Goggle eye fish

[mforsta]

My cousin and I are fishing out his farm pond that was overpopulated with bream and bass. We started a few years ago taking out about 30 pound of bass out each year. When we started most of the bass were under 12" and about 1/2 pound in size They could not keep the bream population in check. After fishing the pond hard over the last couple of years, we are now seeing bass around 14-16" and 1 1/2 pounds. We took out as many bream as we could at the same time. We now feel the pond is getting back in balance and headed in the right direction.

If you want your pond to produce any decent size fish you must fish it and manage it. Once you get you goggle eyes under control add some bass and manage from there. I think if you put small finger bass in now the goggle eye will eat them and also compete be too with the bass for food.

 

[RT8]

I'd rather catch dozens of half pound goggle eye on light tackle that I would bass.

 

[sandman7925]

Also I used to have a place with a pond. I stocked it bass I personally caught at a trophy lake. They’ll keep in a live well as long as it’s not peak summer hot. I also put some in a bigger neighborhood pond. At one point started hearing people brag about these huge bass they were catching. I laughed and kept it to myself that I had put them in there. Point being you don’t have to buy them if that’s what you want to do.

 

[T-Rigger]

I pursue Goggle Eye and Sacalait the same. Downsize tackle normally used for LM Bass and you're in business. Small spinnerbaits, weedless jigs, swim jigs, hardbaits, soft jerkbaits, soft craws etc.


Goggle Eye grow to decent size and when they're healthy they get thick. Excellent table fare.

Agreed! Very good eating! Scaled, washed, dipped in yellow mustard/Crystal Hot Sauce mix, and then into well seasoned cornmeal/ corn flour/ corn starch/Tony Chacherie's mix! Only caveat... watch out for the small bones.

 

[RT8]

If a fish has to be dipped in mustard to be eaten, it ain't fit to eat.
Salt, pepper, and maybe some Tony's, and then rolled in fine corneal.

 

[Bolt Head]

There are a few ways I prepare fish. I tend to keep most of my cooking relatively simple but there are some labor- and time-intensive exceptions.

I rarely deep fry anymore but when I deep fry fish, I lightly dust the damp fillets (and any backbones) with Zatarain's Blackened (fine, not coarse), coat in unseasoned rice flour and fry in peanut oil. No egg wash.
This may knock your socks off and you're not allowed to hold me liable for subsequent addiction.

Most commonly I saute.
2 choices for seasoning fish or shrimp for sauteing: either a light dusting of Zatarain's fine Blackened before sauteing or sprinkle a dose of pink salt after the saute, once plated. Always saute in butter. Real, unsalted butter.
You've got it perfect when you have the light saute crunch on the outside and juicy on the inside.

 

[hotbiggun]

Thanks for the recipe ill try it

 

[T-Rigger]

If a fish has to be dipped in mustard to be eaten, it ain't fit to eat.
Salt, pepper, and maybe some Tony's, and then rolled in fine corneal.

Surprisingly, dipped in yellow mustard/Crystal mix, then in seasoned corn flour ("Fish Fry") is quite good fried fish fare. There is no "mustard" flavor noticeable - don't know how it cooks out, but really adds to the taste.

 

[RT8]

I've had mustard dipped fried catfish once. The mustard taste was obvious, and nasty to me...but I don't eat mustard anyway.