KAMPFIRE KOOKIN’ WILD THANGS

I would have to say that the most sought after fish is the common bluegill found in almost every body of water throughout the state of Indiana and other states for that matter. My dad said that the bluegill is a gift from God to kids and old men. It’s an easy fish to catch, clean, and eat. I would have to say that the bluegill is the perfect fish in my book. (I’ll include the sunfish, punkin seeds, chubs, goggle eye, warmouth, and other ‘pan’ fish in this category). A man can feed his family with just a cane pole, a hook, line, sinker, and bobber. The bluegill can be boiled, fried, baked, made into a soup/stew, dried into jerky, and eaten raw (if you had to). Grind them up and make fish patties.

Bluegill can be filleted for cooking or just scaled, gutted, beheaded, rolled, in flour, and fried in a little grease. Of course you have to watch out for bones if you don’t fillet them but then that’s half the fun of eating them or so I’m told. Have sliced bread handy to eat if you get a bone lodged in your throat. This is one reason I filleted all the bluegill that my kids caught. They could eat and enjoy bluegill without the worry of choking on the bones. However you do it; enjoy God’s gift to the old, the young, and to all fisherman.

FRIED BLUEGILL FILLETS

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(Best way)

Bluegill fillets (with or without the skin)

1 cup flour

2 tbsp. lemon and pepper seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Canola oil

Wash fillets in clean water and drain well. Combine dry ingredients and dredge the fillets in the mixture. Fry until crispy on the outside and flaky on the inside. Drain on paper towels and serve with tartar sauce, catsup, or hot sauce.

NOTE: Use flour mixture to roll whole bluegill in that have been just scaled, gutted, and beheaded. Fry as above but remember these will take a little longer to cook and again, WATCH OUT FOR THE BONES!

Another way is to roll the fillets in your favorite pancake batter before frying.

Take a kid fishin’ and enjoy nature’s (God’s) wild bounty.