[bigtex]

Down here in East Texas, chain pickeral are pretty good to eat. You just have to know how to prepare them for dinner. There are so many ways of doing this and when I can find the diagram that shows how to properly debone them I will post it.

Now, if you are tired of the pickeral tearing up your line all you do is add a wire leader. As on how to salvage your plastic baits when they attack, well good luck with that because there is nothing that can be done.

I also like to prepare a nice dish that includes crappie.

 

[fish4funinfl]

I dont know if weve been brainwashed or what, but around here ( central Florida ) we consider pickerals ( or what we call jacks ) to be a trash fish. Just like a gar or a mudfish.

Now, some of the invaders ( Yankees that have moved in around here lol ) may consider differently.

 

[bigtex]

In some states pickeral is considered a delicacy.  Once you debone the entire fish take the meat and roll it around in some egg, flour, and spices of your choice.  After that roll the meat into a ball shape and deep fry.  mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm good!!

 

[nwgabassmaster]

Rodney, I am on the same page as you. If it isn't a bass, a crappie, a bluegill, or a catfish, it ain't worth pursuing and it's not worth eating.

That goes for pickerel, pike, muskies, etc. I have no desire to catch any of them, and it's a lot like a waste of time, to me. Catch them and you have to fight them, unhook them, and release them..........takes away from the bass fishing. ;D

 

[bigtex]

Here is the diagram that shows you how to prepare a chain pickeral.

http://www.burnettcounty.com/tourism/pike.html

 

[fish4funinfl]

May have to keep them ' trashey ' fish and give it a whirl .

I take it they dont have a strong taste to them ?

 

[Jared]

Pickerel are actually a very sweet tasting fish. The only problem you can run into is if it's too small of a fish. In that case the bones are so small that it makes it very aggravating eating around the bones.

We use to eat them quite often up north if we caught any 18 inches or longer. Down here in SC, several people i know will eat the pickerel regardless of how small it is. They fry it "hard" as they call it. This supposedly cooks the bones and all so they can just crunch on everything.

 

[nwgabassmaster]

The same thing can be done with the smaller bluegills. The ole timers will take the small bluegills and will fry them whole. It has been said that the smaller gills' bones will literally fry into nothing, and can be eaten with no problem.

As for pickerel, you all can have them. I ain't going to mess with'em. LOL

 

[bigtex]

NWG--Just send them too me. LOL I'll take each and every one of those "trash" fish. LOL

 

[emo476]

im starting to think that maybe any fish can be eaten if you are hungry enough. Ive heard that these fish are trash fish, and ive also heard they are good to eat: here goes.....carp, gar, freshwater drum, sauger-walleye, mudfish "bowfin", and now pickerel!

 

[hoochriver]

very sweet meat have to gash (cut aprox 1/8 inch apart ) Fry hard so that bones crunch even better than red horse suckers as far as gar just cut back meat out cut in fingers and fry not bad if your hungry mudfish bowfin grinnell seems like my dad boiled the meat off of the bone balled up themeat and fried like salmon croquets of course every thing good if you fry it lol

 

[CaptainMo]

im starting to think that maybe any fish can be eaten if you are hungry enough. Ive heard that these fish are trash fish, and ive also heard they are good to eat: here goes....sauger-walleye

Sauger-walleye "trash fish"?....They are one of the finest eating fish there are.

 

[emo476]

yes, where i live unless youre over about 60 they are regarded as a trash fish,

 

[CaptainMo]

Wow...that's interesting being as half the guides in Tennessee make a living off walleye fisherman.

This is an excerpt from the Tennessee Bureau Of Tourism:

Walleye Fishing in Tennessee

Walleye
Stizostedion vitreum

The walleye prefers moderately deep lakes with gravel, rock or sandy bottoms. It is found primarily in cold water lakes but has proven to survive in some warmer water impoundments. It is prized for its great tasting white, flaky flesh.

Walleye Fishing Lakes In Tennessee

Tennessee anglers are fortunate to have big lakes with quality walleye populations. These lakes include Center Hill Lake, Cherokee Lake, Chickamauga Lake, Dale Hollow Lake, Douglas Lake, Hull Lake, Norris Lake, Old Hickory Lake, South Holston Lake, Tellico Lake, Tims Ford Lake and Watauga Lake. Sivers flowing into and out of these lakes are likely to hold a few walleye as well.

Old Hickory Reservoir turned out the Tennessee state record walleye.

If you offer fishing guide services for walleye in Tennessee we would like to include you as a resource for our visitors. We offer a complimentary listing for your guide service on our Tennessee Fishing Guides page or you can see other options to promote your walleye fishing guide services in Tennessee by visiting our Advertising opportunities section.

 

[emo476]

i grew up a quarter mile from douglas lake, and now live near reelfoot lake. Noone i grew up near or have met on this side of the state mention eating them, aside from a few old timers. Definately not disputing what you said, merely saying ive not heard of many people eating them

 

[johnporter]

Soak pickeral meat in milk over night, dunk in an egg, roll in flour or bread crumbs and deep fry. This will put most fish sandwiches to shame...

 

[warny]

I cook them on the bbq wrapped in foil with butter and chopped onions.Mmmmm :thumbup01: