Yellow Bass/Shoal Bass.....

[Louie B]

As everyone knows there is apparently an unlimited amount of Yellow Bass/Shoal Bass in Chickamauga..... These fish are simple to catch in big numbers w/ spoons and live bait, I've found thousands of these little suckers this year. Only a few of which were over 2pounds most are small.

DOES ANYONE HERE KEEP THESE LITTLE CREATURES, ARE THEY GOOD EATIN??? If so, are they easy to clean and are they worth the time??? I was told by a friend in Texas that they are a delicacy out there, he says that he can't tell much difference in them and crappieemoScratch


LB

 

[EricM]

They are considered to be better than white bass. They don't tend to get very big, but make some fine fillets if you want to take the time!

 

[DHaun]

Never cleaned a yellow bass but I know there is no daily creel limit on them....whereas white bass and crappie are 15 per day. Maybe someone can report a taste test on them sometime emoHungry

 

[BassmanIU]

I cleaned about 20 of them one day...MIGHTY fine eating! I preferred them over the spaaats I was sampling. emoHungry

 

[Louie B]

Great thats all I had to hear. I'll have to take advantage of those little guys.

LB

 

[Guest]

Triton I have never tried a shoal bass but the yellow bass are fantastic. The little guys have nore meat on them than what you think too. Nice firm mild taste.
Personally I like them better than crappie.

 

[SNUFFY]

clarify for me if you will LB....with your Yellow Bass/Shoal Bass ...are they the same thing....I thought a shoal bass was a unique species found only in a few small river systems in Alabama....or something like that ???
Just curious...

 

[polo-dog]

Yellow bass and shoal bass are different species but there may be some areas of the country that may call what is really a yellow bass a shoal bass. Often the common name and the technical or correct name may be different. Here are websites for both:
Shoal bass: http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=153

Yellow bass: http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=76

It is common for real/technical names and common names to be different. A good example would be the crappie, whether it be white or black. In Florida they call them speckled perch and in Louisiana they call them sac-a-lait, some others call them specks or papermouths.

 

[Bprice]

I love me some sacalait...

 

[MrWiskers]

I agree on eating Yellow bass. The meat to me was just like a spot but firmer. I cut the red streak out of the ones I cleaned.

The only thing about cleaning these little critters is they will stick you to no end. Mean little fish.

 

[Louie B]

Well I'm gonna try em out this weekend. I said shoal bass, but I meant shoal fish..... I've always called the yellow bass shoal fish??? Thanks for all the help guys.

LB

 

[harbuck handyman]

Shoal bass are a unique species .They are not redeye bass.They ars similar in appearance to smallmouth.The best know habitat for them is the Flint River in central GA.They are also found in the tributaries of the Chatahoochee that drain the eastern slope of the Tallapoosa Upland south of Atlanta and north of the fall line.I have caught a bunch of them up to 4lbs. in Centalhatchee and Hillabahatchee Creeks in Heard County GA.They like gold Rapala F9's and lemon colored jelly worms among other things.These streams look like mountain trout streams but are in the Piedmont Province.

 

[drumking]

Yellow bass are excellent table fare. I don't even cut out the red streak as it is mild flavored too. Not like the red streak in white bass or stripers. Unless the red streak is taken out of those 2, they aren't too good to eat, but not so with the yellow bass. They taste great with the red streak left in.

Huge numbers of yellow bass in the Chick, but the largest that I have ever caught was a little under 1 pound. Most are 1/2 or less. Amazingly, the world's record is over 6 pounds, but that's hard for me to believe.