Green Sunfish

[zthomas]

Glad to be the catalyst for such an interesting discussion. Never eaten a GS, but I guess I better try them sometime.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Glad to be the catalyst for such an interesting discussion. Never eaten a GS, but I guess I better try them sometime.

I have know of people who would eat 2 and 3" GS. They would gut them, bread them and deep fry them to crispy. It was said the the bones would soften to nothing, at least that is what was said, but take it with a dose of salt.

[drew03cmc]

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.

Very good point Al. I know 'seeds aren't common, but they are present, much like the warmouth. It is a very cool looking fish regardless of who his parents are.

[Tim Smith]

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.

More than once I've had flavor issues with green sunfish. Mixed in with bluegill for a fish fry they didn't compare favorably and tended to be the last fillets taken from the plate. They were still edible and better than most grocery store fare.

[Tim Smith]

FT- that black spot on the dorsal makes me think yours is a bluegill x green sunfish hybrid. Cool fish.

Bluegill and greens both have a dark spot there on the soft dorsal.

[Tim Smith]

These are my favorite!!!!

For size and flavor I have to agree. Redear/shellcrackers are the bomb.

[Chief Grey Bear]

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.

I like to add a little flour, just a little, and some paprika. Really adds to the flavor of the fish in my opinion.

[Al Agnew]

I like to add a little flour, just a little, and some paprika. Really adds to the flavor of the fish in my opinion.

Thanks, I'll have to try the paprika!

[techo]

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.

Take them out of the paper bag prior to dropping in the deep fryer!

You just never know!

[junkman]

Over here on the west side of Missouri we as well call them black perch. I actually never herd them called green till reading this post. we always catch then in the farm ponds and they seen to be more on the black side then the green. I will have to take a picture of a pumpkin seed perch one of these days and post it.