Who here eats species other than the common ones (walleye, pike, perch, crappies, salmon, trout, bluegills, etc)?
Thinking about trying some of the “other species” this spring and broadening my pallet.
Any recipes or tips appreciated!
Carp – through the ice or while running up creeks to spawn in cold water Bony but good smoked.
Many years ago a college German professor prepared “Karpfen blau” called blue carp in English. It’s a traditional German holiday dish. Pretty good but not something I wanted to make on my own.
Whitefish also outstanding smoked.
Small LMB are good. I’ve ground up suckers and made fish patties that were good. I’ve had good rock bass. I filleted up some small drum (aka sheepshead) once, and they were surprisingly good.
I chatted with a guy on a fishing pier once who was targeting bowfin. He swore they were delicious. I’ve never tried one.
If you have an open mind and ignore the “purists”, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
I on occasion will keep and cook a smaller channel catfish.
Catfish is a very commonly consumed fish in parts of the south. I’ve had it a few times and it was pretty good. I’ve never actually caught a catfish myself though. The couple of times I had it was courtesy of someone else who had caught and prepared it. Most fish generally taste better out of cold/cooler water too, regardless of what species it is.
Friend of mine speared a carp last winter, I kept it and fried it, was bony but tasted like fried pork…not good enough to eat but not bad
I like White Bass. Filet them like any other fish, and then cut off the “blood vein” along the lateral line. It’s dark red and obvious. I think they taste pretty good.
SR
Punkinseeds are ok coming out of deeper water. Shallow water they go back. And yes there rib cage is tougher to get around.
I tried white bass and drum last spring out of cold Sippi water. not really worth it with all the red meat to cut out. its ok but firmer than I would prefer. I will stick to eyes, pike and panfish. have never tried Bass but would out of cold water. probably really good?
MOST any kind of game is amazing, if it’s handled properly and prepared right
Who here eats species other than the common ones (walleye, pike, perch, crappies, salmon, trout, bluegills, etc)?
Actually none of the fish listed by the OP as “common” even make the top ten of the most common fish species consumed in North America.
With Catfish being #4 on the list of most consumed (here in North America), the number of pounds of catfish consumed far exceeds the number of pounds for the species listed in the original post.
In a world wide ranking of the “BEST TASTING FISH”, Catfish comes in #15 on a top 25 list.
We eat plenty of bass. It’s what our lake provides, so when we want a fish fry, that’s what we’ve usually got. Soak them in buttermilk for a few hours and they’re just fine deep fried. I don’t usually do bass if i’m baking the filets though.
Bass get them on ice right away they are good any time of year, catfish, smelt and yes bullheads, no I am not from Iowa, I hate filleting them or I would probably fish for them-
My grandma loved bullheads. Suckers pickled or smoked for me. Just wish I had access to getting them.
Bass get them on ice right away they are good any time of year, catfish, smelt and yes bullheads, no I am not from Iowa, I hate filleting them or I would probably fish for them-
awe gawd, living near the horseshoe chain, i musta ate a million bullheads…..but 95% of them were smoked!!!!!!
i have a friend who’s kid goes out in the spring withthe suckers running gets a bunch, he smokes them then makes a canned sucker……i’ve had some, whatever he does to them makes it takes like tuna!!!!!
bass…..meh…… they either get pickled or given to my stepdad….jhe’s from wisconsin.i guess they’ll eat anything!!!! 
Musky are good especially on the grill in vermouth! Hold on you asked I am just answering the ?
I have tried sheephead, just to see how it would be.
It wasn’t bad, kind of extra firm and chewy, but the flavor was ok.
Musky are good
X2
Kept a few in the late 70s icefishing. It was a handful of years after their first stocking in Lake Minnetonka. Legal size back then was 30″ and the two we kept were 31″-33″. We baked them. A lot whiter flesh then northern.
Who here eats species other than the common ones (walleye, pike, perch, crappies, salmon, trout, bluegills, etc)?
Thinking about trying some of the “other species” this spring and broadening my pallet.
Any recipes or tips appreciated!
for the amount of walleyes I catch it’s considered a less common species. 
Smelt, bullhead, tulibee, whitefish, rockbass, smallies and catfish in cold water.
Mama didn’t raise no fool…
For the most part, if it does not taste good you just need to find another way to cook it.
Too many today have no clue about yesteryear and will turn up their nose w/o a second thought.
I’ve eaten musky, tastes like pike.
For Cats :soak in buttermilk, combine cornmeal and cajun or whatever spice you like-oh cube the cat fillets-fry in a generous amount of peaunut oil. yum.
I do this outside on the grill, smell is strong use my Dutch oven or cast iron pan. Oh and if you are cooking bullhead or fresh smelt I’ll be right over with whatever beer you want!
Hard to beat a meal of ice out bullheads! Kids and I have 1 or 2 meals every spring
Big creek chubs from cold trout streams. Tastes like crappie.
UGH, Bullheads – the fish that flips itself! I was ice fishing in OT county a few years ago with friends and we caught a couple out of a clean lake so we thought, why not? Icy, clean water and the Iowans talk about them like we talk about Walleye. Well we skinned them out, breaded them up and in the pan they went. No lie, that headless meat was twitching like we just got it off the hook and finally it gave one last ghostly kick and rolled itself over in the pan. I just couldn’t bring myself to eat it and there’s not a lot I wont eat. I’m sure it’s good, but none for me, thanks.
No lie, that headless meat was twitching like we just got it off the hook and finally it gave one last ghostly kick and rolled itself over in the pan.
Smoked tullibee and this recipe is one of my absolute favorite’s. If you aren’t comfortable smoking them, your local butcher might be able to help you out. It’s been a few years since I got a mess of them, but I brought them to Thielen’s in Little Falls and it was a $1/pound for them to brine and smoke which was fair. I did the same with 5 pounds at a Von Hanson’s that was closer to my house, and it was crazy expensive like $6+/lbs.
Most other rough fish are pretty good if smoked or prepared correctly. Tried white bass from the St. Croix last year, and they were mushy. But I’m up for any and all variations of fish and preparations.
Surprised catfish were listed under less common species. They are one of the top fished for and eaten in the US. Most grocery stores sell them and many resturants have on menue. I catch many incidentally while fishing for walleye.Key to good catfish is to get rid of any fat from fillet and cooked properly at 175F. Will take longer than some other fish due to high moisture content of meat.Good for use with spicy cajun, chinese dishes etc.milder flavored fish get lost in. I have smoked carp, buffalo, bullheads and many game fish. Buffalo is my favorite to smoke if I can get a clean lite colored female. Ate a few LM bass years ago and did not like them. May try a SM some day. Will keep white bass anytime I catch them. Meat has a more course texture than walleye but is good if you remove all red meat. Many people eat drum (sheepshead) mainly because they are everywhere and easy to catch.Probably OK like most fish if cleaned properly and cooked right.
@joescegura – tell me again about Rock Bass. I think you had a client get you to try some a few years ago. Any more experience and are they still good? We seem to run into a lot of them up at “Sally” Warfield’s cabin. I’m having a hard time talking him into trying some ~
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