Good way to cook perch?

[wax63]

So I finally got all my gear, and after surfing yesterday decided to give my first go at spearfishing.

Stopped at Salt Creek on the way home and was happy to find fish everywhere amongst the rocks. Swimming was a little rough, as it was around 5:00pm and the tide was surging, but it was fun nevertheless - plus it was raining which gave a little extra nuance to the situation.

Speared a 10 in black perch after about 30 min in the water and called it a day.

Although the meat tasted ok, it was really mushy and so didn't make for the best meal. I gutted the fish and then battered it whole in bread crumbs and lemon pepper and fried it in olive oil.

Is there a way to cook it to create a better texture, or did I learn an amateur lesson to leave the perch alone?

[spaghetti]

the classic recipe if they're not too big:
filleted, covered with flour (or grated bread), then cooked in a pan with butter and leaves of sage. When ready: salt, a little pepper and eventually lemon juice.

[wax63]

sounds good...I'll give em another shot.

Thanks