When I was young I loved going fishing. It was nothing for me and some of my friends to grab our poles and head for the nearest creek or lake. But we weren’t catching big cats, northern or walleyes. We were after panfish. Crappie, bluegill, and sunfish were the main ones. And maybe the occasional perch. Why you may ask? Because they were easy to catch. They weren’t hard to clean. South Dakota has a ton of spots to find them. And they tasted amazing.
Fast forward to today. And not much has changed for these little guys. They are still fun to catch. There are several places to catch them. And they still taste amazing. And if you stick with me, I’ll give you my recipe for these delicious little treats.
How To Catch Them
When I was growing up I had very fond memories of these fish. And we had a pretty efficient way of getting them. We would get some worms, nightcrawlers, grasshoppers, waxworms or minnows. They just seemed to bite better with some sort of live bait for some reason. Then you tie on a hook. You can also use a very small lead head jig with various colors. This would sometimes help get their attention a bit. Red, yellow and green all work very nicely. Then put a bobber one foot to eighteen inches up. Put it up further if it was colder. You can also try to use small spinners, spoons, plastic jigs, or small crank baits. Having a bit of a variety may help catch them when they don’t bite as well.
Next step was to find some sort of structure in the water. A rocky bank or sunken tree always worked well. However, a rocky bottom, underwater vegetation, or culvert work good too. As long as they have a place to hide from bigger fish. Keep in mind they are small. So they don’t need a lot of water to thrive in. This means it’s not uncommon to find them very near shore hiding in rocks.
A lot of people like to catch these guys through the cold weather months. Since they seem to have a milder flavor. This makes catching them through the ice really popular. They are often times one of the few fish that seem to stay active through the winter as well. And in all fairness they do seem to get a bit of a stronger flavor in the summer months. But for someone that grew up eat fresh fish, you can eat them anytime of year. As long as you cook them right.
Through the ice, you can try to find ridges or areas that cut off the bank. Such as a bend coming into the water. Once again finding a rocky bottom or structure on the bottom will really help. If you’re lucky enough to have a fish finder this can help a ton to find the underwater structure. By drilling a few random holes in the ice, you should be able to find them. As well as find some schools of them swimming around.
A simple kit like this one could be all you need. It also makes a great Christmas present.Where To Catch Them
This is one of the gems of South Dakota that seems to be overlooked. We are blessed with some incredible fishing in so many different spots. And when it comes to panfish, there really is no short supply of places to find them. Lakes, rivers, ponds, and creeks can all be great spots to find them.
One great resource for even people that are familiar with great fishing spots is the South Dakota Game Fish And Parks website. I recommend all fisherman look at this information and maps. The Game Fish And Parks often stock new fish in different areas. And the only way to know is by going to the website and looking. You can also subscribe to their newsletter and get all sorts of valuable information and updates from them. Including stocking and license changes. They also have lists of the stocked lakes and rivers they survey. This can tell you how many of a particular species are in the lake as well. All information that can be invaluable for any type of fisherman. Especially panfish.
Another way to find some great panfish holes is simply to ask. That’s right. Just ask. Though some people may be protective of their information of a great catfish hole. Most people will simply share information on where the bluegills are biting. So that old guy down the street that goes fishing every Saturday rain or shine. Ask. He would probably be more than happy to talk about it. But don’t overlook bait shops and sporting goods stores. As they want you to buy more minnows. So they would love to talk about a great place to get rid of those minnows.
Last but not least one way to find them is to drop a hook and try. This can even be a bit of an adventure. If you have a creek near by. A larger drainage ditch that doesn’t dry up. Or even a random pond or slough. There are a lot of times panfish are in there. And you may find great fishing you didn’t know existed. Even though in the Black Hills this isn’t a secret. In the rest of the state these places can be overlooked. And it can be a ton of fun to try.
Eating Them
OK. So you got yourself some yummy fish. And it’s time to think about how to prepare them. There are some really easy ways to prep them. And several different ways to cook them. Ill give a few I’ve tried that work nicely.
One of the ways to prep them is filleting them. For those that have cleaned fish before, this is a go to. Make a slit to the back of the head and follow the bone line to the tail. Though they are smaller and a bit harder to get to the bone, it can definitely be done. Here is a video giving one way to do it.
Another way to prep them is to leave them whole. You do this by taking a knife or a spoon, then rake against the scales. There is also a scaling tool you can buy for pretty cheap. You can also just remove the skin with the scales on it using a skinning pliers. Some people would argue that taking off the skin will remove some flavor. Next, you remove the guts and head and you’re done. I also recommend using a skinning pliers to remove the fins. Since this will remove more of the bones. The advantage of prepping the fish like this is that you will not waste a scrap of meat. It also gives a bonus treat of eating the crunchy tail. If you’ve never had this before your missing out. And I promise it’s way better than it sounds. The downside is you have to pick around the bones. However, the meat does peel away very easily. So the bones are easy to pick around once cooked. Click here to see a video.
Franks is a great to use as a seasoning. And can be used for a lot more than just fish.The last way I’ll talk about prepping is very similar to filleting. Except you leave the skin and scales on. Why you may ask? So that you can grill them without tin foil. This is what I call the salmon method. You follow the bone line all the way back to the tail and cut all the skin off to the tail. This is by far and away the fastest way to clean them. When you go to cook them, put olive oil on a plate. Dredge both sides of the fish filet with oil. Put them on a pan or plate. Sprinkle on sea salt, black pepper, and rosemary. With the grill on a medium heat cook with the meat side down for about 3 minutes. Next, flip it to the skin side and sprinkle with lemon juice and some more sea salt, black pepper, and rosemary. Let cook for about three more minutes. Then serve. Though this method is less heard of, it’s one I recommend giving a try. The good side? Very easy to clean and prep. It also lets the fish get the smoky flavor of the grill since you’re not using tin foil. The down side. You have to be careful you quickly sear it on the the flesh side since it can fall apart. And you will get a few scales from the fish on the grill. However, this is much more minimal than you may think.
I also recommend only keeping what you will be able to eat with in a month or two. These fish are awesome to eat. But they only keep so long in the freezer. And if you do keep them in the freezer do “Not” soak them in salt water. As the fish will not freeze all the way and will lose their flavor quickly.
Franks Fish
Here is my recipe I like to use for my fish cooking. This works for the fillets or whole. And really any fish as well. From panfish to tilapia. And it is really yummy. The Franks hot sauce will not make the fish hot unless you let it sit for an extended period of time. In a plastic bag put about a half a cup of Franks hot sauce and a half a cup of apple cider vinegar. Then put about 4 whole fish in the bag. Or about ten fillets. If you let them sit for about a half hour they will not be spicy at all and will just have a wonderful flavor. If you let them sit over night in the bag make sure you have a fire extinguisher. Since the vinegar will enhance the Franks.
Next, in a plastic bag mix together
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup corn meal
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. Old Bay Season Salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder (you can replace this with 1/4 cup onion flakes instead)
- 1/4 tbsp. Italian seasoning (pizza seasoning or oregano will work as well)
Bring your pan to a medium heat. Add in enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pan. You can substitute the cooking oil for olive oil as well. But what I recommend is using coconut oil. This is a healthier option and gives it a delicious flavor. It also seems to cook more evenly. Even though coconut oil can be a tad pricey. Put the fish in the bag of ingredients and dredge all sides of the fish. Next, fry on both sides for about 3 minutes or until gold brown. Then serve.
Panfish are a ton of fun to catch. With an amazing fight and determination. It’s hard to beat them for a good time. And in South Dakota we are blessed with a lot of options. And they suit any age. As a matter of fact, this may be what makes them standout. When I was young, I remember going out with my dad, grandpa, and friends. And spending hours catching them. But I’m not sure it was the fish I remember the most. It was the memories we made catching them. It was the stories we told while cleaning them. And the company we kept while eating them. And when I look back, those were the things that stick out. Even though they do taste amazing.
Until next time.
Mary jo bertrand