Large-Mouth Black Bass in England

[DaceAce]

Something different this week:

[Wanderer]

An interesting piece of Angling history.
Thanks for posting Mark.

[Barbelbonce]

Many thanks, Mark, for a most interesting piece of history.
I'm going to do some searching in the club's archive.....I have a years'-old memory of reading of stockings of (possibly) bass and Quinnat salmon from northern California. I will report further if I find anything.

I thank you for your (admirably restrained) mini-rant about "sea" bass: I have explained for years to anyone who will listen (and many who won't!) that we ONLY have bass in the UK. Chefs just seem to laugh!!

Mike

[Dave F]

Very interesting. I managed to catch both small mouthed and large mouthed bass in a lake in Huntsville, Canada a few years ago, along with some small perch. The large mouthed specimen was just on 24” long and jumped, dived and did all that he/she could to throw the hook.

[Olly]

They have 'taken off' in France, loads and loads of artificial baits plus rods and multiplier reels - all being very expensive!

It seems to be the in-thing to use the multiplier rather than the fixed spool - together with crank-handled c****n rods and a rubber worm/spinner baits/etc. Unfortunately although watching them fishing I have not seen them catch one on the bank! They also use similar tactics for Silure - and being towed around in their float-tubes is quite amusing - especially with an enormous fish on!

So in France two sorts of bass at least - for chefs, bass are from the sea on the menu - - whilst those eaten at home could be either!

[Phil Arnott]

There was some talk in the British Sea Anglers' Society in the early 1900s about introducing Striped Bass to the English coast but it never came about. Probably a good thing as they may have had an adverse effect on our native bass. America has quite a few fish species which have bass in the name.

[Ian.R.McDonald]

Many thanks, Mark, for a most interesting piece of history.
I'm going to do some searching in the club's archive.....I have a years'-old memory of reading of stockings of (possibly) bass and Quinnat salmon from northern California. I will report further if I find anything.

I thank you for your (admirably restrained) mini-rant about "sea" bass: I have explained for years to anyone who will listen (and many who won't!) that we ONLY have bass in the UK. Chefs just seem to laugh!!

Mike

At last! someone who find the " sea bass" term an american derived annoyance.

The next one is " sea bream" although anyone brave enough to eat " normal" bream needs our help!. Fred J Taylor produced a complicated recipe- mounting the fish on a board and then a page of marinating and many herbs. Then throwing the bream away and eating the board

[Olly]

Having as a kid tried to cook/eat a bream I can ensure all - - - they are rubbish with flesh like very boney cotton wool! Horrible!!

[MWithell]

I've heard of a similar recipe for bream involving newspaper!

[Duckett]

Very interesting Mark, thank you.

Can I joint Barbelbonce in congratulating you on the “we only have one Bass” issue! I object noisily every time I see the s-word associated with Bass! There must be no surrender on this!

Phil