Fountain creek smallmouth

[catman529]

This is from last week, just getting around to posting. Sorry this is the only pic I took of the fish. :grin:



Maury county

 

[Setterman]

That actually makes me sad. There's no finer fish in freshwater than a stream dwelling smallmouth, and with very slow growth rates it makes me sad to see them dead.

Crappie, bluegill, catfish, sauger, and walleye were put on this earth for food, smallmouth on the other hand were put here for sport.

I'm a softy when it comes to fish

 

[KENBOB10]

Nice fillets!

 

[elkman]

Those look awesome!!

 

[catman529]

That actually makes me sad. There's no finer fish in freshwater than a stream dwelling smallmouth, and with very slow growth rates it makes me sad to see them dead.

Crappie, bluegill, catfish, sauger, and walleye were put on this earth for food, smallmouth on the other hand were put here for sport.

I'm a softy when it comes to fish

They rank up there with walleye in my opinion, I would much rather eat a decent sized smallmouth than panfish or even catfish. Fish were put here to feed us, and we made a sport out of some of them. And there are still plenty of smallmouth in the creek, even though I killed one for my supper....

 

[jb3]

Looks good and I have no problem with people keeping creek smallies. I've been wading streams in middle tn for over 30 years and I still can't put one on the stringer.

I have no problem taking out a stringer full of redeye.

 

[catman529]

Looks good and I have no problem with people keeping creek smallies. I've been wading streams in middle tn for over 30 years and I still can't put one on the stringer.

I have no problem taking out a stringer full of redeye.

red eye are good eating too and there is no shortage of them

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

That actually makes me sad. There's no finer fish in freshwater than a stream dwelling smallmouth, and with very slow growth rates it makes me sad to see them dead.

Crappie, bluegill, catfish, sauger, and walleye were put on this earth for food, smallmouth on the other hand were put here for sport.

I'm a softy when it comes to fish

Me and you both! I don't have a really big problem when it comes to people eating them but every summer I see drunks with stringers of small mouth that get tossed at the end of there canoe trip.

I've caught 14 now that broke the 4# mark biggest being 6. I keep saying I'll have one mounted but I always release them.

 

[spottedbass]

When you grill your fish, do you keep the skin on?

 

[Mudbone]

There's no finer fish in freshwater than a stream dwelling smallmouth

Wrong. Just ask Catman. Carp are the finest fish. This kid has a special landing device net thing (like they use on sturgeon, for carp).
Wanna go bowfishin' Catman?

 

[Hollar Hunter]

I agree, I love eating me some cold water smallmouth... Tasty! I won't post pics for you faint of heart though... Ha

 

[wobblegobble]

I hate when people think bass are here just for tournaments. I fish my share of tournaments but I also will eat any legal fish that I choose. Why can't folks just be happy with what they like? Just like deer hunting, everyone believes that people should only shoot 130" deer....do what you do is my motto

 

[Setterman]

I have no love for tournaments either, but never fish the reservoirs and fully appreciate that if it weren't for tourneys we wouldn't have the bass fisheries we do in this state or country.

The growth rates of a stream smallmouth are very very very slow, and a fish which is 14" in most rivers or creeks is pushing 7-8 years old if you believe the biologists. I just personally believe they are too cool to only catch once and there are plenty of great table fish out there which grow faster and are more numerous.

In this part of the state, the vast majority of river smallmouth folks are no kill and its grounds to get shot if you got caught with a stringer of river smallmouth.

What cat does on his home waters doesn't impact me in anyway, so I shouldn't really care.

 

[Spurhunter]

Never seen anybody cook a smallmouth before.

 

[wobblegobble]

Smh, people can eat what they want...I hope hookedup doesn't see this post or he will fillet every smallie n post a pix!lol...Cold water smallies are great eating, stop hating

 

[hookedup]

Eat em all!!!!!! I love to burn up fillet knives! I have two walleye and working towards a limit of Rockfish right now! Post pics tomorrow. Kids having a blast tonight!!! Catman do your thing! But next time keep enough to invite me!

 

[catman529]

I don't eat a whole lot of fish and am somewhat picky. Last couple times I ate crappie I didn't care for it too much. I prefer saltwater fish and more firm meaty fish. The smallmouth tastes good and is more firm than other sunfishes, especially the bigger smallies. I cooked a 15.5" smallie from dale hollow lake and it was very good and that's why I brought home that creek smallie to cook. I scaled and filleted them and cut out the lateral bones. Then grilled on a hot grill and turned over skin side down and covered in chef Paul's blackened redfish magic. Try it before you hate on it.

 

[4onaside]

With all of the crap lathered on those filets, who could tell how the fish tastes? lol Deep fried crappie don't have to have all of the .... added. They are just stand alone good!!

 

[catman529]

With all of the crap lathered on those filets, who could tell how the fish tastes? lol Deep fried crappie don't have to have all of the .... added. They are just stand alone good!!

try it, you can definitely taste the fish. Smallmouth is not the only fish I cook blackened or with blackened seasoning. I usually prefer blackened over fried but I like both. Crappie was mushy whenever I tried it. I caught a nice black crappie just yesterday and took a pic and threw it back. Someone else might catch it again and enjoy it more than I would. I might catch a smallmouth you have caught before and enjoy it more than you would. If you see what I am saying.

 

[Spurhunter]

Smh, people can eat what they want...I hope hookedup doesn't see this post or he willillet evelie n post a pix!lol...Cold water smallies are great eating, stop hating

I guess reading comprehension isn't your strong suit. I didn't say he couldn't eat it or shouldn't eat it. I also wasn't "hating". I said I've never seen anyone cook a smallmouth.

 

[catman529]

Smh, people can eat what they want...I hope hookedup doesn't see this post or he willillet evelie n post a pix!lol...Cold water smallies are great eating, stop hating

I guess reading comprehension isn't your strong suit. I didn't say he couldn't eat it or shouldn't eat it. I also wasn't "hating". I said I've never seen anyone cook a smallmouth.

I think it was more directed at Setter but its ok I don't want to start a flame war over a dang fish that I ate.

 

[Spurhunter]

Crappie was mushy whenever I tried it.

Whoever cooked that crappie didn't know what they were doing.

 

[catman529]

Crappie was mushy whenever I tried it.

Whoever cooked that crappie didn't know what they were doing.

I guess I didn't know what I was doing. Still wont stop me from eating the occasional smallmouth bass. Apparently I know how to cook them.

 

[Setterman]

Geez I'm not hating on anyone, just stating an opinion. I'm glad catman isn't a sensitive little *itch like others in this topic. ALso, he at least eats the ones he kills which is more than most who kill fish routinely.

 

[SilverFox]

I've never ate a smallmouth.... but I've got 5 in the freezer. When my brother was here he and his son wanted to try them so we brought home a limit. We had major confusion the morning they left to go home so they are still here. They will soon be in the oven.

if you're legal, keep what ever you want is my feeling. I'd rather see them eaten than wasted. I saw 5 or 6 floating around the ramp on Douglas Sunday from the tourney Saturday.

 

[trealtree]

I have no love for tournaments either, but never fish the reservoirs and fully appreciate that if it weren't for tourneys we wouldn't have the bass fisheries we do in this state or country.

The growth rates of a stream smallmouth are very very very slow, and a fish which is 14" in most rivers or creeks is pushing 7-8 years old if you believe the biologists. I just personally believe they are too cool to only catch once and there are plenty of great table fish out there which grow faster and are more numerous.

In this part of the state, the vast majority of river smallmouth folks are no kill and its grounds to get shot if you got caught with a stringer of river smallmouth.

What cat does on his home waters doesn't impact me in anyway, so I shouldn't really care.

Ive heard of quite a few east Tn fishermen using creek smallmouth as striped bass bait. I think it's a new trend from what I've been told. They said its real easy to catch the 12"ers and they work best for bait.

 

[wobblegobble]

Smh, people can eat what they want...I hope hookedup doesn't see this post or he willillet evelie n post a pix!lol...Cold water smallies are great eating, stop hating

I guess reading comprehension isn't your strong suit. I didn't say he couldn't eat it or shouldn't eat it. I also wasn't "hating". I said I've never seen anyone cook a smallmouth.

I've been on the site for a while and I've never read anything positive coming for the spur, your comment was trying to make the cat look bad period. If you don't have anything good say keep it moving.

 

[woodsman87]

I used to not eat Smallmouth, because like some of you they were "sacred." But dang that is about all I catch. Big, medium, little, don't matter. So I finally started eating them. There are plenty out there. They aren't like hen turkeys...

I will eat any game fish, and most times do.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

To clarify my post, I don't keep em be cause I like to catch em, an I have a pond full of spring fed catfish out of my backdoor. But a large mouth is my favorite fish to eat

 

[Bullfrog]

Crappie was mushy whenever I tried it.

Whoever cooked that crappie didn't know what they were doing.

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