Panfish

It is also commonly used by recreational anglers to refer to any small game fish that can fit wholly into a pan for cooking but are still large enough to be legal.

[1] The term panfish or pan-fish has been used to refer to a wide range of edible freshwater and saltwater fish species that are small enough to cook whole in one frying pan.

[4] The following is a typical example of the term as it was commonly used in cooking taken from The White House Cookbook compiled by Hugo Ziemann, chief kitchen steward in the White House in 1901: TO FRY FISH – Most of the smaller fish (generally termed pan-fish) are usually fried.

Dip in Indian meal or wheat flour, or in beaten egg, and roll in bread or fine cracker crumbs.

Leaving the heads on and the fish a crispy-brown, in perfect shape, improves the appearance if not the flavor.