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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135
Lunker
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OP
Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135 |
Now I am really going to show my ignorance. Although I don't doubt there would be disagreement - how would you rank the various pond fish for good eating? Seriously - I don't know due to lack of experience. I have a far north (Lake Erie) warm water pond (won't support trout).
How it's prepared is of course part of it, but please answer seriously. Here would be my guesses from very limited experience and "lore":
1. Smallmouth bass
2. Yellow Perch
3. Channel catfish
4. Largemouth Bass
5. Bluegill
the reason I ask is I was going to just put in some LMB and BG, and occasionally catch and release with the kids. since I found PB, I am becoming a pondoholic. At first I wanted a nice pond with a view, some wildlife and a place to swim. The fish were not important. Now I am planning on managing the fish population and eating a lot of them. So help me out here. also, as I am so dumb, I need advice on cleaning em too. As in - are some easy and some harder to clean? (I am lazy). I am wondering if I would be happier with SMB instead of LMB (based on taste).
I did subscribe so I am sure I will learn some of the answers from the magazine. I searched the archives but could not find any threads on taste comparisons or cleanability. The mag will also be a source of recipes - don't know if I can wait 2 or 3 years to start eating em.
2/3 acre pond 12 miles from that big pond we call Lake Erie.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,770 Likes: 303
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,770 Likes: 303 |
I think the first two on your list, OSR, are tasty, but the 'ole Walleye has to top the list, though it does not sound like too many of us have them in our ponds.
I hope to get a few this spring.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 821
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 821 |
Crappie - (for the perch jerkers) although not recommended for small ponds, Bluegill and then Catfish - I dont eat bass, but I sure like to catch 'em.
Gator
- Smoke 'em if you got 'em ![[Linked Image from i4.photobucket.com]](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/darnold01/Sheriff-Gator-Large.jpg)
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,065 Likes: 279
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,065 Likes: 279 |
Crappie, then black bass, then CC.
I like to catch bluegill but I don't eat them. I figure if they're big enough to eat, I need them in the pond. I expect to be a real minority on this.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,512 Likes: 270
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,512 Likes: 270 |
I have not had eyes or YP but have seen some pics and recipes that sounded great. Crappie and CC are very good as are tilapia. Next BG & RES are good and LMB are down the list for me. Never eaten a SMB.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 668
Member
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Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 668 |
Flathead catfish.
crappie
CC
I have never tasted walleye, I'm too far south.
The LMB is absolutely the worst tasting fish I have ever "tried" to eat.
Please no more rain for a month! :|
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1 |
From best..
1. Yellow Perch
2. Crappie
3. Bluegill
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135
Lunker
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OP
Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135 |
I have had SMB from a lake in Canada years ago. They were good. Maybe SMB would be a better choice than LMB considering the eating.
Anyinput on HSB? I was going to put some in for variety and fight. Assumed they would be good to eat.
2/3 acre pond 12 miles from that big pond we call Lake Erie.
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 115
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 115 |
1. Walleye
2. Perch
3. Rainbow
Its not how well you do something,
Its how well you look doing it!
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,994 Likes: 284
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,994 Likes: 284 |
Golden Shiner is simply THE best eating experience available in ponds. For those of you who may doubt me, I invite you to stop by and catch a couple hundred pounds worth out of my pond, take 'em home and prove me right (or wrong, remove 200 lbs of GShiners from my pond and I won't care).  :p  Walleye, YP, and BG I know ALL taste wonderful. Crappie I have not eaten in maybe 35 years, but I am prepared to add them to the above list based on public acclaim. Due to their respective sutiability in small ponds run by non-expert pondmeisters (I like to think I qualify as a non-expert), I would apply the following rankings: 1. BG 2. YP 3. Walleye 4. (Black) Crappie
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling ![[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ed/b5/e7/edb5e7f935843b996cf52be593c9ebd2--smoothie-smooth-collie.jpg)
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 234
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 234 |
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Crappie
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 93
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 93 |
As far as strictly pond fish around here:
1. BG/RE
2. CC
I also enjoy crappie, walleye, and sauger.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 66
Member
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Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 66 |
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Rainbow Trout
Northern Pike
Crappie
Bluegill
Channel Cat
Smallmouth Bass
Edward A Long
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 43
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 43 |
Is Theo serious about eating golden shiners? I may be missing out on something in our pond because I swear I’ve pulled G. shiners out of my pond that has to be around a pound. I’ve always considered them trash fish except for feeding the bass. While I’m on the subject we also have smallmouth buffalo and chain pickerel which seem to serve no useful purpose. By the way the pond is 80 acres with low retention, low alkalinity and low fertilization.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,994 Likes: 284
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,994 Likes: 284 |
Originally posted by prentissbo:
Is Theo serious about eating golden shiners? Wrong Question. Ask "Is Theo serious about anything?"
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 66
Member
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Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 66 |
prentissbo
I don't know about golden shiners, but I all the fish in the Esox family are excellent eating, including pickerel. They are a bit on the boney side though, takes practice cleaning, and you have to make sure the kids watch for bones because you may miss a couple. They are well worth the time and effort though. I had for got about pike and had to edit my previous post to add them :p
Edward A Long
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,239
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,239 |
1. Crappie
2. Flat head yellow cat (very large ones)
Sorry Yanks and Mountain folks your species taste, "too fishy" for us southern fried boys.
How to cookem.
Bring a large coffee can of Crisco to a boil on campfire or Coleman burner.
Drop in breaded cornmeal flat head fillets, as soon as they float to the top. grabbem and eatem.
Recommended tartar sauce “if you like it spicy”
Boiled eggs
Chopped fresh jalapeño peppers
Chopped onion
Lemmon juice
Miracle whip.
Insure sauce is chunky don’t put in to much mayo.
I'm surprised no one said Tilapia. I've been told they are great eating. I've also been told blue gills are better than crappie but yet to tryem. Plan to this year, may change my vote then.
 The road goes on forever and the party nevers end...............................................
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 105
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 105 |
My favorites: Bluegill,Smallmouth bass{the colder & clearer the water,the better},crappie,walleye, largemouth{but not in the summer from weedy ponds}.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2
Ambassador
Field Correspondent Lunker
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Ambassador
Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2 |
...the thought that anyone could possibly question Theo's sincerity: Is Theo serious about eating golden shiners? ...obviously has not read the absorbing journalistic feature penned by this renowned author (circulation 2690 and growing). A pertinent sample of this historical document follows: Golden Shriner (Notemigonis illuminatus) The Golden Shriner (GSR) is found in many American ponds and lakes, at least during warm weather months. While it would seem probable that GSR are present in these waters year-round, they have chiefly been observed on or near Summer holidays such as the 4th of July and Labor Day. Some authorities believe that GSR leave colder climates and migrate to Florida in the Winter.  Figure 3: The Golden Shriner RANGE: Located throughout the entire country, GSR tend to be concentrated in and around urban areas. APPEARANCE: Neat and dapper, the typical GSR appears aged but well preserved. The red bump that is invariably present on the head is a normal part of GSR physiology, not a parasite or tumor as is sometimes thought. SPAWNING: Despite years of research and study, GSR have never been observed exhibiting spawning behavior. The exact nature of GSR reproduction remains a mystery, compounded by the fact that only elderly male GSRs have ever been collected from the wild. Some researchers believe that GSR do not spawn at all, but rather recruit their members from other species of fish once they reach a certain social and economic status. DIET: The preferred GSR diet consists of highballs, dry martinis, prunes, and circus food. Although it gives them gas. STRUCTURE PREFERENCES: Antique fire trucks and 1/10 scale model aircraft. Knowing full well that this sampling will but whet the appetite of an inquiring mind, the entire presentation can be found at: Theo\'s "Believe it or Not" SHAME ON THE NON-BELIEVERS
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 823
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 823 |
BG
BC/WC
'Eyes
YP
FH (as in, Flatheads, not fatheads)
CC
In a lifetime, the average driver will honk 15,250 times. My wife figures I'm due to die any day now... 
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,365
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,365 |
Never tasted some of it.
Ranked by what I have tasted:
1a. BG
1b. Any Crappie
1c. Tilapia
2. Any Micropterus
5. Any Catfish**
** I like the taste of Catfish caught in clear, moving water almost as much as most scale fish.
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,721 |
I had some large mouth bass filets last week that were very good. I was surprised that they were because I had heard that they were fishy. My wife also cooked some pecan encrusted tilapia that was very good.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,994 Likes: 284
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,994 Likes: 284 |
I always thought LMB tasted OK (not great, but OK), just not as good a texture as BG (kinda mooshy).
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 31
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 31 |
I gotta confess, I like them all, and can't tell a difference in any of them. Fresh fillets are hard to beat.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135
Lunker
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OP
Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 135 |
I am hearing support for my idea that I might be happier with SMB than LMB - based on eating. Other than the cost more per each from the hatchery any down side? Such as, don't get as big, don't fight as hard, lower survival rates, form gangs and beat up on the littler fish?
2/3 acre pond 12 miles from that big pond we call Lake Erie.
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