Barred sand bass is a fish to clean and cook. All you need are the following:
- cutting board
- your best saltwater fish fillet knife
- pan
- bunch of seasonings
- butter
- oil of your choice.
We recommend using olive oil for a hearty meal. Maybe a little know-how, as well, to save minutes of your time and energy in figuring it out.
More often than not, the edibility of a fish will depend on where you fished them from. It is important to research your fishing spot to ensure they are not polluted with mercury and other heavy metals that fish may absorb.
Listen to more cooking tips on the Cast & Spear Podcast
Also, remember to always check your states’ fishing regulations before you head out to catch a barred sand bass.
How to Clean Barred Sand Bass
In cleaning your catch, it is important to have a sharp knife. This way, you can avoid exerting too much-uncontrolled pressure when you cut and clean the fish. Using a fillet knife if you want to fillet your sand bass would be helpful, as well.
Additionally, if you want to really taste the fish, consider icing and bleeding it out beforehand. Afterward, you may proceed with the cleaning process as follows:
- Gut the fish
- Rest the fish on the cutting board. Be careful on the fins as they are sharp and may puncture you as you clean your catch.
- Insert the tip of the knife and keep it shallow while you cut into the belly so as not to puncture the intestines. Move the blade up along the belly until the head.
- Spread open the body and remove entrails and gills with a spoon or by hand.
- Rinse the cavity by putting it under streaming water and wash the skin
- Removing the head is optional, but if you want to, you may cut it off, especially if you plan to make bass fillets.
- Make sure to clean your working or cleaning area and free it from residues from the guts, heads, and scales.
How To Cook Sand Bass
Cooking your sand bass catch can be done in multiple ways, and many recipes are available for it. Whether you want bass fillets, baked bass, or deep-fried chunked bass, being experimental and creative can help you enjoy a delicious meal.
You will need to use seasonings, which is up to your preference of what taste you are going for. Lemon, pepper, and garlic salt are just a few of what you can use.
In cooking a barred sand bass, you will essentially need to heat a pan, butter it up, or put in olive oil. After a minute or less, when the butter or oil heats in the pan, put in your seasoned sand bass fillets.
Initially, the fillets should cook for a few minutes. If you want your fillets to be a little bit crispier, you can coat them with flour before putting them in the pan.
Frequently Asked Question
Live squid is considered the best, but they are hard to get hold of in certain seasons. If they are not available, small live mackerels with dead mackerel pieces prove to be good enough for catching sand bass. Anchovies and “brown baits” can also entice a sand bass to get out of hiding.
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