# Eating largemouth



## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

OK...first calm down and let me explain.

I am fishing an old private quarry that gets barely any pressure. It is full of bass and I am thinking too many. I catch dozens of them in the 8"-14" range. I have yet to see any bigger ones. 
So here are my two trains of thought:
1) there are simply too many bass. I also catch rock bass up to 10" and lots of 8-9" bluegills and a few crappie. So I am not sure if there are just too many top tier fish (bass) and that is why they are small. Obviously there are prey fish (small gills) or there wouldn't be the nice rockies and gills.

2) the big ones are in the deep parts of the quarry. It may go as far as 70' in some areas and in the 5-6' range in the areas I catch the other bass. I haven't seen any on beds yet but I am thinking if they are staying deep then I will see some hawgs when they spawn.

The quarry is a mature fishery, I fished it 30 years ago.

My 12 year old son said he wanted to try a shore lunch and I am debating on eating a few bass. How are they? I know bluegill would be a treat too. 

So thoughts?


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Not at the top of my list, but certainly worth the time to fillet.


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## Rivergetter (Jun 28, 2011)

They will eat real good if you early in the year. Kinda of mushy in the summer months. And there is nothing wrong with eating a few in 12-14 range. 


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## Bass_Hawg (Apr 12, 2004)

Sounds good. BUT. . . . you better invite me along just in case you need some help or something. . .


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## russ9054 (May 4, 2011)

They're good just like big blue gill IMO


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## Fish_Heads (Jun 2, 2008)

Every bit as good as Muskie so I hear !


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## Socom (Nov 3, 2005)

Don't apologize for anything, absolutely nothing wrong with eating a bass just like any other fish. Every now and then I will hook into one while fishing for crappie and bring it home. Fried up with the crappie, aside from the size of the fillet, you can't tell the difference. Just like anything, its all in how you cook it


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## JShort (Sep 16, 2011)

Go ahead and eat some, they are pretty good, just ONLY eat the ones in the 10-15 in. range. If you eat the larger ones you can ruin it, especially smaller privater places.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

I have no problems eating Bass in that circumstance...especially when they are chilled like RiverGetter pointed out!

My only problem with eating Bass is that some Creeks, Lakes, and Reservoirs have a hard time getting the Population established or maintained...I believe they should be Catch and Release only.
Most Lakes/Creeks in the North cannot sustain large fast growing populations of Bass like in the South!
Ponds and Pits are the exception and sometime need to be "culled" due to the lack of food or size restrictions!


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## dmaphukn (Apr 3, 2009)

is there any taste difference between smallmouths and largemouths?

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## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

Intimidator said:


> I have no problems eating Bass in that circumstance...especially when they are chilled like RiverGetter pointed out!
> 
> My only problem with eating Bass is that some Creeks, Lakes, and Reservoirs have a hard time getting the Population established or maintained...I believe they should be Catch and Release only.
> Most Lakes/Creeks in the North cannot sustain large fast growing populations of Bass like in the South!
> Ponds and Pits are the exception and sometime need to be "culled" due to the lack of food or size restrictions!


I think this area is in the "needs to be culled" stage.


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## RebelWithACause122 (Mar 29, 2011)

Honestly, I ate some bass this past weekend for the first time in over a decade. My uncle has a 2 acre pond that he built about 10 or 12 years ago. I just started fishing there about 3 years ago (I only go occasionaly, those farm ponds will spoil ya) and I was very impressed by the healthy distribution of fish (bluegills up to 10", bass of all sizes up to 5 pounds, catfish up to 12 pounds). However, last year, all the mid-sized bass... in the 15 to 18 inch range seemed much more scarce, and when I did catch them, they looked very thin... but the small 8 to 10 inch bass were so plentiful, you could just about catch one every cast, anywhere in the pond. I told my uncle it would be good to take some out... zero harvest of bass meant a lot of mouths to feed and they would all end up being stunted. So this past weekend, I got a couple friends, took our fishing gear, a portable propane grill, and a portable propane fryer, and went over there and "harvested" some of those 12-14" bass.

Everyone has different oppinions about fish taste... just like everyone has different oppinions about other tastes (my wife can't stand mushrooms, raw or cooked, but I enjoy them... I don't like spinnach, raw or cooked, but my wife eats it all the time). I personally think that bluegill, crappie, perch, and walleye (not to mention many saltwater species) are better tasting than bass, but that doesn't mean bass are bad. Some people can't tell the difference between them and other freshwater fish. Some think they are better than other fish. I also agree that the way you prepare them makes a difference, but even more of a difference is made by the size (as they get big, the taste degrades) and the time of year (spring when the water is cooler they'll taste better than mid summer through fall). I'd say, eat them if you like them... just do so responsibly.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

I agree 100%! 



RebelWithACause122 said:


> Honestly, I ate some bass this past weekend for the first time in over a decade. My uncle has a 2 acre pond that he built about 10 or 12 years ago. I just started fishing there about 3 years ago (I only go occasionaly, those farm ponds will spoil ya) and I was very impressed by the healthy distribution of fish (bluegills up to 10", bass of all sizes up to 5 pounds, catfish up to 12 pounds). However, last year, all the mid-sized bass... in the 15 to 18 inch range seemed much more scarce, and when I did catch them, they looked very thin... but the small 8 to 10 inch bass were so plentiful, you could just about catch one every cast, anywhere in the pond. I told my uncle it would be good to take some out... zero harvest of bass meant a lot of mouths to feed and they would all end up being stunted. So this past weekend, I got a couple friends, took our fishing gear, a portable propane grill, and a portable propane fryer, and went over there and "harvested" some of those 12-14" bass.
> 
> Everyone has different oppinions about fish taste... just like everyone has different oppinions about other tastes (my wife can't stand mushrooms, raw or cooked, but I enjoy them... I don't like spinnach, raw or cooked, but my wife eats it all the time). I personally think that bluegill, crappie, perch, and walleye (not to mention many saltwater species) are better tasting than bass, but that doesn't mean bass are bad. Some people can't tell the difference between them and other freshwater fish. Some think they are better than other fish. I also agree that the way you prepare them makes a difference, but even more of a difference is made by the size (as they get big, the taste degrades) and the time of year (spring when the water is cooler they'll taste better than mid summer through fall). I'd say, eat them if you like them... just do so responsibly.


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

I don't see a problem with that at all. Imo do it, the worst that can happen is you get some bones while eating them. 

promag


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Fish are food, have at it. Improve that private fishery and fill the belly at the same time. A Win-Win!!!


Sent from . . . off and over there.


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## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

my uncle has a 4 acre pond, when we noticed the average size was going down hill we did the same. We took out a total of around 150 Bass anywhere from 10-16"(took a month between us)... and we noticed a difference in the size within a few years. It works! After we were all done we got the turkey fryers going and had an extented family fish fry that fed well over 30 people.
I bet there are still some Bigguns in that quarry if its a deep one even now, i belive the next Ohio record will be out of a quarry like you describe... if you manage yours well, it may be from there! good luck with your culling, eat em up!


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## Harbor Hunter (Aug 19, 2007)

dmaphukn said:


> is there any taste difference between smallmouths and largemouths?
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


 Largemouth's taken out of most farm ponds,and a lot of shallower,weedy lakes tend to be somewhat mushy,and have a bit of a muddy taste to them.A smallmouth taken from a stream,or a deep clear lake have a much more firmer,and flakier texture,and I think they're very comparable to walleye in taste.The rule of thumb is the larger fish of either kind are less flavorful,bass between 12"-14'"would definitely be better quality.


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

Kudos to the other posters for not berating you. Your scenario reflects mine. I fish a 45 acre lake that gets fished regularly by 3 people. My dad fishes it the most as his retirement job is to maintain the land for its 87 year old owner. I fish it second most as I spend most of my days off on that lake. The third person who fishes it is a retired game warden (who knows things that blow my mind). Long story short, we all keep eater bass to benefit the lake. Outside of the three of us, there are occasional fishermen who get access but it's seldom.

In situations where fishing pressure is null, like the one you described, management is almost a necessity. Keeping some of those medium sized fish eliminates competition for food. 

For example, at the lake I fish, during this time of year, I can hook into a smaller bass and let it swim until it spits the hook, only to have a bigger one inhale my senko as soon as the smaller fish spits it. The bigguns aren't as desperate to eat as the youngsters who are absolutely starving for an easy meal. I've watched it happen for years via polarized sunglasses and sight fishing. The big ones are opportunists, and when the lake is loaded with bass, their opportunities are limited. 

I have never kept a bass from a public fishery, but by the same token, I have never left this private lake without a meal's worth of bass wrapped in aluminum foil.

My dad and I have also beer battered crappie, largemouth, and bluegill from this very lake and asked fellow fishermen friends to identify which species they were tasting. No one could tell the difference. This is an exceptionally clean lake with a location that allows for virtually no pollutants, but the fact of the matter is that the right sized bass in the right scenario is delicious.

I am 100% in favor of C&R on public waters, but in cases where a fishery receives little pressure, quite frankly it is irresponsible to throw them all back, and I'd rather eat them than throw them on the bank.

(For reference sake, I keep a tally of fish every time I go there. Last Sunday, I caught 81 fish. Of the 81, 59 were bass. Of the 59 bass, only two were in the 3 pound range. Because of poor previous management, the fish at this lake are mostly 1 to 2 pounders. Mind you, if managed properly as it was before the owner's husband passed away, this lake would hold 7 pounders. The cabin on the lake has one on each wall.)


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## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

jcustunner24 said:


> Kudos to the other posters for not berating you. Your scenario reflects mine. I fish a 45 acre lake that gets fished regularly by 3 people.)


Want to make it 4


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## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

too many small fish will ruin a fishery. however, you need to determine what is small and what is big for that particular fishery.

in jcus' case, if you are mowing through 60 bass and only 3 are 3lbers, that is the size you want to leave be. while removing the smaller fish.

if you are constantly catching fish in the 8-10" range, and a 14"er is the rarity, you dont want to remove the 14''.


just make sure your culling the right fish. it might suck filleting 8'' fish but it might be necessary in some cases and if your culling fish larger then that, you might be doing more harm then good.

again, not all fisheries are the same, you have to determine what size fish is choking the lake and cull accordingly


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## Burks (Jun 22, 2011)

I've talked to a few guys that bass fish the Shelby reservoirs and they say largemouth taste great! Supposedly those reservoirs are really full of bass (I've never caught one, but I've only targeted the trout for C&R). Some nice sized ones have been caught there.

One guy that fishes Galion does the same. To my fairly bass uneducated mind, that place needs culled a bit anyways. TONS of <1lb bass.


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## Harbor Hunter (Aug 19, 2007)

I always C&R also,I don't fish private lakes much,even though I own a good sized one.My experience when it comes to keeping and eating bass comes from my many trips to the Boundary Waters.Up there unless you enjoy powdered food,you save some of the fish you caught to eat.Mostly that means smallies and walleye's,we always catch a lot of pike too,but even though they're tasty,I don't much care for the zillions of bones.My pond doesn't really have any small bass in it,they would quickly become dinner for the big girls.Probably 95% of the bass both largemouth,and smallmouth's come directly from Lake Erie.I would guess I put maybe 10 to 15 in it each year.If any of them do attempt to spawn,I'm sure that any eggs that do survive to the fry stage are quickly gobbled up.Rarely,if ever do I see any under 3lbs.We have a hatchery truck regularly dump in shiners,and sometimes crawfish,and I have two aerators one at each end,so the fish are very healthy.I allow a couple of friends to fish it,and my grandkids fish it from time to time,but that's pretty much it.It's main purpose to me is sitting out on the back deck and listening to the frogs at night.


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

Harbor Hunter said:


> I always C&R also,I don't fish private lakes much,even though I own a good sized one.My experience when it comes to keeping and eating bass comes from my many trips to the Boundary Waters.Up there unless you enjoy powdered food,you save some of the fish you caught to eat.Mostly that means smallies and walleye's,we always catch a lot of pike too,but even though they're tasty,I don't much care for the zillions of bones.My pond doesn't really have any small bass in it,they would quickly become dinner for the big girls.Probably 95% of the bass both largemouth,and smallmouth's come directly from Lake Erie.I would guess I put maybe 10 to 15 in it each year.If any of them do attempt to spawn,I'm sure that any eggs that do survive to the fry stage are quickly gobbled up.Rarely,if ever do I see any under 3lbs.We have a hatchery truck regularly dump in shiners,and sometimes crawfish,and I have two aerators one at each end,so the fish are very healthy.I allow a couple of friends to fish it,and my grandkids fish it from time to time,but that's pretty much it.It's main purpose to me is sitting out on the back deck and listening to the frogs at night.


Nothing to add here really, other than you live one awesome life, my friend.


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

buckzye11 said:


> Want to make it 4


If it were up to me, sure. Since it's not, the line starts over............................................................................................................................











there.


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## Harbor Hunter (Aug 19, 2007)

Too bad you moved up to the Akron area(Ellet),you would be more than welcome to fish the pond.You still are anyway.BTW,I was just wondering if the pond you were talking about is owned by a guy named Clayton.It sounds like one I know around here.The best part of my life was getting to retire when I was 45,the bad part is all my closest friends still work-lol!


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## BASSINaDL (Aug 24, 2010)

Just throw a few otters in their. I fish a 25 acre farm pond in guernsey county. And the otters are everywhere. On a average 3 hour evening fishing, you would get 15-20 fish and would average 3-4 pounds, (18"-20"). And a couple 5-6 pounders. And last year two nine pounders were caught by the owner.
those otters really keep the smaller fish in check. And no body takes fish from their. 100 percent C&R


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## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

BASSINaDL said:


> Just throw a few otters in their. I fish a 25 acre farm pond in guernsey county. And the otters are everywhere. On a average 3 hour evening fishing, you would get 15-20 fish and would average 3-4 pounds, (18"-20"). And a couple 5-6 pounders. And last year two nine pounders were caught by the owner.
> those otters really keep the smaller fish in check. And no body takes fish from their. 100 percent C&R


ok...otters would just be too dang cool!


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

Harbor Hunter said:


> Too bad you moved up to the Akron area(Ellet),you would be more than welcome to fish the pond.You still are anyway.BTW,I was just wondering if the pond you were talking about is owned by a guy named Clayton.It sounds like one I know around here.The best part of my life was getting to retire when I was 45,the bad part is all my closest friends still work-lol!


The invite is great, and I may ask to take you up on the offer. As far as the "pond" I fish, it's a 45 acre lake in Aurora, Ohio. It's basically in the same back yard as Geauga Lake Park was. Roughly 10 minutes from there.

It's my utopia. The lake has a rudimentary cabin on it (with electric and running water) that is one room. Staying out there for a night is so incredibly relaxing it makes you forget about computers, cell phones, and television. I went out there a month ago and spent the evening by the fire with a clear night sky and an ice cold adult beverage. I actually slept half the night outside in the hammock. Once the coyotes woke me up, I decided it was a good idea to go inside. It's not a stretch to come across a fawn and her mother, a beaver sharpening it's teeth, or even a bald eagle searching for an easy lunch. It is a great time.


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## Harbor Hunter (Aug 19, 2007)

That's cool,that area is dotted with a bunch of natural pot hole lakes like that.The lake I thought you may have been referring to is on the SE side of Mansfield not far from Lucas.There was two reasons that I thought that may be the place,one because a former Richland County Game Warden fishes there on occasion,and two it's 40+acres.


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