I was bass fishing earlier, and I kept seeing a small patch of water where the bluegills were just going crazy. I switched poles and on my first cast I caught one about 10 inches. After a few more nice sized fish I started thinking of keeping a few to eat. I wasn't planning on keeping any fish so I didn't have any ice with me. I started putting them on a stringer, but after about 10 minutes the fish were starting to get really dark in color. They were stressed from being on the stringer, so I decided to release them instead. Is it bad to eat them after they have been on a stringer for a while? I kept them in the water, but I wasn't really sure if it was safe.
Lifer since 05/08....Ky....Fred

I'm sure it's fine, but I just wanted everyone's thoughts.
Lifer since 05/08....Ky....Fred

If you look at there gills and they are pink, or even worse white. Best get rid of them. If they are red, as usual, then they are perfectly fine to eat.

Thanks Yano. I thought they would be fine, but I wanted to make sure first.
Lifer since 05/08....Ky....Fred

this one lake that i go to all of them that i catch are white.
fishin in eastern PA

Eat 'em Fred!!! Before ice was readily available everybody used stringers to keep there fish alive. I don't keep fish anymore but when I did I'd keep them alive on stringers ,buckets, or coolers full of water until I cleaned them.

 

(it don't matter if the horse is blind.Just load the cart anyway!... John Madden Hall of Fame Coach) (NAFC LM) (NAHC LM) (NRA) ("Fred"Jefferson,MD)

In all my years of fishing I have never seen a  Bluegill thats plain white. Must be some extremely cold water

is this the color of the fish, with very little color in them. if so than these fish you are getting is a cold/cool water shed and/or you are getting these fish out of deep water. my favorite lake i fish is a deep lake and is a cold/cool water shed. and they are all colorless when i 1st catch them. but put them in a bucket of water or on ice and then look at them in about 10 minutes and see the color on them.

blugills are delicous when fried mmmmmmmmm

yep.....even baked they aren't to bad either.
have ya ever left the skin on them and cooked them over charcoal with butter and lemon juice.....hmhmmmmmm

im goin to try that mr bill im a chef and that sounds out of this world. skin on em ehh,....

yep but remeber to take the scales off 1st.........lol

useing the same idea.......wrap in foil, then ya can add a couple of other things along with the fish. such as diced onion, bit of chives, potatoes-cube them- and some type of veggy that ya think that would go good with it.

potato wedges and blue gills ound yumilicious

the foil dinner one works best with trout and pike.....remember to put a bit of butter and a splash of lemon juice

I ate a sunny once when I was a Kid. My 2 sons nd I have been on a trout kick lately, but there is lake where we go where we catch plenty of sunnys. maybe I'll have to keep a few good sized ones and coke'm up.

Theres nothing better than bringing home a cooler filled with lots of  1/2 pound plus bluegill and making some patties out of them. Those gills are some of the best tasting fish.

i dont see why not