The Smallie Taste Test

[Ken G]

I have been talking about doing it for the past few years, but this year is it. I am bound and determined to catch smallmouth bass out of as many local bodies of water as possible. Then cook them up the same way each time and make an effort to compare them for taste.

Smallies out of the Apple River are the best tasting fish I’ve ever had. And I eat a lot of fish. They taste like they were marinated in maple syrup. So there is a high standard already set for the others.

But my fish catching will have to be from relatively specific areas on different bodies of water. That way the fish aren't tainted by too many variables. This will make sense in the explanation.

On the Fox River, I'm going to head down around Millington and Millbrook to harvest a smallie. Even though the Fox is primarily an urban river, by the time it gets down there it's urban feel is pretty much gone. A few cleaner creeks feed into the river upstream from that area. And after Yorkville, I can't think of where the waste treatment plants are. I'm hoping that this all helps to cleanse and clear the water a little and improve the taste of the fish.

Starting with Fox River tributaries, the majority of the creeks will probably be tainted by the fish coming out of the Fox River. But since I won't be keeping any fish till after the June expiration of the catch and release time limits, I'm hoping they'll have lived in the creek long enough to lose whatever flavor the Fox water may have given them. I'll be trying 4 creeks for sure, possibly 5 if I can get to it.

First will be Blackberry Creek. This will be the easiest creek to get untainted smallies out of because of the dam in Yorkville. This dam is a few hundred yards from the mouth and completely blocks any kind of fish migrations out of the Fox. This is a shame, but that's a different story. Above the dam I've caught a few smallies and this is where I'll be harvesting a Blackberry smallie.

Next is Big Rock Creek. This is a tough one mainly because I have a feeling the majority of the smallies that inhabit this creek migrate for miles up from the Fox. The ideal place to get a smallie would be from where the creek goes past Big Rock Quarry in Kane County. I know the lake at the quarry is catch and release only, but I don't know about the creek. Either way, I'll be heading far upstream and again it won't be till after some time in June. So any Fox taste remnants may be gone by then.

Then Little Rock Creek. I fished it upstream from Route 34 years ago, but it's probably the same issue as Big Rock Creek. Even further up stream is a small Kendall County Forest Preserve that includes the creek. I've never gone to look at it and for all I know it's the creek is barely a trickle, but one will come from this creek somewhere.

Next in line would be Somonauk Creek. Lake Holiday blocks any migration of fish that may come up from the Fox River. I've caught some nice smallies, walleye and white bass in the creek where it feeds into the lake. This is where I'll get a sample smallie from Somonauk.

The last creek on the Fox I hope to get to is Indian Creek. The dam that creates Shabonna Lake blocks any migration upstream. But it's so far from the Fox that it may not make a difference. I know the area down from the dam has a pretty good population of smallies, so if I ever get out that way, I'll decide when I get there whether to take a smallie from the down stream side of the dam or get one from where the creek feeds into the lake.

On the Kankakee River, taking a smallie from anywhere above the Wilmington dam is the way to go. Below the dam, the fish have the ability to go in and out of the Des Plaines and Illinois Rivers or are tainted by their water. I have no interest in including either of those two rivers in this taste test.

If I get to the Mazon River where it flows by Mazonia, that would be added to the list.

If I get to Lake Michigan, it's easy enough to catch a smallie out of one of the harbors, but I'm not sure I'll make it into the city.

If I fish any other waters this year that are not on this list, I'll make a note of it.

The Des Plaines River, any part of the DuPage River system and Salt Creek are all off the list. By mid summer, Salt Creek and the DuPages could consist primarily of waste treatment plant outflow. No thanks. The Des Plaines history of being an open sewer, lived near it for awhile when I was younger, will keep me from taking anything from there.

But the list I came up with should be more than enough for a wide ranging taste test.

The smallmouth bass from the Apple River were cooked two different ways. The Original Shore Lunch was used. The filets were either dipped in a beer batter mix and deep fried in vegetable oil, or they were dredged in the Shore Lunch mix and pan fried in a little bit of vegetable oil. All filets from all bodies of water will be handled the same way.

It will be interesting to see if there are any subtle tastes to the fish depending on the type of water they came from. Should start having results some time in July. Stay tuned.

[Ken G]

The results of the 2008 smallie taste test are in and . . . well, it almost failed. The main reason being that I kept forgetting to bring a stringer and a cooler with ice in it.

My daughter and I did get out to Little Rock Creek with the intent of catching a few smallies for dinner. We did keep one in the 13 inch range and let another handful go.

We cooked it up using the Shore Lunch dredge method and pan frying it in vegetable oil.

After a couple of bites my daughter said, "we should have kept a couple more."

I had to agree.

We both agreed that even though the Little Rock smallie lacked the overall sweetness of the Apple RIver standard, it was awfully close. Since this smallie was caught many miles from the mouth where Little Rock empties into the Fox, it had to be living there at least 3 months. Plenty of time to get rid of any flavor the Fox may contribute. But then, that may not be correct to say since I didn't keep any out of the Fox. I will be fixing that this year.

This year I already have the stringer in my fishing vest and a cooler in the back even though it's the beginning of April and I now have to wait a little over 2 months before I can keep one. Now I just have to remember ice.

June 15th can't come soon enough. My daughters both say, for now, that they want to go exploring and fishing more with me this year. And to continue the Smallie Taste Test. I have a feeling many more bodies of water will be tested this year.

Stay tuned.

[Ken G]

Interesting article on that same site regarding a taste test sampling juvenile smallmouth from various small streams. I think the conclusion was that 12" bass out of rock creek are yummy. Not making that up folks!

1. I don't make the rules, I just follow them. If it says 2 under 12 and 1 over 18, then that's what I do. Besides, the 12 inchers taste better than older ones and most of them die off by then of natural causes anyway.

2. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it. Fish are food. Not gods.

So far this year, Galena River and the Kankakee. Fox next when the water cools down in September. Almost kept an 18.5 out of the Kankakee, but it revived and I was kind to let it go.

I have to get busy on the creeks. Don't have anything from Big Rock. Somonauk is still on the list, above and below Lake Holiday. Indian Creek near Shabonna if I can get to it.

On a creek, it's important to get as far in from the mouth as possible. Means they've been living there for a little while and the effects of the river they came out of should be gone.

Would like to get one out of Lake Michigan, but I hate the city now and can't stand the thought of standing anywhere on the shore. We'll see. Maybe a hit and run fishing outing.

[MattC]

Ken where is that quote from? Its amazing that people will $hit bricks over something so stupid. If it is legal just mind your own business and worry about yourself.

Good luck with the Lake Michigan smallies. I think the limit is 1 fish at 21".

[pezdek1]

It's from the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance forums

[Ken G]

pezdek is correct sir. Couldn't help myself when pez pointed it out.

Yummy!!! When has anyone ever seen the word yummy in anything I've written. At least get it right.

I believe I said delicious.

21 inch? Someone would probably try to shoot me if I walked away with one of those.

I don't want trophies on my wall, I like to eat them.