Not only is fish a great option for a healthy meal, but they are delicious as well if you know what you’re choosing. That can be the biggest problem, there are so many choices that it’s hard to tell which is the best tasting freshwater fish to eat.
For those of you who are fortunate enough to be close by to a river or stream where fresh access is readily available, great! Several preferences and choices might be available according to people’s location and geographical conditions. You might not find the same fish all around the world, but there still stand a few favorites among anglers.
Here we will give you a list of best tasting freshwater fish that are not only good to catch but are also best tasting freshwater fish to eat. Everyone will have their preferences, so use this list of some of the best tasting fish and decide which one will be worth trying.
Table of Contents
Best Tasting Freshwater Fish to Eat
1. Trout
The fresher is better when it comes to eating trout. Smoked trout is a good treat if you are eating by the shore. When you catch one, clean it up and get a fire ready. In minutes, you will have a delicious meal.
The most common types of trout are brown, brook, and rainbow. Check if the flesh has an orange or pink color. Anglers all agree that these factors make the fish taste better.
Bigger trout are cut up into smaller pieces for easy frying. Others enjoy filleting and broiling.
Personally, I love the exotic flavor of smoked trout, especially stream or river caught fish.
2. Catfish
Catfish has been a staple freshwater fish across the world. They can be found in coastal and inland waters, except in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. In some areas, catfish are farmed to provide local food.
Catfish meat is not as white as most freshwater fish. There’s a hint of yellow hue in their flesh. Frying catfish is one of the easiest ways to enjoy it. However, some anglers argue that catfish has a distinct taste to it. It can’t be easily broiled. An expert of catfish cooking will use spices to balance the strong flavor inherent in its flesh.
My favorite method is cutting a catfish into small nuggets and frying them. They taste great!
3. Bass
According to anglers, the bass is one of the best tasting freshwater fish out there, but the thrill of the catch keeps them coming back.
Bass launches themselves airborne to let go off the hook and are excellent fighters. Just imagine an angler trying to get hold of largemouth bass. It is a common practice among anglers to release larger specimens back to the water because these types are breeding females. They want to preserve the natural breeding environment for freshwater bass.
Like with most freshwater fish, habitat influences the taste of freshwater fish. For bass, those coming from clean, clear, and cold water are the tastiest.
4. Crappie
Crappie is a member of the sunfish family. They produce white, flaky, and sweet meat that is perfect for fillet. They are very popular in Southern America and considered one of the best tasting freshwater fish (and excellent sports fish, too!)
This fish contains omega-3, which can protect you from many degenerative diseases, such as breast cancer. This fish also helps curb the risk of weakening eyesight and memory loss.
There are many delicious recipes for crappie. You can fry (most commonly), bake or grill. Also, you can make a fish pancake, a beautiful Southwest grilled crappie with some help of butter, or cornflake crappie as an appetizer. It’s no surprise that many anglers refer to large crappie as “slabs” that they can then throw into the oven!
5. Walleye
Walleye meat is considered the chicken meat of the sea, with a little sense of sweetness after tasting. Walleyes live in many states in the U.S, usually in muddy water due to their sensitivity to light.
They can be prepared in many ways, most commonly frying and baking. The fish is suitable for grilling, broiling, baking, frying, smoking, or being made into chowder or bouillabaisse. You can make fish tacos, fish kebabs, teriyaki, and plenty more.
Remember to immediately store the fish in ice cover after catching them because their meat can spoil quickly. But if prepared correctly, walleye is considered one of the best tasting fish, both freshwater and saltwater.
6. Bluegill
The bluegill is usually an easy catch. Although you will find it in the tree stems that are planted along the river bank, they are quite plentiful in most bodies of water.
The bluegill is easily attracted to vibrant colors. Make sure to keep that in mind while you are trying to catch them. The bluegill is a fast swimmer, and that can give you a tough time catching it.
Once you have, you can have a grand meal of pan-fried bluegill with minimal seasoning. The bluegill has flaky and white flesh which will taste even better when it is pan-fried. Most anglers will overlook these smaller fish but are missing out on some amazing meals.
Best Tasting Freshwater Fish to Eat | Final Thoughts
There are a lot of freshwater fish that taste amazing, and you can travel all around the world to find them. But the best freshwater fish to eat is going to depend on the person and the flavors they like. Recipes are plentiful for most species, and no two fish will taste the same. Use this list to pick out a few that sound appetizing to you and give the
