Can You Eat Pumpkinseed Fish? Everything You Need To Know

As an avid angler, I’m always looking for new and tasty fish to catch and eat. Recently, I came across the pumpkinseed fish and was curious if it could be eaten. After doing some research, I learned that pumpkinseeds are not only edible, but make for great table fare. In this article, I’ll share everything you need to know about eating pumpkinseed fish.

What is a Pumpkinseed Fish?

The pumpkinseed fish (Lepomis gibbosus) is a freshwater panfish belonging to the sunfish family. It is native to lakes, ponds and slow moving streams ranging from Canada down to South Carolina. Pumpkinseeds get their name from their distinctive pumpkinseed shape and coloring. They have an olive green or brown back with speckles and vibrant blue, orange and yellow coloring on their bellies and fins. Pumpkinseeds are small, averaging 4-8 inches long and weighing less than half a pound.

Are Pumpkinseeds Good to Eat?

Pumpkinseeds are absolutely delicious to eat. Their flesh is white, flaky and mild tasting Many anglers consider pumpkinseed to be one of the tastiest panfish around Their delicate flavor has been compared to other popular table fare fish like perch, crappie and bluegill.

Pumpkinseeds don’t have many small bones to deal with and put up a decent fillet for their size. They can be prepared using almost any cooking method like frying, baking, or grilling. Pumpkinseeds take well to a variety of breadings and seasonings too.

Among fishermen who have tried them, pumpkinseeds seem to get rave reviews for their flavor and culinary versatility. Although small, they provide a tasty meal and are fun to catch

How to Catch and Cook Pumpkinseed Fish

Now that you know pumpkinseeds are good eating, let’s go over how to catch and cook them.

Catching Pumpkinseed Fish

Pumpkinseeds are fairly easy to catch, especially for beginner anglers. Here are some tips for catching them:

• Fish near shore in shallow, weedy areas

• Use light tackle – 4-8 lb test line and small hooks or jigs

• Bait with insects, mealworms, bread, or small pieces of worm

• Target beds, docks, weed edges, fallen trees and lily pads

• Float a live worm or cricket under a bobber near cover

• Use small spinners like beetle spins and roadrunners

• Fly fish with small popping bugs, streamers, or nymphs

Pumpkinseeds often travel in schools so where you catch one, you’re likely to catch more. Focus on areas of cover where these fish congregate.

Preparing and Cooking Pumpkinseed

To prepare pumpkinseeds for cooking:

• Scale, gut and rinse the fish thoroughly

• Trim off dorsal and tail fins

• Cut off head and tail if desired

• Pat dry with paper towels

• At this point, the fish can be fried, baked or grilled whole with guts and head removed

• For fillets, make vertical cuts behind the head down to the backbone on both sides

• Lift out the fillets in one piece and remove ribs if needed

• Season and bread fillets as desired

Some of my favorite ways to cook pumpkinseed include:

• Pan fried fillets with cornmeal or panko breading

• Deep fried whole fish with Cajun seasoning

• Baked with lemon pepper and butter

• Grilled fillets with Italian dressing or teriyaki

• Added to fish tacos, sandwiches and chowders

Be sure to cook pumpkinseed to an internal temperature of at least 145°F. Fried and grilled fillets cook quickly, usually 2-3 minutes per side. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes.

The next time you’re fishing and reel in one of these colorful panfish, be sure to keep a few for dinner! Pumpkinseeds offer anglers an easily caught and delicious eating fish.