Isn't yellow perch the tastiest freshwater fish?

[cdkyle]

Around here I've always heard, Crappie are the best tasting fish caught locally. But remembering back, perch were easiest to catch, as long as you could get some worms.

 

[Jonok]

Commercial Perch from the US side of the Great Lakes have issues with sketchy commercial fishing practices which play heck with perch and walleye sport harvests.
Zander, which is essentially European sauger is often sold as “lake perch” at Friday fish frys, is delicious, sustainable and a heck of a lot cheaper than Canadian yellow perch (which is actually sustainably harvested)

 

[gmc2003]

I remember back when I was young you had to shuffle your feet while netting them, so you didn't crush any. They were that thick going upstream. The last time I went smelting. I caught more mud puppies then smelt. It has gotten so bad. Now there is a 25 fish day limit. Trout and salmon are ruining the population. It will never recover. NY. Among other great lake areas. Are more interested in tourism for the trout and salmon fishing.

Steve do you have bowfins in your area? They're a pretty good fighting fish for Champlain. Especially when your not ready/expecting them

Chris

 

[Steve H]

Steve do you have bowfins in your area? They're a pretty good fighting fish for Champlain. Especially when your not ready/expecting them

Chris

We have them here. I've caught them before. They do put up a scrappy fight alright!

 

[Steve H]

Around here I've always heard, Crappie are the best tasting fish caught locally. But remembering back, perch were easiest to catch, as long as you could get some worms.

Loved catching them at Lake Conway Arkansas. Used to live 50 feet from the shore. Nothing fancy though. Run down doublewide. But great times. Used to bring home 5 gallon buckets of slabs. And have a delicious fish fry.

 

[mr_whipple]

Love yellow perch. Growing up in SE Michigan it was a staple for AYCE fish fries at VFW, Knights of Columbus, Mason lodge etc etc. I ate so much of that stuff as a kid I'm surprised I didn't turn into one. Don't really fish for them here in Va, although there's no shortage of them, ya just gotta target them. Crappie are what most folks here fish for, and yes they are tasty! Not to start a fight about eating carp, but I'd eat that before even wanting to catch a bowfin, let alone eat the nasty beast.

 

[Steve H]

Love yellow perch. Growing up in SE Michigan it was a staple for AYCE fish fries at VFW, Knights of Columbus, Mason lodge etc etc. I ate so much of that stuff as a kid I'm surprised I didn't turn into one. Don't really fish for them here in Va, although there's no shortage of them, ya just gotta target them. Crappie are what most folks here fish for, and yes they are tasty! Not to start a fight about eating carp, but I'd eat that before even wanting to catch a bowfin, let alone eat the nasty beast.

I've had carp in Germany before. It was very darn good. Never had bowfin. Enjoyed catching them. But always released them.

 

[mr_whipple]

I've had carp in Germany before. It was very darn good. Never had bowfin. Enjoyed catching them. But always released them.

I hate catching them. They tear up my good tackle with those crazy teeth. I'm told the flesh is nasty and gelatinous. Not good eating at all. They do fight, but so do the pickerel that also interrupt my bass fishing.

 

[YooperSmoker]

Ya the smelt run in Port Huron isn't what it use to be on the St Clair river
we get small runs up here off of lake Superior
waiting for a good warm rain to get them going

Mike

 

[Steve H]

I hate catching them. They tear up my good tackle with those crazy teeth. I'm told the flesh is nasty and gelatinous. Not good eating at all. They do fight, but so do the pickerel that also interrupt my bass fishing.

They do rip up the gear. But I don't mind. As long as I'm not targeting a specific fish as you mentioned. A feisty Pickeral is always fun to catch on ultralight.

 

[atomicsmoke]

Scored 5 more lbs

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Ya the smelt run in Port Huron isn't what it use to be on the St Clair river
we get small runs up here off of lake Superior
waiting for a good warm rain to get them going

Mike

We would fill trash cans full on the St Clair river back in the day. I am from New Baltimore.

 

[gmc2003]

We don't eat bow's but when we get a small perch on the line and the bow's grab it. They can make the day interesting. They get tossed back. Carp, we use them for fertilizer. Sheephead the same except we take the stones out first.

Chris

 

[jcam222]

For me yellow perch is the best of the best fresh water fish. I love walleye too with bluegill right up there. Used to be able to go out in a boat with friends and catch hundreds. Limit is something like 30 now I think.

 

[Steve H]

We don't eat bow's but when we get a small perch on the line and the bow's grab it. They can make the day interesting. They get tossed back. Carp, we use them for fertilizer. Sheephead the same except we take the stones out first.

Chris

lol! I have a few of those in my tackle box!

 

[Steve H]

For me yellow perch is the best of the best fresh water fish. I love walleye too with bluegill right up there. Used to be able to go out in a boat with friends and catch hundreds. Limit is something like 30 now I think.

I'll keep larger Bluegills sometimes. They are quite good pan fried. Yellow perch limit in NY is 50 a day. With Seneca lake being one of the best places to catch them.

 

[fxsales1959]

Great lakes yellow perch in supermarkets in my area. My favorite freshwater fish is walleye, but i think yellow perch beats it, now that i had some again after while.

Simply fried in the pan. These are small fish...about 9-10 in a lb (fillet)
View attachment 631337

way back in the day, we sat on ice and fished thru a hole. we'd get 30-40 in no time. cleaned and friend in a black skillet. still can't forget, and i wasn't big fish guy back then.

 

[Steve H]

way back in the day, we sat on ice and fished thru a hole. we'd get 30-40 in no time. cleaned and friend in a black skillet. still can't forget, and i wasn't big fish guy back then.

I sold my ice fishing gear after a near miss. Broke through the ice. I was lucky that it was only about 4' deep. That was my wake up call. Used to have a blast though.

 

[3montes]

I consider perch and walleye to be about equal. If I don't look at the fillet and just eat it it's impossible to tell which it is. We go to Devils Lake in North Dakota every year right after New Years. We go on guided trips in Snow Bears perch/walleye fishing. Fish through the ice are the best. I stop fishing after the 4th of July or so. Besides I usually bring enough home from North Dakota to last until the next trip out there.

I don't fish just to fish like many do around here. Catch and release is a good practice but a DNR officer told me recently that up to 30% of fish released will most likely die.

A pic from our last trip. One days catch.

 

[Steve H]

I consider perch and walleye to be about equal. If I don't look at the fillet and just eat it it's impossible to tell which it is. We go to Devils Lake in North Dakota every year right after New Years. We go on guided trips in Snow Bears perch/walleye fishing. Fish through the ice are the best. I stop fishing after the 4th of July or so. Besides I usually bring enough home from North Dakota to last until the next trip out there.

I don't fish just to fish like many do around here. Catch and release is a good practice but a DNR officer told me recently that up to 30% of fish released will most likely die.

A pic from our last trip. One days catch.

View attachment 631586

You have some nice fatties there!