Smithville Report 4/22 & 4/23

4/22, stopped at 2nd W bridge, bite was decent during 6pm-7pm and after that the bite just turned off. Between me and dad, we probably caught about 5 dinks and 1 keeper. Had a catfish took my minnow and got me stuck in the brush piles that were recently stocked. My ultra lite gear couldn't keep the monster from staying up. Left at 9pm. Not sure if anyone was catching during those times but pasted by the first W bridge and seems like everyone left.

4/23, stopped at the same 2nd W bridge, bite was picking up between 6pm-7pm, and after that it slowly turned off again lol. Between that time, I had 4 on my stringer and thinking I can limit for the first time ever tonight but, I was wrong haha. They were biting roughly 20ft out and about 5 feet deep. About 10 dinks by the way. Thanks to the slip bobbers you folks recommended! It was weird because only I was catching them. I guess the spot I was fishing at was holding them right there. One of my boys bobbers were about 3ft apart from mines and he still couldn't get a bite. He eventually caught a 1lb channel. Paps wanted to go home (hint: impatient lol) so we had to listen to the man. Left 10pm, I brought home 6 crappies, dad brought home 2 and my cousins-in-law brought home 1 crappie and a channe catfish. Also not sure if anyone else was catching when we left cause I only saw about 2 lights from the banking meaning people were still fishing. Overall seems like the spawn is starting but during that night, the crappie didn't move closer to the bank, they were still hanging out there. They all had eggs by the way, nothing big, just keepers to eat. College finals are about to start and hopefully I can find time to get out before its to late!! Good luck yall!Attachment 236600

Thanks for the report.....never seen anyone clean fish this way...explain it if you will. :)

sure! all the fins and tails are cut off and then with a spoon/knife, scale the fish till the skin is only left. Then just gut it and clean very well with water. I'd say this way is more of an efficient way to have more meat to eat :P We fry it so when its really crispy, we just pull out the inner bones from the top and bottom and the only bones that'll be left are the main spine of the fish from its head to tail. Then there is many different sauces to dip it with. I attached a picture of them fried.Attachment 236616:biggrin

That's how I grew up eating them. Also part of my culture(Cambodian). Thanks for the post.

Thanks! I grew up eating them that way with one exception.....the head/gills were both cut off with one swipe of the knife, but after scales are removed, a nice crispy skin is really tasty.

Vietnamese here!

My dad likes to keep the head, he says it looks nice xD I agree lol.

Dad always ate them this way he didn't want to lose any meat and he like the crispy !

I left the head on my steak once........once!

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Originally Posted by got crappie

Dad always ate them this way he didn't want to lose any meat and he like the crispy !

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I grew up eating bluegill and bass this way. Last year my brother and I were going to supply the fillets for our family fish fry. My eldest sister said they will need to get some type of fish for the kids to eat.

I said- "don't worry about that-these will be fine for the kids to eat".

She said "yeah right- like you only catch boneless fish!"

So I explained the concept of "filleting" fish. LOL!

I hope you don't wear your helmet just once either.

I lived in Alabama for about 12 years. The custom there was to cut that tail off like you did, batter and fry crispy and eat them like potato chips. Tried it, didn't like it!

I've heard of this, and thought of trying them that way. But I'd need to see it done, first. Heard they're good that way!

Give it a try! and let me know how you like it !

Cooking the tails works pretty well on hand-size fish, but they can be sort of bony when they get bigger