March 30 - April 1 Crappie Trip

[Bill Babler]

Yep, Ryan I was careful with the 5 females I cleaned and ate the eggs.  Buddy Mark did not care for them.  As long as you keep the skein from breaking and do not cut into them they are pretty much pop free. Rolled them in Uncle Buck;s along with the fillets.  They are a bit grainy and have a distinct fish taste so they are different from the milder crappie fillet.

My mom always ate them.  She also never ate an entire crappie fillet if I remember correctly.  She had to have her's scaled and cooked whole. same way with Grandma, both said it totally ruined them to take out the bones.  There is for sure a  different flavor and at times I will scale and fry a whole one.  My buddy Mark likes them whole and so does his 88 year old dad, same as my mom.  Old School.

Mom also kept the crappie heads and roasted them with aromatic veggies.  She then put them in a pot and boiled the mixture.  Strained it and made some of the most beautiful clear fish broth you have ever seen.  She used it in lots of stuff.

I'm Old.