What size gills and pumpkinseeds are considerd keepers by most people?
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What size gills and pumpkinseeds are considerd keepers by most people?
I usally keep them if there over 8 inches
Anything that make's the hot oil sizzle for me.I actually think the hand sized one's taste better.I usuall throw the shellcracker's back if they're not very big.
If they can bite a hook, they can make the oil hot, haha, it depends for me actually, whether or not I feel like cleaning the smaller ones, but I don't keep anything less than 6-7 inches.
In areas where they are over populated, they are all keepers.
Otherwise, if I can fillet it with an electric knife, I keep it.
Oscar
I keep most in the 6-8 inch range, all else goes back to reach eatin' size or trophy size.
I've never caught what I considered a keeper pumpkinseed. On bluegills it's usually as big as my hand. On shellcrackers it has to be 10 inches plus.
As big as my palm or bigger is a keeper!
If they big enough to stink up the grease, I don't mind keeping them. Honestly, it just depends on what I'm willing to clean for the day. For bream and shellcracker, I like mine scaled rather than filet.
BINGO!!!! i hate keeping small fish but if i dont have some other place to put them and one of the ponds i fish is getting overpopulated ill keep a bucket of minis if i have to i prefer anything bigger then my hand but the smalls ones are great.... i made some red ear civiche last year out of some 4 and 5 inchers that melted in your mouthQuote:
Originally Posted by Oscar73
Ok John I'll bite.What in the world is civiche?Is your daughter doing better?
yes she is thank goodness...
here is a civiche recipe
2 lbs of fresh fish, cut into 1 inch cubes
6 tomatoes, seeds removed cut into small pieces
2 bunches of fresh cilantro chopped
2 red onions chopped
8 tamed canned jalapeno peppers, chopped
16 oz of lemon juice
8 oz lime juice
1 cup of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
dash of garlic salt
Soak fish cubes in lemon and lime juice for 24 hours in refrigerator to cure. Toss in all other ingredients, allow to sit for several hours, serve cold. This is an awesome cold salad for hot days
what happens is the acid in the lemons and limes actually cooks the fish. its friggin excellent expecially on a warm day
My wife would like to keep everything we catch. :D I usually don't keep them unless they are bigger than my hand. Never measured it before so not really sure how big that is.
To be honest, I've been fish hungry enough that I've kept some that I sure wouldn't want any of you guys to see.
I've always heard that if its bigger than a butterbean then its big enough to eat. Ya just have to catch a mess of them. After saying all that, I try and keep anything thats hand size or larger.
Bluegill :)
I've got to try civiche!Those jalapeno's will have my mouth on fire though.I think a cold one or two will compliment the dish as well to cool my mouth down.
Anybody that knows about Butterbeans is got be a good man! Butterbeans and Home Grown Tomatoes now thats eatin high on the hog!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluegill Bill
Butterbeans are great - just hard to find in the stores anymore (at least around here).Quote:
Originally Posted by Bamagill
As for keeper pumpkinseeds, I'm gonna have to go with the guys that keep them if they're big enough to fillet.
we judge keepeers according to the particular body of water we are fishing, some lakes we will take home six inchers and bigger , other waters we will not take any home unless they are nine inches or larger, lakes can really vary quite drastically in the size and quantity of gills they produce so we stick to the lake rule not the general gill rule
never ate shell cracker. Any good. I ususall keep all bluegill over 8 inches
Shell cracker around here anymore arn't fit to eat in my opinion.
The ones that come from waters with zebra mussles that is. My gawd,,, they are terrable! They even stink when your cleaning them.
As far as size goes to keep?
My buddy keeps anything that he can put salt on.:eek:
Anything as big as my hand is fair game.