# Anyone eat white bass?



## Bowhunter57 (Feb 9, 2011)

I've been in a few different pieces of water that held a good population of white bass and I've caught my share. However, I've always thrown them back because I just didn't consider them table fare.

Any bass can be eaten and with consideration to the waters that it's taken from, the taste could vary. Most of my encounters have been in local reservoirs.

How are white bass for eating?
Thank you, Bowhunter57


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## lang99 (Mar 6, 2009)

I grew up catching white bass on the sandusky river, they are a blast to catch but I never cared to eat them. You have to get them on ice quick or they become mushy.


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

Bowhunter57 said:


> I've been in a few different pieces of water that held a good population of white bass and I've caught my share. However, I've always thrown them back because I just didn't consider them table fare.
> 
> Any bass can be eaten and with consideration to the waters that it's taken from, the taste could vary. Most of my encounters have been in local reservoirs.
> 
> ...


They must be iced down immediately and eaten same day or the flesh turns to mush and it just pushes along your knife like toothpaste. Very strong fish taste to it if Ur into gamey stuff. However it seems most judge fish on 2 qualities 1.) the fish doesn't have a fishy smell or taste and 2.) clean, flaky filets that are solid. White bass don't have either quality. Then again people eat carp, catfish and drum so its just your individual taste but the vast majority don't like fishy tasting fish and WB are strong smelling and tasting. If u put a thick batter and seasonings its passable to some. 

Now comes all the guys who swear its better than walleye , yellow perch, mahi mahi etc. Yuck .


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

I've had them same day, fried like a walleye or perch. I thought they were pretty good. I was told that you need to eat them same day and can not freeze them as they turn yo mush...

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## leftfordead88 (Oct 22, 2007)

I've eaten tons of them, and froze them and eaten months later. Taste great to me


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## blackxpress (Nov 20, 2009)

We used to fish for them on the Tennessee River. We never put them on ice. Just put 'em in the livewell like any other fish. We froze plenty of them and never thought they were mushy. The trick to keeping them from tasting strong is to remove the lateral line before freezing and then freeze the filets in a zip lock freezer bag full of water.


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## mr.whiskers (Jul 19, 2009)

Kept a couple once jus to try em n they were a lil fishy but id eatem again


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

i eat 100,s of white bass. we use to go to dale hollow and fish for them in the spring when they made there run up the east fork of the obey river. the only way to have them as good table fare is to fillet them and then trim all the red meat off the back side of the fillet. they taste great if you clean them this way. we have fished all night and just put them on a stringer over the side of the boat. didnt hurt the meat at all. now this might not work in hot summer water, but in the spring the water is alot cooler.

when they was really good is after fishing all night then put them in a cooler with water and get home before they die. fillet them alive and fry them right then. but you still have to get that red meat off the back side of your fillet.
sherman


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## Angl3r (May 29, 2012)

I freeze them like perch and eat them I thought they were good couldn't tell the diffrnce


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## jason_0545 (Aug 3, 2011)

i like them also keep one and give it a try


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## oarfish (May 12, 2004)

I like the fishy flavor of some fish and white bass fillets are great smoked
when done right. Keeping them on tons of ice in the summer and putting them in the brine in the same day will keep the meat firm. Smoke them in the Bradley for 6-8 hrs. then let them cure in the fridge for a month or so.
Better than bacon in a sandwich.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

I only eat them in the Spring when the water is cold and the meat is firm....they are very good!
I soak all my fish overnight in sea salt, then rinse, cook or vacuum seal!
When the water gets warm, WB meat gets soft and mushy, I'll just catch and release until the next Spring!


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## legendaryyaj (Nov 1, 2005)

How many of you guys eat stocked trout? If you want to say white bass is mushy go try some stocked trout. I've eatin white bass and it's not mushy nor fishy at all. I'm normally not one to fish and eat my catch but I have tried most of the fish just to try and know.

The fillets look like tilapia fillets if you have never seen them. I use to be a sushi chef and it is not gamey nor is it mushy. I've had them fresh/frozen and then filleted and it's been fine with me. I can't tell the difference in any freshwater fish(besides catfish) that has been deep fried with batter as it all tastes the same.

I normally clean and put the fillets in milk or beer as I fillet then deep fry with Uncle Bucks batter from Bass Pro Shops.


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## NativeSteelhead (Jul 31, 2012)

Feed em to the dogs!!


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