye fillets and the odd trout from the farm, always a safe bet.

 

[kennyhman]

...you have to fillet them -no need to scale,or even gut them -the classic fillet style or the Canadian version will work- no bones as you remove the rib cage as the second step.The sunfish do have to be at least a 1/4 of a pound and the meat is quite good with salt/pepper ,a dusting of flour ,milk or egg wash and a final bread crumb coating-about 2-3 teaspoons of vegetable oil in pan ,heat till hot -cook about 45 secs per side-savoury,toothsome and nutritious ...no left overs.Bluegills,Pumpkinseeds all taste the same and in my opinion it's the slime coat on freshwater fish that gives it the often objectionable,"weedy,muddy" flavour that so often taints the good meat inside.I also don't eat the belly meat and if the fish is large enough I also remove the reddish/brown dark-strp of the lateral line on the fillet as those 2 parts contain most if not all of any pollutants/contaminants. :twisted:

you make it sound really good.. mm.. lol

 

[MikeyMikey]

Wow, great info Barrakkuda. I dont think I will actually go try a sunfish, but if I was ever really hungry and had to eat them i would. I think I'll stick with my walleye fillets and the odd trout from the farm, always a safe bet.

I don't care to live extra few years in my life.

 

[pogon02]

Never tried them when using live bait and catching them I consider them nuisance fish... There does not appear to be enough meat on these fish to eat so I usually let them go.

I once caught a pike that had a sizable sunfish in it's stomach.

 

[Barrakkuda]

Thanks for those kind words...

...but I'm not kidding ,sunfish,perch and catfish can be all prepared this way and it's very good-not just when "I'm starving and I've got to eat it or else....".In many parts of the states sunfish is a very well sought after for its sporting and culinary qualities.As a shore lunch fresh off the lake/pond/river with some bannock bread and some fruit-an excellent shore lunch-a "Coleman" type stove is the way to go as a wooden fire is much harder to heat-control especially for the inexperienced.Just bring the premixed flour and salt/pepper mix in ziploc type bag,egg/milk in plastic food container(long size for breading),premix bannock bread-all cooked in about 15-20 minutes.all good time had by all-just keep in mind about clean waters-clean fish and remove belly meat and lateral line.Enjoy!!!

 

[McLean]

hmm, ya it actualy sounds good. I remember a family friend back home that had a stiocked pond of mudcat, man they were great eating, and soooo easy to clean with a pair of pliers the skin just fly's off. That was one of my favorite fish to eat but tis been years since I have had one, and although i have caught a tons, its not worth eating one from around here. I have seen some pretty funky looking things growning on them, and the though grosses me out. Maybe from a lake way up north, or something but not around the GTA.
good to catch, though
Chris

 

[Barrakkuda]

You are right about the questionable quality..

.. of some the the areas around the GTA but i don't think one has to go way ,way north (after all there is pulp and paper mills ,septic tanks,farm runoffs etc everywhere)I always try to look at the "Ontario Sports Guide to Eating Fish"and I always check my catch if I want to eat it-such things as open sores,sickly eyes,obvious parasitic infestation(eg.Pike /musky have a disease called lymhosarcoma-a tumourous disease).Also it's a good habit not to eat the largest of your catch as they often are the oldest and the most successful predator -they will have the highest amount of accumulated toxins/pollutants in their systems.That is not to say a jumbo perch of 1lb + is bad but I would think twice about eating a 30 lb pike(aside from the obvious value of releasing this superior specimen to breed)also a fish's toxins are often most concentrated in the fatty tissues of the belly and the darkish red lateral line.Think about that next time the wife/girlfriend wants to eat tuna belly sashimi-I don't as a matter of choice.I also clean catfish that way-with pliers and fillet knife-good eating.

 

[McLean]

Very true, I am a firm believer in pictures and releasing. I have fiberglass mold at my cottage of a 7lbs largemeouth that a guy did with a couple measurements and pics. The big ones are greatto look at but think of it this way, if its that big when you caught it. how much bigger will it get in a couple years, and what kind of spawn will it give to the waters your fishing. Catch and release is a great thing, but every once in awhile if I caught a fish out of a body of water i felt safe eating from I would keepthe odd 2-3pounder.
Chris