Tasty Treats Wear Silver and Black

  • by: Kevin Michalowski

Ask a dozen fishermen to name the best-eating fish on the stringer and I’d bet six of them would point to the crappie. Six of 12, well, that’s almost half. And if half the fishermen surveyed think one type of fish tastes better than all others, well, that might be something to take a look at.

I never would have guessed just how popular crappie fishing has become. Back when I was a kid we would catch crappies off the rocks in a channel near my house each spring. The best bait was a tiny white fly tied on a cane pole. By stretching out with the cane pole and carefully jigging the fly just above the nose of the fish, you could entice even the most stubborn pre-spawn fish to bite.

Today crappie fishing is big business. If you want to become a professional crappie angler I’d bet there is a tournament circuit out there ready to take your entry fee. Hit the big time and you might even be able to score free jigs from some of the many crappiefocused companies out there.

As for me, I just like to eat them. Here are a few great recipes that will certainly tickle your taste buds.

Cajun Fried Fillets
1 pound fillets
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup flour or pancake mix
1 cup cornmeal
1 tbsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Pinch of seasoned salt

Instructions:
Mix flour, milk, and egg in a small bowl. Mix cornmeal, cajun seasoning, seasoned salt, salt, and pepper in another small bowl. Dip fillets in wet mixture to completely wet surface, then roll in dry mixture. Fry fillets in oil in a medium sized skillet until both sides are golden brown. Serve with hot sauce and a rice dish on the side.

Corn Flake Crappie
Fresh crappie fillets
Corn Flakes
Butter

Clean and dry as many crappie fillets as you need. Crush corn flakes inside a freezer bag to a medium consistency. (do not crush to powder). Melt butter and dip fillets in melted butter and coat with crushed corn flakes. Arrange on foil-lined baking sheet. Cook at 350 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes. Fillets are done when Corn Flakes begin to brown.

Quick Panfried Crappie
Crappie fillets
1 egg
1 cup flour or pancake mix
3/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper

Instructions:
Mix flour, egg, and milk in a small bowl. Mix until batter is free of lumps. Dip dry fish fillets in batter and fry in hot skillet until both sides of fillets are golden brown.

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