Largemouth Bass Recipe

Yeah, I realize this blog is about saltwater fishing, but I thought some of you readers might be interested in a largemouth bass recipe. After all, this site is devoted to fishing in the South, and what Southern angler doesn’t fish for largemouth bass? Even if your passion is saltwater fishing, you might not be able to make it to the coast all the time, so you might satisfy your fishing appetite by angling for some largemouth bass in local ponds and lakes.

Largemouth bass are delicious! The flesh is firm and white, and it has a mild flavor. Most folks fillet largemouth bass, but there’s something to be said for cooking them whole. The whole fish makes a dramatic, attractive presentation! Try this largemouth bass recipe on the grill!

Grilled Largemouth Bass recipe

What you’ll need:

1 largemouth bass (dressing instructions below)
Salt
Sesame oil
Melted butter
Lime juice
Worcestershire sauce
Sugar
Fresh parsley
Garlic salt
Black pepper

Directions: Gut and scale fish, leaving the head on. Cut out the gills. Rinse the fish well.

Using a sharp knife, slash both sides of the bucketmouth vertically. Slashes should be 2-3 inches apart.

Rub the fish all over with salt, including inside the cavity.

Rub the fish with sesame oil.

Cook the largemouth bass on a clean, oiled grill, over medium coals. The thickest part of the fish should be over the hottest part of the grill, and the thinnest part should be as far away from the heat as possible. If you want more smoky flavor, close the grill lid during part of the cooking time. The fish will need to cook about ten minutes per inch of thickness, per side. You can tell when the fish is done by looking at the flesh and the backbone. The flesh will turn white and opaque, and it will begin to pull away from the spine.

While the largemouth bass is cooking, make your sauce. I can’t provide you with exact amounts because it depends on the size of your fish as to how much sauce you’ll need. To ½ cup of butter, I add ¼ cup lime juice, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Heat all this together in the microwave. Increase or decrease the recipe if you need to.

Carefully remove the cooked bass from the grill and drizzle with the sauce. I like to make extra sauce for dipping! Need more fish recipes? They’re just a click away!