flytyer57 Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 I don't mind eating panfish. I just don't like being out fishing all day and then have to clean a mess of fish when I get home. There's a fine line between fishing and sitting there looking stupid.
Sam Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 I've known them as Black Perch all my life - I only found out they're "Green Sunfish" a few years ago. They're one of my favorite fish too, especially for sight fishing. If you see one, you can catch it. They do cross with other species - I took this picture a few years ago after a trip to Bull Shoals. The fish at the bottom is a Black Perch, and I'm pretty sure the one at top is a Black Perch/Bluegill cross - this one had orange-tipped fins like a Black Perch and a lot of blue around the gills. I also dislike cleaning a bunch of fish after a long day's fishing, but I found the cure for that several years ago. When we get home I take the fish out of my live well and put them in doubled plastic bags from the grocery store, then I tie a knot in the top of the bag and put it in my garage refrigerator. The fish are soon dead, and I guess dying from cold is more humane than most ways. Next morning when the fishing gear is put away and I'm rested, I clean fish. The meat sets up hard from the cold, they're not very slimy, and they're a whole lot easier to clean after spending a night in the 'fridge. The fish are just as good as far as we can tell - maybe even better because the filets are more solid and hold together better for frying.
Guest Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 I can't imagine anybody not liking to eat members of the sunfish family, though I know some don't. Fillet 'em so you don't have to mess with bones, dip fillets in a mixture of egg and milk, toss them into a paper bag with salted and heavily peppered cornmeal and shake them a bit, and drop them into a deep fryer for just enough time to make the meat flaky. Don't over-fry! And don't use all those fish fry seasoning mixes, they just take away from the nice, clean taste of the fish. Bluegill, green sunfish, goggle-eye, crappie, and SMALL bass, less than 14 inches long and optimally less than 12 inches. And take care of them before you clean them. Either keep them alive until filleting, or put them on ice as soon as you catch them. And when freezing, freeze them in a container full of water. It's worth the trouble to clean them, as far as I'm concerned. dam, I'm gettin hungry
tjulianc Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 I've known them as Black Perch all my life - I only found out they're "Green Sunfish" a few years ago. They're one of my favorite fish too, especially for sight fishing. If you see one, you can catch it. They do cross with other species - I took this picture a few years ago after a trip to Bull Shoals. The fish at the bottom is a Black Perch, and I'm pretty sure the one at top is a Black Perch/Bluegill cross - this one had orange-tipped fins like a Black Perch and a lot of blue around the gills. I also dislike cleaning a bunch of fish after a long day's fishing, but I found the cure for that several years ago. When we get home I take the fish out of my live well and put them in doubled plastic bags from the grocery store, then I tie a knot in the top of the bag and put it in my garage refrigerator. The fish are soon dead, and I guess dying from cold is more humane than most ways. Next morning when the fishing gear is put away and I'm rested, I clean fish. The meat sets up hard from the cold, they're not very slimy, and they're a whole lot easier to clean after spending a night in the 'fridge. The fish are just as good as far as we can tell - maybe even better because the filets are more solid and hold together better for frying. I do basically the same thing, except I keep my fish in gallon ziplocks, and just pick up an extra bag of ice on the way home from fishing, and keep them in the ice chest. I agree, its a lot easier cleaning them the next day after a full days fishing.
Sam Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 We do about the same thing then. I leave the fish swimming in my live well when the weather and the lake water are cool. My driveway is pretty steep so if it's not too warm I drive home from fishing, park with the back of the boat downhill, drain the livewell, and put the fish in plastic bags for the 'fridge. When it's hot and the lake water is warm I stop at a convenience store and get a bag of ice. In warm weather I take along an old ice chest, put the fish in there in the store parking lot, and ice 'em down. In that case I don't use the refrigerator when I get home, there's always still ice on the fish the next morning when I clean them. I did that once north of Springfield coming back from Stockton. I parked the boat out in a far corner of a convenience store parking lot, bought a bag of ice, pulled the live well pipe, and was moving my fish into the ice chest. The guy from the store came out yelling at me "Hey, you can't dump that in my parking lot!". I told him "It's WATER. Doesn't it ever rain on your parking lot?". Boy - people, sometimes.
drew03cmc Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 I've known them as Black Perch all my life - I only found out they're "Green Sunfish" a few years ago. They're one of my favorite fish too, especially for sight fishing. If you see one, you can catch it. They do cross with other species - I took this picture a few years ago after a trip to Bull Shoals. The fish at the bottom is a Black Perch, and I'm pretty sure the one at top is a Black Perch/Bluegill cross - this one had orange-tipped fins like a Black Perch and a lot of blue around the gills. I also dislike cleaning a bunch of fish after a long day's fishing, but I found the cure for that several years ago. When we get home I take the fish out of my live well and put them in doubled plastic bags from the grocery store, then I tie a knot in the top of the bag and put it in my garage refrigerator. The fish are soon dead, and I guess dying from cold is more humane than most ways. Next morning when the fishing gear is put away and I'm rested, I clean fish. The meat sets up hard from the cold, they're not very slimy, and they're a whole lot easier to clean after spending a night in the 'fridge. The fish are just as good as far as we can tell - maybe even better because the filets are more solid and hold together better for frying. Sam, that appears to be a green sunfish/pumpkinseed cross more than a bluegill/greenie cross, but I am an amateur biologist at best. Andy
Al Agnew Posted June 5, 2011 Posted June 5, 2011 Sam, that appears to be a green sunfish/pumpkinseed cross more than a bluegill/greenie cross, but I am an amateur biologist at best. I agree it doesn't look much like a green/bluegill cross, but there aren't many places in this region where there are pumpkinseeds. I've caught some that looked just like that...definitely part green sunfish, but it's hard to say what the other part is...could even be part warmouth.
OzarksRiverman Posted June 5, 2011 Posted June 5, 2011 From the Little Sugar. Biggest GS I've ever seen. I'm 6'7 so you have to take into account my hand is pretty big.
Wayne SW/MO Posted June 5, 2011 Posted June 5, 2011 but it's hard to say what the other part is...could even be part warmouth. I've never caught a Warmouth, don't venture into their territory, but the markings on the hybrid are about what I would look for, along with a slightly different shape. I suppose a biologist would have to tell us if it is even a possibility? Today's release is tomorrows gift to another fisherman.
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