White Bass in Kings

[Steve Smith]

Soaking in Milk or buttermilk draws the blood out too.

[Sam]

I figure white bass taste the way they do because of what they eat - shad.

Any time I have to handle a shad, I can't get the smell off my hands for the rest of the day.

In the past few years I've taken to throwing white bass over 14" back, they're just too strong-tasting. I've tried cutting off all the red meat, but we're spoiled by lots of crappie filets and the white bass just don't compare for flavor.

I'll try that suggestion about soaking them in Sprite, though. I sure like to catch white bass on light tackle - what a fight they put up.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Wiping fish down with vinegar helps a lot. Wipe them with a rag wet with vinegar, or dip them in it. You won't taste the vinegar after they are cooked. I assume this takes off any oil or bacteria that can make fillets strong.

[hoover25]

(Warning: Opinionated statement to follow)

Whats the deal with with the "getting the fishy taste out of the fish?" Its fish.....in my book, fish should taste like fish. Okay, I am calming down, this post is more directed at my wife who prefers all her fish to taste like chicken.

I NEVER cut out the red meat on white bass. My (humble) advice is to gill, gut, and then ice you fish for 24 hours...then filet them. Its something I learned from the salties in the Gulf of Mexico. An nice eating sized white (14-18 inches) will have a very high ratio of white meat versus dark meat. I have eaten white bass every possible way...and IMHO it a very good eating fish. Oven fried may be my favorite...but white bass burgers on the grill with a slice of tomato, lettuce, on a kaiser role is hard to beat.

-Tight Lines