How to Filet, Prep, and Cook Largemouth Bass
Eating your catch can be one of the most rewarding activities when fishing. But cleaning the fish, especially a largemouth bass, can pose a few problems if you have never done it before. Bass are different from other fish like trout. They have scales, larger bones, and will dull your knife quickly. Filets are the best and easiest way to clean a bass.
The best largemouth bass to eat are around 1 1/2 to 2 pounds. Anything over 3 pounds should be released for breeding.
What you need to filet a fish
- A trash can.
- A sharp filet knife.
- A filet knife sharpener.
- A flat, smooth board to cut on.
How to filet your fish
- Ice the fish over night. Leaving your fish on ice overnight will produce a bloodless filet and a filet that tastes less fishy.
- Use a sharp filet knife. You want to make sure you have a sharp knife before you begin. The best way to do this is the sharpen it just before you start. Some people prefer to use an electric knife but many people often cut through the backbone and that can be a messy clean up.
- Flatten the fish out on the board and slit the belly. Start just under the jaw and move down past the anal fin. Don’t go too deep or you’ll cut through digestive organs and that is very messy. You just need to go as deep as the skin and that’s all.
- Cut along the backbone. Start at the head and cut down gently until you feel the backbone. Once you’ve touched the backbone, turn your knife and move toward the tail. Be careful not to cut through the backbone. For this step, make sure your fish is nice and flat and that your knife is very sharp to get through all the rib bones.
- Remove the skin from the filet. This is a matter of preference. Some people like the skin on because while cooking it keeps the moisture in and your filet from drying out. It is also much easier to remove the skin once it has been cooked. If cooked properly, the skin will just slide off. If you prefer to remove the skin prior to cooking, just take your knife and get under the skin. Then follow the backbone to the tail. Stop at the tail without cutting all the way through. Flip the fish over and then cut the skin from the meat.
- Remove the ribs. This is also a matter of preference. Most of the rib bones you can just pull out with your fingers but some of the smaller ones you might want to use your knife and cut them out. I prefer to leave the ribs in because they are much easier to get out once the filet has been cooked.
Prepping and cooking a bass filet
One of the most popular ways to cook bass is to rub the filet in cornmeal and fry them. Best filets for this are both skinless and boneless.
You will need:
- Cornmeal
- Salt and pepper and/or other spices
- Cooking oil (your preference)
- Frying pan
- Put the filets in a ziplock bag with salt and water. Add some salt to a ziplock bag. Then add the filets. Fill the bag with water. Let the salt dissolve and squeeze out the water and zip the bag closed.
- Put in the refrigerator. Leave the filets in the fridge for a day or two.
- Rinse them with cold water. Once you’ve taken the fish out of the refrigerator, you want to rinse them with cold water and pat dry.
- Prepare your cornmeal. Put your cornmeal in a large glass bowl. Add some salt and pepper and other spices that you prefer.
- Get your frying pan hot. You want your frying pan sizzling with a little cooking oil.
- Roll the filet in the cornmeal and fry. Be sure to cover both sides of the filet with cornmeal. Then add them to the frying pan. Let the cornmeal turn a light, golden brown. Then flip the filet to cook the other side.
- Remove from the cooking oil and let the filet drain. You can put the fried filets on paper towels to help catch and absorb any excess cooking oil.
Another way to cook bass
This recipe is a bit healthier alternative to frying you filets. This recipe works best with the skin intact and bone-in.
You will need:
- Fresh lemon (the fruit)
- Fresh onion
- Fresh garlic
- Salt and pepper and/or other spices
- Butter or olive oil (your preference on salt in or salt less butter)
- Tin foil
- As above, put the filets in a ziplock bag with salt and water. Add some salt to a ziplock bag. Then add the filets. Fill the bag with water. Let the salt dissolve and squeeze out the water and zip the bag closed.
- Put in the refrigerator. Leave the filets in the fridge for a day or two.
- Rinse them with cold water. Once you’ve taken the fish out of the refrigerator, you want to rinse them with cold water and pat dry.
- Prep all the fruit, onions and garlic. Slice the lemon and onions into slices. Then peal the garlic. You can either use the garlic whole, chop it, or mince it. What ever you prefer.
- Prep the fish filet. Lay a sheet of tin foil flat on the counter, place one filet in the center of the foil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the butter or oil. Add 2-3 slices of lemon. Add a few rings of onion. Add the fresh garlic.
- Fold the foil into a pouch around the filet and other ingredients. Grab the top and bottom of the foil and bring them together over the filet. Folder over the edges. Then fold the left and right ends into the center.
- Bake in the oven. Put the pouch and it’s contents into the oven and bake.
This method also works well with fresh caught fish and a campfire. Just add the pouch to the hot coals and let cook for several minutes.
Tips for keeping the filets fresh
- You can keep a bass filet for several month in the freezer. Be sure to put them in a freezer ziplock bag.
- If the fish is a “white meat” fish like bass are, the fish will keep in the freezer for many months.
- Oily fish, like hybrids, however, will only keep for 2 months before going bad.
