Recipes for Bluegill, Crappie, Lake Perch, Whitefish, Northern Pike, Walleye and other freshwater fish
Lake Michigan provides some of the best fishing for Bluegill, Crappie, Lake Perch, Whitefish, Northern Pike, Walleye and other freshwater fish in the Midwest. The states surrounding the lake were settled in the early 1800's providing a rich tradition with many varied regional cooking specialities and techniques. We will continue to add regional recipes offering the unique flavors of midwest cooking and some other favorite recipes from different areas.
Bluegill and Crappie Recipes:
Bluegill and Crappie are present in many of the harbors and bays that surround the shoreline of Lake Michigan. Fishing for Bluegill and Crappie can be done year round.
- Corn Meal Crusted Crappie Recipe - A double corn meal crusted crappie filet is a true southern favorite.
- Cajun Crappie Recipe - Cajun spices help zip up this crappie recipe.
- Onion Sour Cream Potato Chip Crusted Bluegill - Onion sour cream potato chips give this baked bluegill recipe a crunchy texture.
Lake Perch Recipes:
Lake Perch also called Yellow Perch are a favorite sports fish of many anglers in Lake Michigan. Early in the spring fisherman pursue Lake Perch in the depths of the lake. Summer and fall bring Lake Perch near shore available for shore fisherman. Winter ice fishing for Lake Perch is popular in frozen harbors and bays.
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Friday Night Fish Fry's using Lake Perch are a tradition in the communities that surround Lake Michigan. The perch is usually served with french fried potatoes, coleslaw and rye bread. These recipes are primarily used for Perch but will work equally well with other panfish:
- Lake Perch Pancake Batter 1 Recipe - A classic Pancake batter for Lake Perch fish fry's.
- Lake Perch Pancake Batter 2 Recipe - A crunchy classic Pancake batter for Lake Perch fish fry's.
- Lake Perch Beer Batter Recipe - An easy Beer batter for Lake Perch that is equally good with other fish.
- Tempura Battered Lake Perch Recipe - An easy Tempura batter for Lake Perch, vegetables or other fish.
- Fried Lake Perch Almondine Recipe - An almond cracker crusting on the Lake Perch give the fish a crunchy texture.
- Cracker Crusted Lake Perch Recipe - Saltine cracker crusting on the Lake Perch give the fish a crunchy texture.
- Potato Crusted Lake Perch Recipe - Potato crusting using instant potato buds is an easy method to acheive a crunchy texture with a unique flavor.
- Panko Crusted Lake Perch Recipe - Panko is the Japanese word for "bread crumbs". Unlike other bread crumbs, panko is made from the softer, tender centers of the bread instead of the crust. This results in a larger flaky bread crumb and a crunchier texture when fried.
Northern Pike Recipes:
Northern Pike are present in many of the harbors and bays that surround the shoreline of Lake Michigan. Fishing for Northern Pike is primarily done in fall and winter by ice fishing.
- Northwoods Baked Northern Pike Recipe - Baking Northern Pike with a guides secret spice combination gives the fish a northwoods flavor.
- Onion Ring Crusted Northern Pike Recipe - Onion Rings give the Northern Pike a crunchy, tasty flavor.
- Parmesan Baked Northern Pike - Baked Northern Pike with a parmesan cheese coating.
- Bread Crumb Baked Northern Pike Recipe - This recipe gives the baked Northern Pike a crunchy coating and moist texture.
Walleye Recipes:
Walleye are present in many of the bays and rivers that surround the shoreline of Lake Michigan. Fishing for Walleye is primarily done in spring, fall and winter by ice fishing.
- Broiled Walleye with Fresh Herb Sauce - Broiled walleye with an added fresh herb sauce.
- Walnut Crusted Walleye - Baked Walnut crusted walleye filets.
- Potato Chip Crusted Walleye - Baked potato chip crusted walleye filets.
Whitefish Recipes:
Whitefish inhabit the depths of Lake Michigan. They are primarily commercially caught and are available fresh in many towns surrounding Lake Michigan. Fishing for Whitefish is done in the fall from shore when they appear in the shallow rocky areas for spawning. Ice fishing for Whitefish is popular in many of the northern bays of Lake Michigan.
- Door County Fish Boil Recipe - Door County is located in the northeastern part of Wisconsin. Fish boils are a tradition in the area dating over a hundred years. Most fish boils are made with the Whitefish native to the area.
- Traditional Door County Fish Boil (with photos) - Many Door County restaurants specialize in nightly Fish Boils. The process of cooking a fish boil is described with pictures showing the procedure.
- Grilled Whitefish Recipe - Grilling Whitefish outdoors on a barbecue grill gives a slight smoky taste to the Whitefish.
- Whitefish Almondine Recipe - A broiled Whitefish recipe with Slivered Almonds.
- Baked Whitefish Recipe - Baking Whitefish with butter gives the fish a restaurant quality flavor.
More Fish Recipes:
- Whitefish and Trout Recipes
- Wisconsin Fish Recipes
