I grew up eating a lot of small fish. Some of my most vivid childhood memories were weekend afternoons spent at the local lake, walking the banks with a homemade cane pole and filling stringers with sunfish of various sizes. Catching bigger fish was always the goal, but sunfish, perch, croaker, and spot were always welcome and reliable. Fried, steamed, roasted, or stewed, the smaller catches were treated with as much care and attention as a catch of keeper rockfish, flounder, or drum.

Having worked in the restaurant industry most of my life, I’ve been astonished how many people shy away from eating whole fish. Admittedly, there is more nuance to navigating the bones of a perch versus the large flakes of a halibut, but efforts are well worth it. White perch, in particular, are just as good, if not better, than any of its more glamorous counterparts, like rockfish, flounder, or speckled trout. Cooking small fish whole also maximizes the yield and encourages getting your hands dirty.

I like to fry up a batch of fresh perch, make a tangy and spicy sauce to accompany it, and pick fish like I would pick crabs–with friends, hoppy beverages, and a lot of laughs.