Uploaded August 2017 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
I don’t know about you but I love pistachios. So I was thinking, why not pistachio crusted fish? I dunno, but I think I can do this. So I picked up all the ingredients, except the fish! Let’s see if we can catch some. Click SHOW MORE for info on the equipment, the fish, the lake, and the recipes.
THE BAIT: is a 1/32 ounce lead-headed jig from Bass Pro Shops with mealworms attached to a # 4 hook.
THE SPINNING REEL: is a Pflueger Trion GX-5. This model is no longer made.
THE SPINNING ROD: is a tiny Daiwa SMC401ULFS Spinmatic-C SpinRod (4- Feet, Ultra Light, 1 Piece, 1-4 pound line test recommended). It can be found on Amazon, Fish USA, and other places.
THE LINE: is SpiderWire, Ultracast, Invisi-Braid in 10 pound test, 2 pound monofilament equivalent.
THE BOAT: is a Bass Hunter that I ordered from Bass Pro Shops about 12 years ago. They no longer sell it. Also, the Bass Hunter company seems to be out of business. Boats like it are still sold under the name Sun Dolphin. Do a Google search for “two man fishing boats.”
THE LAKE: is called Lake Ketchabigwon (named by native Americans). It is almost 6 acres and is located in NE Ohio. It sits on 37 acres of property. The lake is private.
FISH IN THE LAKE: are largemouth bass, bluegill, white crappie, black crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, and grass carp
WHY KEEP SMALL BASS: We had biologists come out and do an electroshock survey of the lake. They found too many small, stunted bass. Their advice was to remove all bass under 12 inches, and to release the bigger ones. This rule is usually the opposite in large public lakes.
LARGEST FISH CAUGHT: The biggest was a grass carp I hooked and managed to beach. It weighed over 30 pounds. Next was a channel cat (accidentally caught while bass fishing) of 10 pounds. The largest crappie was 14¾ inches and weighed 2 LBS and 1 oz. I did not measure the largest bluegill, but it had to be at least 10 inches. Finally, my largest bass was 6¾ pounds caught here at Lake Ketchabigwon.
WHERE TO GET A CAP LIKE MINE: You can get a “Juanelo Bait & Tackle” baseball cap here, inkpixi.com/by-clothing-type/baseball-hats. In fact, you could put your own name on it!
VIDEOGRAPHY:
The principal camera is my iPhone 6s Plus on a tripod. I also use an iPhone 5s as a close-up, counter-top camera when cooking. It is mounted on a small tripod. I use a Rhode microphone indoors to help lessen the echo. The video is edited on my MacBook Pro using Final Cut Pro X.
Background music was purchased from audioblocks.com. It is called "Rollin On."
LEARN HOW TO FILLET A FISH HERE: youtu.be/KgiGqlrB0LM
- - - TOMATO, ONION, AVOCADO SALAD RECIPE - - -
3-4 fresh large tomatoes, sliced (I used 5 Roma tomatoes)
Salt sprinkled
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons or slivers
2 avocados, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced (I sprinkled on garlic powder instead)
1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Red wine vinegar to drizzle
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Place a layer of sliced tomatoes on a large serving platter. Sprinkle with salt. Arrange the slivers of thinly sliced red onions and the chunks of avocado over the tomatoes.
Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, garlic, and crumbled dried oregano.
Drizzle red wine vinegar and olive oil over the platter. Sprinkle with a little more salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temp for an hour or two before serving. Do not refrigerate.
- - - PISTACHIO CRUSTED BLUEGILL RECIPE - - -
Recipe inspired by this: allrecipes.com/recipe/217342/pecan-crusted-walleye
Ingredients
3 eggs
½ cup of heavy cream
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (I forgot this)
½ teaspoon salt
3 or 4 TBS of water
2 cups ground pecan meal (two 6 oz. bags of shelled, salted pistachios)
½ cup ground almond meal
1 to 1½ pounds of bluegill fillets (I used 1½ pounds, too much!)
½ to ¾ stick butter
Just enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of very large skillet
Directions
In a small casserole dish, beat the egg and cream with the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt until evenly mixed. Thin a bit with water if too thick. Mix the pecan meal with almond meal in another, larger casserole dish. Dip the bluegill fillets into the egg mixture, then press into the pistachio-almond meal mixture. Then, place the coated fillets on a large baking sheet.
Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the bluegill fillets into the skillet. Cook 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
I don’t know about you but I love pistachios. So I was thinking, why not pistachio crusted fish? I dunno, but I think I can do this. So I picked up all the ingredients, except the fish! Let’s see if we can catch some. Click SHOW MORE for info on the equipment, the fish, the lake, and the recipes.
THE BAIT: is a 1/32 ounce lead-headed jig from Bass Pro Shops with mealworms attached to a # 4 hook.
THE SPINNING REEL: is a Pflueger Trion GX-5. This model is no longer made.
THE SPINNING ROD: is a tiny Daiwa SMC401ULFS Spinmatic-C SpinRod (4- Feet, Ultra Light, 1 Piece, 1-4 pound line test recommended). It can be found on Amazon, Fish USA, and other places.
THE LINE: is SpiderWire, Ultracast, Invisi-Braid in 10 pound test, 2 pound monofilament equivalent.
THE BOAT: is a Bass Hunter that I ordered from Bass Pro Shops about 12 years ago. They no longer sell it. Also, the Bass Hunter company seems to be out of business. Boats like it are still sold under the name Sun Dolphin. Do a Google search for “two man fishing boats.”
THE LAKE: is called Lake Ketchabigwon (named by native Americans). It is almost 6 acres and is located in NE Ohio. It sits on 37 acres of property. The lake is private.
FISH IN THE LAKE: are largemouth bass, bluegill, white crappie, black crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, and grass carp
WHY KEEP SMALL BASS: We had biologists come out and do an electroshock survey of the lake. They found too many small, stunted bass. Their advice was to remove all bass under 12 inches, and to release the bigger ones. This rule is usually the opposite in large public lakes.
LARGEST FISH CAUGHT: The biggest was a grass carp I hooked and managed to beach. It weighed over 30 pounds. Next was a channel cat (accidentally caught while bass fishing) of 10 pounds. The largest crappie was 14¾ inches and weighed 2 LBS and 1 oz. I did not measure the largest bluegill, but it had to be at least 10 inches. Finally, my largest bass was 6¾ pounds caught here at Lake Ketchabigwon.
WHERE TO GET A CAP LIKE MINE: You can get a “Juanelo Bait & Tackle” baseball cap here, inkpixi.com/by-clothing-type/baseball-hats. In fact, you could put your own name on it!
VIDEOGRAPHY:
The principal camera is my iPhone 6s Plus on a tripod. I also use an iPhone 5s as a close-up, counter-top camera when cooking. It is mounted on a small tripod. I use a Rhode microphone indoors to help lessen the echo. The video is edited on my MacBook Pro using Final Cut Pro X.
Background music was purchased from audioblocks.com. It is called "Rollin On."
LEARN HOW TO FILLET A FISH HERE: youtu.be/KgiGqlrB0LM
- - - TOMATO, ONION, AVOCADO SALAD RECIPE - - -
3-4 fresh large tomatoes, sliced (I used 5 Roma tomatoes)
Salt sprinkled
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons or slivers
2 avocados, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced (I sprinkled on garlic powder instead)
1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Red wine vinegar to drizzle
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Place a layer of sliced tomatoes on a large serving platter. Sprinkle with salt. Arrange the slivers of thinly sliced red onions and the chunks of avocado over the tomatoes.
Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, garlic, and crumbled dried oregano.
Drizzle red wine vinegar and olive oil over the platter. Sprinkle with a little more salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temp for an hour or two before serving. Do not refrigerate.
- - - PISTACHIO CRUSTED BLUEGILL RECIPE - - -
Recipe inspired by this: allrecipes.com/recipe/217342/pecan-crusted-walleye
Ingredients
3 eggs
½ cup of heavy cream
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (I forgot this)
½ teaspoon salt
3 or 4 TBS of water
2 cups ground pecan meal (two 6 oz. bags of shelled, salted pistachios)
½ cup ground almond meal
1 to 1½ pounds of bluegill fillets (I used 1½ pounds, too much!)
½ to ¾ stick butter
Just enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of very large skillet
Directions
In a small casserole dish, beat the egg and cream with the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt until evenly mixed. Thin a bit with water if too thick. Mix the pecan meal with almond meal in another, larger casserole dish. Dip the bluegill fillets into the egg mixture, then press into the pistachio-almond meal mixture. Then, place the coated fillets on a large baking sheet.
Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the bluegill fillets into the skillet. Cook 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
