Walleye Taste vs Northern Pike Taste?

[Vollmer]

I have some good buddies that swear up and down that pike tastes just as good as walleye. For me it's somewhat close, but i enjoy walleye a more with a definite edge. Maybe I'm cooking it up wrong? I don't know. Which do you enjoy better? Is it close for you? Recipe tips?

 

[FishReaper]

Im a big fan of Northerns. I debone them and cook in many different ways. the seem to hold up to frying and grilling better than walleye. I make my own beer batter and fry in peanut oil. just did this a few nights ago

 

[guywhofishes]

Just as good to eat - sometimes better. Slime management is what makes pike more difficult to process correctly. You can't enjoy fish nearly as much if it's been slimed during filet process.

Fileting walleye without them ever touching slime is easy. For me - fileting pike and not exposing them to the slime is more difficult.

 

[Skoalongcut]

I prefer to eat pike. It has more flavor than walleye. Of course it doesn't hurt that the guy I get it from cleans and debones them so well that I rarely get a bone. Last time I believe the package I got was around 5 pounds and I did not get one bone. I bet if you could do a blind taste test between walleye and northern, the majority of them would say they prefer the northern. The negative connotations that follow pike scare away most.

 

[MuskyManiac]

Taste is the same to me, but I do like the firmness and texture of northern. This is especially true if you're baking the fish or making a foil pack.

 

[dust in the wind]

Either is fine with me. I can debone a pike pretty good. Miss a bone or two occasionally though. Different texture but both are good.

 

[DirtyMike]

I finally fried some northerns up about a month ago. About the only difference I found between the pike and walleye was the texture. Still, deboning them (especially my first time) I missed a lot of meat. No bones though so I think it was a success.

 

[Davey Crockett]

I like the taste of Northern better but I eat more walleye because they are so darn easy to clean.

 

[Colonel Angus]

I generally like the taste of northern better. However, it seems the flavor of a northern can vary a great deal from lake to lake and time of year with water temps and sometimes they get a little gamey tasting. Walleye is pretty bland and I've only had a few that picked up a bad flavor over the years. If I know the fish might taste a little more "fishy" as do the larger northerns, I do a bake with boneless fillets. I have a couple of different recipies that hide that well.

 

[fullrut]

When I was a kid we ate mostly pike. Walleye back then was a treat. Hard to beat a baked pike for flavor as far as ND fish go.

 

[FishReaper]

Im surprised by the results so far. I get lots of greif and shit at cleaning stations for keeping and cleaning Pike, catfish. pretty mush anything but walleye. Its interesting to see that so far most of us prefer the flavor of pike

 

[Davey Crockett]

I agree with Colonel Angus about water temp. This summer starting in late July everything I keep is going on ice.

 

[Colonel Angus]

Im surprised by the results so far. I get lots of greif and shit at cleaning stations for keeping and cleaning Pike, catfish. pretty mush anything but walleye. Its interesting to see that so far most of us prefer the flavor of pike

I agree that many at the cleaning station on Grahams Island have been confrontational or at least let out a groan and give ya the stink eye. They probably have been at a station where someone didn't clean up very well, either that or they have a little sand in the crotch.

 

[FinsFursFeathers]

I will have to say I am pleasantly surprised at the results. The key is getting rid of the y-bones. Fried up many pounds at the fishhouse this winter. Had a buddy that would whine that we would always take the walleye home and fry the pike at the fishhouse. Well.........I gave in and fried both the next weekend. Guess what the results were..........you got it! On the breading side.......I found a "Larry The Cable Guy" fish batter that works and tastes awesome. So simple, all you have to do is mix it with a can of Busch Light. Prefer them when they come in the "Dirty Thirty" boxes!! I figured a guy his size probably knew what tasted good!

 

[The Mantis]

I like Northerns just as much, but I really love good old beer battered walleye as well.

 

[Norske]

I prefer pike. I'm with the late Tony Dean who said walleye taste like whatever you put on them. Pike actually have a flavor.
If you haven't tried it, blackened (look up a recipe for blackened redfish) pike is the best prepared pike I've ever eaten. According to the summer employee at Graham's Island, where I had it, the best Cajun seasoning is the stuff sold at Space Aliens restaurants.

 

[Rowdie]

I used to love northern when I was a kid. But since now I can keep as much FRESH walleye in the fridge as I want, I don't clean anything but walleye. Well April is a challenge, but can usually get a meal a trip. Then in May and June I give fish away. I freeze a little to get me through winter when all I do is work. My wife will only eat walleye anyway. I can't stand the fishy taste, and would never buy fish sticks or fish from a store. To me walleye doesn't taste like fish. You may call it bland, I call it a subtle, smooth and DELICIOUS! I agree it tastes like what you put on it, but so do all the other recipes people make for cats, pike,...etc. Walleye doesn't need much seasoning IMO. I shake mine in flour then fry in grease with butter. I sprinkle a little Lawry's or Rick's Salt. If you ever go through Mobridge, stop by Rick's cafe and pick some up.

Plus walleye are so easy to clean.��,

I still think that fish will taste like the water they swim in. Since all the fish I catch come out of Oahe, I would clean and eat any fish I caught, if I were truly hungry. I'd probably enjoy it. A skipjack out of good clean water will taste just fine, its not like your gonna gag on it. We sometimes give bass to a guy hear, and have even given him drum and skipjack, he loves it.

 

[FishReaper]

Honestly drum is pretty good. Very sweet white meat. Kinda a pain to clean but I sure don't mind a few in the live well. Can't speak about skipjack.. Never had the want to cook one

 

[thefightingpike]

We mostly ate pike and bluegill growing up. I love the taste of northern. I'd say they are tied or better than walleye. They are easy to fillet also. Very underutilized fish.

 

[The Mantis]

We mostly ate pike and bluegill growing up. I love the taste of northern. I'd say they are tied or better than walleye. They are easy to fillet also. Very underutilized fish.

Shhhhhh.... Just let the walleye snobs remain in the dark so we can have all the fun ;:;boohoo