HATCHERY-REARED LARGEMOUTH BASS FED EITHER OREGON MOIST PELLET (OMP) OR NATURAL FOOD ORGANISMS WERE COMPARED FOR THEIR ORGANOLEPTIC QUALITY. FISH WERE HELD A MINIMUM OF 24 HOURS PRIOR TO SLAUGHTER AND WERE DRESSED BY REMOVING THE HEAD, SKIN, AND VISCERA. THEY THEN WERE WASHED AND FROZEN. FILLETS BAKED WITHOUT SEASONING WERE EVALUATED BY A PANEL OF EIGHT JUDGES. A DIFFERENCE IN FLAVOR READILY WAS DISTINGUISHED BETWEEN THE FISH RECEIVING THE OMP DIET AND THOSE RECEIVING NATURAL ORGANISMS. THE GREATEST OBJECTION TO THE TASTE OF THE OMP-FED FISH WAS A "FISH-OIL" FLAVOR. TEXTURE AND APPEARANCE WERE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME IN ALL FISH. THIS RESEARCH INDICATES THAT OTHER FORMULATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL FOODS FOR LARGEMOUTH BASS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED WITH EMPHASIS ON THEIR EFFECTS OF THE ORGANOLEPTIC QUALITY OF THE BASS. IF A RATION FORMULA SUCH AS THE OMP IS NECESSARY FOR FEEDING BASS MAN-MADE DIETS, IT SHOULD BE REPLACED A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS BEFORE THE FISH IS TO BE CONSUMED, PERHAPS WITH FORAGE FISH.