A “Reeltime” Bass Recipe

Written By John D. Palmer

A fresh bass fillet with lemon prepared at Lewis Smith Lake. Image credit: The Lakeside Life magazine

This is a recipe provided by Jasper-based fishing guide, lure craftsman and photographer Richard “Trae” Anderson, whose business, Reel Time Anglers, was recently featured in The Wild Acre.

Early autumn is a great time for bass fishing in North Alabama. And while many bass anglers are focused on catch-and-release for sport, many still are hoping to bag a few fish that are nice enough to take home to grill, bake, or fry. This recipe works well for fresh or frozen fish. The ingredients are as follows:

  • 2-3 nice sized bass fillets

  • pinch of salt

  • pinch of pepper

  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar

  • 2 pinches of cayenne pepper

  • 2 tsp Tajin seasoning

  • 1 pkg of truffle butter (use to taste, we used about a teaspoon on each side)

  • 1-2 lemons (juice or cut in half to squeeze over fish while cooking)

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil

  • 1 pack of green onions

Once the ingredients are acquired, you’ll want to wash the fillets, place them on a large tray (if using frozen fillets, thaw fish thoroughly), then gently pat dry. Combine the first 5 dry ingredients (seasonings) in a small cup or bowl to mix. Coat both sides of the fish thoroughly.

Heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add fillets into the heated pan to cook. As the fish cooks, add truffle butter (one small spoonful at a time), and squeeze lemon juice onto the fish. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until done. Add chopped green onions for garnish if desired.

Anderson’s family serves their bass filets with Spanish rice and broccoli. We served ours with cheese grits sprinkled with bacon bits, zucchini fritters and a side salad, but it is also great with traditional sides for fish like coleslaw, wild rice and steamed veggies. You decide!

We hope you stay tuned for more recipes.

As a side note, if you are interested in checking out Anderson’s lures and photography in person, he will be displaying both at the Fayette Arts Festival at the Fayette Civic Center on September 13th. He will later be showcasing only his lures at the Mule Day festival in Winfield, Alabama, on September 26th and 27th.

*This recipe was originally published in the April 2020 issue of The Lakeside Life magazine.

John D. Palmer

John D. Palmer is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Wild Acre. He began his career in 2017 as a staff writer at The Moulton Advertiser, where he developed a particular passion for covering agricultural stories in Lawrence County, Alabama. Since then, he has gone on to become a public relations professional and currently serves as executive editor at The Lakeside Life magazine, Smith Lake’s premier publication. In his spare time, he can often be found somewhere on the water or water’s edge with a rod and reel in hand.

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