What are some tasty fresh water fish?

ringorock

Senior Member
I live in Atlanta, now. Used to be Savannah. I'll eat practically anything that comes from the salt. What are some good fish to catch and cook up here in Atlanta? I have an explorer kayak with some tiny rods. I also think that freshwater fish taste like dirty aquarium, in general. Yes, I know what dirty aquarium tastes like.
 

Ruger#3

RAMBLIN ADMIN
Staff member
Crappie, bream and yellow perch are at the top of the list for me.
 

Coenen

Senior Member
Yellow perch or walleye would be my answer, hands down, but it's tough to get a mess down here.

Best reliable eating fish here are crappie, catfish and trout. Not necessarily in that order, but they're all tasty!
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
Yellow perch or walleye would be my answer, hands down, but it's tough to get a mess down here.

Best reliable eating fish here are crappie, catfish and trout. Not necessarily in that order, but they're all tasty!

you are right about walleye and yellow perch. Crappie would be my next choice, wild trout, a hand sized bluegill, small channel cat, then stocked trout
 

BDD

Senior Member
walleye , by far the best eating fresh water fish , just not to common to GA. I grew up in PA and we ate a ton and also Black Bass. I think the Shoal bass is very good, but don't let
anyone on the board know you ate a Shoal bass you might get banned....
 

MikeyD6

Deleted
It has a lot to do with how they're prepared. Striped bass, hybrids, and white bass are all excellent, but you have to filet them and cut the red meat and fat off of them. Same goes for bigger catfish too. That is what gives them a fishy taste.

Also, if you know you're going to eat them, the best thing to do is put fish on ice immediately. I put some ice and water in a cooler, and in they go. It kills them quickly and they don't thrash around build up a lot of lactic acid. Plus they're a lot easier to clean because they're stiff and straight.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
How they're handled and the water they come from sometimes makes more difference than what species they are. And if freshwater fish taste like a dirty aquarium, you are doing something wrong, for sure. The better freshwater fish are every bit as good or better than saltwater fish. I've eaten plenty of both.

My list, from best to still pretty durn good:

walleye
yellow perch
crappie
smallmouth bass
wild trout
flathead catfish
channel catfish
stocked rainbow and brook trout
blue catfish
bream, collectively
spotted bass
gar
white bass/striper
 

ringorock

Senior Member
How they're handled and the water they come from sometimes makes more difference than what species they are. And if freshwater fish taste like a dirty aquarium, you are doing something wrong, for sure. The better freshwater fish are every bit as good or better than saltwater fish. I've eaten plenty of both.

My list, from best to still pretty durn good:

walleye
yellow perch
crappie
smallmouth bass
wild trout
flathead catfish
channel catfish
stocked rainbow and brook trout
blue catfish
bream, collectively
spotted bass
gar
white bass/striper

Actually, my wife told me that I just don't like fish. Growing up, my mom would grill fish in a way that the meat gets bone dried. Anything else is unacceptable.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Actually, my wife told me that I just don't like fish. Growing up, my mom would grill fish in a way that the meat gets bone dried. Anything else is unacceptable.
If fish is overcooked to the point of being bone dry and like jerky, I guess it does taste like dirt. Whether it's a ditch bream or a piece of $1,000 a lb high sushi-grade bluefin.
 

little rascal

Senior Member
These were tasty!
 

Attachments

  • D1E33B03-ACA4-461A-BFF6-5D7DD4E2357D.jpeg
    D1E33B03-ACA4-461A-BFF6-5D7DD4E2357D.jpeg
    136.9 KB · Views: 38
  • 4A5AA504-9AD8-47A7-AB50-57CCED5216B0.jpeg
    4A5AA504-9AD8-47A7-AB50-57CCED5216B0.jpeg
    276.3 KB · Views: 40
  • 3CA3454A-7B8E-4ECB-BB99-4E4EE142212C.jpeg
    3CA3454A-7B8E-4ECB-BB99-4E4EE142212C.jpeg
    163.7 KB · Views: 38

Big7

The Oracle
I'd say no carp at all. Use smaller mullet if you get on them. Not really a target for me.

My list, subject to change if I'm on some.

Striped Bass.
Flathead.
Blue Cat.
Channel Cat.
Brim - all species. Tied for #4 with White and Black Crappie.
Bass. Big Mouth, Small Mouth, Spots, etc.
Yellow Perch.
Any legal Trout. (If available)

This is just Georgia. No doubt, I'll edit when I think of a few more.

South Carolina and Florida is a little different.
For S.C. add White Perch.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
I'd say no carp at all. Use smaller mullet if you get on them. Not really a target for me.

My list, subject to change if I'm on some.

Striped Bass.
Flathead.
Blue Cat.
Channel Cat.
Brim - all species. Tied for #4 with White and Black Crappie.
Bass. Big Mouth, Small Mouth, Spots, etc.
Yellow Perch.
Any legal Trout. (If available)

This is just Georgia. No doubt, I'll edit when I think of a few more.

South Carolina and Florida is a little different.
For S.C. add White Perch.
I am one of those folks who hear people say something isn't good to eat and don't believe them until I try it. They were right about carp. Carp sucks. The whole fish tastes like that red streak you cut out of a striper or big catfish. Strong, fishy, uck.
 

Big7

The Oracle
I am one of those folks who hear people say something isn't good to eat and don't believe them until I try it. They were right about carp. Carp sucks. The whole fish tastes like that red streak you cut out of a striper or big catfish. Strong, fishy, uck.

Get those dime size scales off, leaving the tough skin- makes good jug and trot line bait.
A turtle can't even get that off w/o getting hooked. ?

That reminds me. Does Turtle and Craw
Dad's count in fresh water? Recon thats another thread. ?
 
Top