![\"Panfish](\"https:\/\/confluencemediagroup.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-to-make-fish-chowder-from-fresh-caught-panfish-02-ingredients.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nThis makes about six bowls.<\/p>\n
– About a pound and a half of fish fillets: bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, or a mix. Thawed, if they’ve been frozen.
\n– Four slices of bacon, chopped.
\n– One large yellow onion, diced.
\n– Three medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half-inch cubes.
\n– Two cups of water, or fish stock if you have it.
\n– Two cups of whole milk, or one can of evaporated milk plus enough milk to make two cups.
\n– Two tablespoons of butter.
\n– Salt, black pepper, and a pinch of dried thyme if you like it.
\n– Crackers or cornbread for the table.<\/p>\n
You don’t need a fancy pot. A heavy four-quart pot that holds heat is what I want, and a cast-iron Dutch oven is ideal. A sharp fillet knife does the cutting, and I use the same seven-inch Kershaw Clearwater I’ve mentioned before. A dull knife is the one that cuts you.<\/p>\n
Start with the fish<\/h2>\n![\"Panfish](\"https:\/\/confluencemediagroup.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-to-make-fish-chowder-from-fresh-caught-panfish-03-fish.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nIf your fish is frozen, thaw it the right way: in the refrigerator overnight, in a bowl to catch the drip. I wrote out the whole method in how to freeze fresh-caught fish<\/a>, and the thawing rules in it are the same here. Don’t thaw on the counter.<\/p>\nWhether fresh or thawed, pat the fillets dry, then run a finger along each one feeling for bones. Bluegill and crappie fillets sometimes carry small pin bones along the center. A chowder is forgiving, since the fish breaks up as it cooks, but a bone you can feel now is a bone someone’s grandchild will find later. Trim them out with the tip of your knife, or cut the fish into inch-and-a-half chunks and pull what you find.<\/p>\n
If you’re starting from whole fish, how to clean a fish for beginners<\/a> will walk you through the work, and how to keep your catch fresh until you get home<\/a> covers what to do before that.<\/p>\nBuild the pot<\/h2>\n![\"Chunks](\"https:\/\/confluencemediagroup.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-to-make-fish-chowder-from-fresh-caught-panfish-04-pot.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n1. Render the bacon.<\/strong> Put the chopped bacon in the cold pot, bring it to medium heat, and cook until the fat runs and the bacon is just crisp. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Leave the fat. That fat is the flavor of the pot.<\/p>\n2. Soften the onion.<\/strong> Add the diced onion to the fat and cook, stirring, until it’s soft and clear, about five minutes. Don’t brown it. We want sweet, not bitter.<\/p>\n3. Cook the potatoes.<\/strong> Add the potatoes and the water, with a good pinch of salt. Bring it up to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, a fork goes in with a little push, about twelve to fifteen minutes.<\/p>\n4. Add the fish.<\/strong> Lay the fillets or chunks on top of the potatoes, put the lid back on, and let it simmer gently for six to eight minutes. Fish cooks fast. It’s done when it turns opaque and flakes at the touch of a spoon, and a thermometer in the thickest piece reads 145 degrees. Don’t stir hard. Break it up lightly at the end.<\/p>\n5. Add the milk.<\/strong> Pour in the milk and the butter, and warm it through slowly. Don’t let it boil. Boiling milk can curdle and give you a grainy chowder. Low and slow, three or four minutes, until it’s steaming.<\/p>\n6. Season and rest.<\/strong> Add pepper and a little more salt if it wants it. Stir in the bacon. Take it off the heat and let it sit with the lid on for ten minutes. The potatoes thicken it a little and the flavors settle in.<\/p>\nWhat I’ve learned the long way<\/h2>\n![\"Panfish](\"https:\/\/confluencemediagroup.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-to-make-fish-chowder-from-fresh-caught-panfish-05-learned.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nDon’t overcook the fish.<\/strong> The first time I made chowder on my own, I let it simmer for half an hour and ended up with a thin soup full of mush. Six to eight minutes is all it needs.<\/p>\nPick the right fish.<\/strong> Bluegill and crappie make a light, sweet chowder. Channel catfish makes a richer one, and the pieces hold their shape better. A mix is good. I wouldn’t use a fish that tastes muddy. If a fish came out of warm, still water and smells like the pond, soak the fillets in milk for half an hour before you start.<\/p>\nSalt at the end, not the beginning.<\/strong> The bacon carries salt, and the pot reduces. A heavy hand at the start can ruin it with no way back.<\/p>\nLeftovers are better.<\/strong> Chowder keeps in the refrigerator for up to three days. Warm it gently, and don’t boil it. I don’t freeze it, because the milk and potatoes don’t thaw well.<\/p>\nAt the table<\/h2>\n![\"Supper](\"https:\/\/confluencemediagroup.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-to-make-fish-chowder-from-fresh-caught-panfish-06-table.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nAudra puts out a basket of saltine crackers and a plate of cornbread, and the grandkids fight over who gets the crumbs at the bottom. A little hot sauce on the table is for those who want it. Isaiah, our oldest grandson, is twelve now, and he caught most of what was in the pot the last time we made it. I like to remind him of that. He likes to remind me that he cleaned them wrong.<\/p>\n
A word about the water<\/h2>\n![\"Eastern](\"https:\/\/confluencemediagroup.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-to-make-fish-chowder-from-fresh-caught-panfish-07-water.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nKnow where your fish came from. Fish out of your own pond, you know the water. For public lakes and rivers, check your state’s fish advisories, since some waters carry limits on how much of certain species you should eat. Your state wildlife agency posts them, and it takes a minute to look up.<\/p>\n
Keep the freezer working<\/h2>\n![\"Cooler](\"https:\/\/confluencemediagroup.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-to-make-fish-chowder-from-fresh-caught-panfish-08-freezer.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nA pot of chowder is a good reason to fill the freezer in the first place. If you’d like to pick the days when the fish are most willing, I put together a simple almanac for it. It tells you the best days each month by the moon, the weather, and the water. I give it away free. You can pick up the Best Days to Fish starter kit here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/figure>\nIf your fish is frozen, thaw it the right way: in the refrigerator overnight, in a bowl to catch the drip. I wrote out the whole method in how to freeze fresh-caught fish<\/a>, and the thawing rules in it are the same here. Don’t thaw on the counter.<\/p>\n Whether fresh or thawed, pat the fillets dry, then run a finger along each one feeling for bones. Bluegill and crappie fillets sometimes carry small pin bones along the center. A chowder is forgiving, since the fish breaks up as it cooks, but a bone you can feel now is a bone someone’s grandchild will find later. Trim them out with the tip of your knife, or cut the fish into inch-and-a-half chunks and pull what you find.<\/p>\n If you’re starting from whole fish, how to clean a fish for beginners<\/a> will walk you through the work, and how to keep your catch fresh until you get home<\/a> covers what to do before that.<\/p>\n 1. Render the bacon.<\/strong> Put the chopped bacon in the cold pot, bring it to medium heat, and cook until the fat runs and the bacon is just crisp. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Leave the fat. That fat is the flavor of the pot.<\/p>\n 2. Soften the onion.<\/strong> Add the diced onion to the fat and cook, stirring, until it’s soft and clear, about five minutes. Don’t brown it. We want sweet, not bitter.<\/p>\n 3. Cook the potatoes.<\/strong> Add the potatoes and the water, with a good pinch of salt. Bring it up to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, a fork goes in with a little push, about twelve to fifteen minutes.<\/p>\n 4. Add the fish.<\/strong> Lay the fillets or chunks on top of the potatoes, put the lid back on, and let it simmer gently for six to eight minutes. Fish cooks fast. It’s done when it turns opaque and flakes at the touch of a spoon, and a thermometer in the thickest piece reads 145 degrees. Don’t stir hard. Break it up lightly at the end.<\/p>\n 5. Add the milk.<\/strong> Pour in the milk and the butter, and warm it through slowly. Don’t let it boil. Boiling milk can curdle and give you a grainy chowder. Low and slow, three or four minutes, until it’s steaming.<\/p>\n 6. Season and rest.<\/strong> Add pepper and a little more salt if it wants it. Stir in the bacon. Take it off the heat and let it sit with the lid on for ten minutes. The potatoes thicken it a little and the flavors settle in.<\/p>\n Don’t overcook the fish.<\/strong> The first time I made chowder on my own, I let it simmer for half an hour and ended up with a thin soup full of mush. Six to eight minutes is all it needs.<\/p>\n Pick the right fish.<\/strong> Bluegill and crappie make a light, sweet chowder. Channel catfish makes a richer one, and the pieces hold their shape better. A mix is good. I wouldn’t use a fish that tastes muddy. If a fish came out of warm, still water and smells like the pond, soak the fillets in milk for half an hour before you start.<\/p>\n Salt at the end, not the beginning.<\/strong> The bacon carries salt, and the pot reduces. A heavy hand at the start can ruin it with no way back.<\/p>\n Leftovers are better.<\/strong> Chowder keeps in the refrigerator for up to three days. Warm it gently, and don’t boil it. I don’t freeze it, because the milk and potatoes don’t thaw well.<\/p>\n Audra puts out a basket of saltine crackers and a plate of cornbread, and the grandkids fight over who gets the crumbs at the bottom. A little hot sauce on the table is for those who want it. Isaiah, our oldest grandson, is twelve now, and he caught most of what was in the pot the last time we made it. I like to remind him of that. He likes to remind me that he cleaned them wrong.<\/p>\n Know where your fish came from. Fish out of your own pond, you know the water. For public lakes and rivers, check your state’s fish advisories, since some waters carry limits on how much of certain species you should eat. Your state wildlife agency posts them, and it takes a minute to look up.<\/p>\n A pot of chowder is a good reason to fill the freezer in the first place. If you’d like to pick the days when the fish are most willing, I put together a simple almanac for it. It tells you the best days each month by the moon, the weather, and the water. I give it away free. You can pick up the Best Days to Fish starter kit here<\/a>.<\/p>\nBuild the pot<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\nWhat I’ve learned the long way<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\nAt the table<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\nA word about the water<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\nKeep the freezer working<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n