# Eat rock bass?



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Why does it seem like no one eats rock bass?

I see lots and lots of nice chunky rock bass in the river while snorkeling but I don't know a single person who deliberately catches and eats them.

This is the fish I'm talking about.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/rockbass/index.html


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

We catch them and eat them just like sunnies and blue gills. Fish for them about the same way too.

 Al


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

We're allowed 30 per day. I'll bet that I could get 20 out of just one hole in the river and they are all chunky looking.

I know a place where they concentrate in the spring where a person could get 30 almost as fast as you could take them off the hook and rebait.

I may try fishing the river holes through the ice this winter.


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## Back2Basix (Dec 24, 2015)

My experience with most lake bass of any kind has been very "fishy" compared to bluegill, crappie, and perch


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Here we are allowed 15 I believe over 8 inches long and we eat them and Suckers out of the river along with Trout. Can only catch 1 Small Mouth Bass 15 inches long.

big rockpile


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I guess that I'm just going to have to catch some and fry them up like crappies.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Back2Basix said:


> My experience with most lake bass of any kind has been very "fishy" compared to bluegill, crappie, and perch


I'm not that fond of eating largemouth bass either. I've heard that smallmouth are very good though.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

WELL DA, fish are fish and as a result fishy. Also depends on where caught and how they were cared for.

I fish for smallies a lot but that is what is in a lot of thre beaver ponds I fish other than Pike.

I keep mine on ice except when in the big boat then I run the airator and keep the live wells full of clean cool water.

 Al


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

I always preferred them to bluegill/sunfish or smallmouth for eating. We call them redeyes here, but have heard them called rock bass. They do like rocks, and if you find them in rocks, the little ones will take whatever you are fishing with into a tiny rock crevice and snag you up good if you leave line slack for any length of time.


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

Caught tons of them in the big piney while stationed in Missouri, I don't think there were many that didn't go to the house and ate for dinner. Second, I lived in Minnesota for a jag, if it ain't walleye, perch, or crappie they won't eat it.....most anyway.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

We also call them red eye most times.

. Al


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

Rock bass make good tomatoes. If one gets fried in with the bluegills, I can always tell the difference when I taste it. Too "fishy" for my taste, just my own opinion. Lot of times they will be grubby to the point where it's not worth it to clean one. They make good compost, though...

geo


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Here we call them Goggle Eye. They change the Length Limit here to 8 inches on them, so if Legal they are pretty good size.

big rockpile


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## Back2Basix (Dec 24, 2015)

geo in mi said:


> Rock bass make good tomatoes. If one gets fried in with the bluegills, I can always tell the difference when I taste it. Too "fishy" for my taste, just my own opinion. Lot of times they will be grubby to the point where it's not worth it to clean one. They make good compost, though...
> 
> geo


Amen. With the amount of salmon, steelhead, trout, perch, crappie, and bluegill available to catch in my area, why waste the time on a bass of any kind.

1.5 hrs on lake Michigan and we brought 100lb of king salmon back with us.


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## mustangglp (Jul 7, 2015)

We ate a few last year when we were in Missouri they were fun to catch a bit on the bony side.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Oh we catch Big Fish and Little Goggle Eye


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I would fish with my Father in law right after ice out and catch a bunch of big chunky Rockbass. Coming out of that cold water they made an incredible fish fry. I can't stand fish with a "fishy" taste, but that was not a problem with them.


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

Rockbass are great eating fish...to say you can notice them in a batch of fried fish is ok, but they are fine table fair....to exploit your wealthy fishing endeavors and make panfish less than stellar in your book, should stay their...I'm not impressed one bit.

be


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## mustangglp (Jul 7, 2015)




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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I know a place where the rock bass congregate about the time the crappies are spawning. I'll bet that a lot of them are 3/4 lb. We don't own the property any more but I'm sure that I can find some similar spots or just come in by lake.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

We eat the heck out of rock bass. Just fillet them like I do bluegill or crappie and fry them up the same.
I don't find that they taste any different. They do have big rib cages, so you don't get much meat on outside of ribs, but the meat along backbone is generally thicker than bluegill.

Just like Alleyooper said, it's best to always ice down fish that you are intending to eat. I keep a cooler of ice in the boat then throw them in soon as caught. The meat stays better and they firm up and fillet easier. Can leave them on ice 24 hours or more before cleaning if you need to also. Only time I'll use the livewell is when water is pretty cool, otherwise they tend to die in there.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

They spawn in Oak Orchard Creek around apple blossom time. I've been there with my son and we would nail a hundred of them in a days fishing. They love beetlespins.


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## TraderBob (Oct 21, 2010)

Kidding right? I don't know anyone who doesn't like them. We catch a couple hundred and put em in the smokehouse. mmmmm good


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

my son caught a whole bunch years ago. I tried them once. found them too bony and didn't like the taste at all. used them for fertilizer. depends on your taste. I grew up on salmon,halibut,haddock and the like. ~Georgia


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Around here you can't use them compost because they are Game Fish.

Here we have few fish we can catch up here because of cold water. We catch Rainbow and Brown Trout. Goggle Eye, Bluegill, Small Mouth Bass, Black Bass. Most fish caught are Redhorse and Hog Molly Suckers.

The Suckers are caught on Rod and Reel but from September 15- January 31 people Gig them from Sundown until Midnight.

big rockpile


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## mustangglp (Jul 7, 2015)

newfieannie said:


> my son caught a whole bunch years ago. I tried them once. found them too bony and didn't like the taste at all. used them for fertilizer. depends on your taste. I grew up on salmon,halibut,haddock and the like. ~Georgia


We catch halibut and albacore out here compared to fresh halibut or albacore most fresh water fish not to tasty.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

I like rock bass out of cold water.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

I like catching them but most people hate Muskie as far as eating. Know a Guy that kills all he catches.

big rockpile


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

I like catching them but most people hate Muskie as far as eating. Know a Guy that kills all he catches.

big rockpile


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