Went out of the Port at odark thirty this AM ( 7/16/20)
There were a considerable number of clouds and rainstorms around 10 miles offshore.

Quickly set up to troll. I seldom bother with live bait anymore. I got to just north of Lori Wilson, not seeing any bait or birds. I pulled up in around 10 feet of water just to get something to eat and hang out. Next thing I know the fleet is with me throwing cast nets. Not getting much.

I'm using a large sebile hard baits. 2 rods with Shimano 6500 baitrunners. Just cruising around 3-4 knots. The clouds and rain are out there. I cant really tell if they are getting closer. But I dont want to get caught in a storm. So I start heading back to just outside the port and troll in a big circle.

Bam, reel goes off. Wind starts picking up. Drag is screaming out. ( too loose) I tighten up some and start grinding. Get it close to the boat and can see its a king. I am stoked. Makes another run. Takes me around 15 minutes to get it with the gaff and into the boat. Meanwhile the wind is picking up. On Ch 11 dude says we are gonna get it.

I get everything squared away and run to the ramp. Get the boat out as some rain comes down. Not much it passes quickly. I have the fish in a fish bag with lots of ice. I carry it up to the fish cleaning station. Put it up on the table. A dude and his 2 daughters come over and ask me about the fish. They are fishing there also.

Around 46 inchs, I estimate it weighed 25 -30 #. I started to steak it. Dude tells me he is a chef and ask me if he can help. Hell yea! So he steaks it up . I give him half of the steaks. He is stoked also!

I get home and drown it in Italian dressing. Right now I have the charcoal lighting up. Wife and FIL are stoked.

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So if you are a surfer I wish you the prosperity that allows you more time to pursue the salt water dream, and the true happiness that comes from warm water, clean waves and the companionship of your fellow surfers. If you are an internet troll just spewing bs then f off.

Nice.... theyre alot more fun on the spin tackle. I usually give em to my dad..... smoke em and keep half. Good grilled recipe is with soy, ginger, garlic, OJ, olive oil (and fresh herbs) The one I got from the kayak was a lil over 36" (prob 15#)

Edited: 07/16/2020 at 03:43 PM by Plan B

The inshore guides kill em on spinning minnows, but i'll be damned if i can figure out how to do it? Not that it matters, you scored on lures and that's a bonus in my book.

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I was right.

I caught 90% of my kings on little yozuri lures anchored with them flowing in the current out back like a flat line while bottom fishing.

REALLY?! No shit? hmmmm... which lures, and was the current pretty strong? The floating Yozuri diver plugs are what I was getting all the action from on my yak, but I wouldnt think there'd be enough current. Maybe the shallow divers / sinking plugs?

Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow, any size. Try to put some steel leader or 5 or 6 on hand. As long as you have a slight current it works. Slack current it wont work of course. Make sure it is of the blue varieties.



Edited: 07/17/2020 at 08:45 AM by HAPDigital

Floating crystal minnow divers are what I caught my fish on last week.... all gold colo (prob looks like a pogy). and yes, around 40' of water....

Yup, my favorite lure ever made. They are so versatile.

up here we break the back but not the skin, and put behind a pink duster. having a down rigger REALLY helps around the buoy lines, 40' deep off the beach, or nearshore rocks and wrecks.

Nice Catch and report JD!

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I troll 2L.com to be a better person in real life

Edited: 07/17/2020 at 10:20 AM by stokedpanda

Even idle speed seems to fast. Do you bump it in and out of gear?



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I was right.

A drift is in order.

sometimes, esp if you trolling down current... but usually 2kts. Personally I'm not a fan of slow trolling pogies. Its effective, but when the bite's slow in the heat..... ugggh

My buddy baked a bunch lathered in mayo.. It was quite interesting but surprisingly good. I only really like it in fish dip.

Nice story JDB!

I used to cover them in ranch dressing, then grill them skin side down. The smaller ones are really quite good. Cero and Spanish macks....you can have them. Too fishy for me no matter how I cook them.

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I was right.

Spanish >>>>>> Kings all day long

I love Cero and Spanish(and Kings too). When cruising the Caribbean it was always so easy to anchor the boat, throw a jig or spoon out and viola! light up the hibachi and grill em up.

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"I remember South Africa in the late 70's, sleeping on the beach at J-bay, smoking ganja with the blacks. On weekends we'd go to the pub in East London to drink beer and fight with the Afrikaners. They liked to fight, I liked to fight. It was a good time"

Cero and Spanish are on an entire other culinary level than Kingfish. The only good thing kingfish has going for it is size. It lacks in the taste department. It's a good smoking fish. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad and I'll eat it but it is just in the realm of bluefish, good but there is better in the ocean. And I'm not picky. I even keep ladyfish, lizard fish (charlie browns), and jacks. All 3 of which are better tasting than kingfish. BTW if you want a good ladyfish recipe, let me know. Holy moly, such good meat.

Edited: 07/23/2020 at 09:09 AM by HAPDigital

I would love to hear it, I read one about making fishballs but I cant remember what they did to avoid all those tiny ribs/pin bones.

One I have yet to try is Sailcats or any salt cat, I have seen catch and cooks but never hungry enough to try it

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I troll 2L.com to be a better person in real life

I haven't tried any of the catfish yet. I don't like that white jizzy slime that gets all over the boat. I had a friend that kept one once and that shit was all over my fishbox, pretty nasty. I'm sure once cooked they taste fine.

Anyway, yeah, you make fish balls or patties. I make the ladyfish like chicken nuggets. You filet the ladyfish with skin on etc and you take a spoon and scrape the meat down the lateral line and it comes of the stringy bones. Throw the clumps in a bowl. You'll need to get a bunch of ladyfish are a few big ones. After you make a big pile, basically ground raw fish, you spice it how you like it and and some egg and bread crumbs then make balls, patties or nuggets. I use a mock McDonalds chicken nugget recipe. Dude, you'd think they were chicken nuggets from McDonalds wiht the same rubbery texture. However, I'm sure way more healthy. LOL Ever since I've been keeping them I can't get them anymore. When I was throwing them back I'd catch tons and tons. But now I make these nuggets and I actually go out hunting for them. Crazy...


Edited: 07/24/2020 at 08:51 PM by HAPDigital

unless I reach a state of poverty / starvation, I'm not eating anything that is as slimy or smells as nasty as a sailcat btw.... I make similar "fish cakes" with bluefish / kings.... you can keep the ladyfish too....

Your fishcakes are not like these. The ladyfish has a texture when cooked that is not like any other fish. It literally comes out like old school chicken nuggets and have little iron/fish flavor.

I helped a couple of Thai guys load up on lady fish one night at inlet. They said they rolled the meat off of the fish with a pin - no bones - and then made fish balls with them.

Spanish are like salmon and salmon taste like shit. lol

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I was right.

LOL I guess you don't like salmon. Aldi and Walmart sell a side of salmon that is outrageous for just 16-20 bucks. So good smoked.

I snagged a salmon roll from my in-laws plate one night and damn near hurled. It's like you dried out some mullet skin with the slime still on it, then dunked it into some jack blood and finished rolling it with menhaden bloodline. 100% pukeolicious.

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I was right.

Oh, sounds like you just had bad salmon. Also, raw and cooked are a completely different story. I tell you what, go buy one of those sides of salmon from aldi or walmart and brine it in salt, brown sugar, pepper and maple syrup for 8 hours minimum. Rinse it afterwards and pat it dry with a paper towel and let it sit in the fridge open air until it tacky to the touch then throw it on the smoker at 25-275 until internal temp is 137. Take that thing off and let it rest a little and tell me that aint good. Put it on some nice german rye with creme fraiche, onions and dill, even better.

Cole must have got hold of a rotten piece. Even all that smoking is unnecessary. We bake it in the oven with minimal flavoring and it's great. My 1.5yr old Son even likes it.

Yeah, baked is fine too. I just throw it in my pellet smoker for an hour to get up to temp. The little bit of smoke just adds such a nice taste profile too it. Did one in the sous vide with rosemary, thyme and garlic, was also incredible.

Oh, sounds like you just had bad salmon. Also, raw and cooked are a completely different story. I tell you what, go buy one of those sides of salmon from aldi or walmart and brine it in salt, brown sugar, pepper and maple syrup for 8 hours minimum. Rinse it afterwards and pat it dry with a paper towel and let it sit in the fridge open air until it tacky to the touch then throw it on the smoker at 25-275 until internal temp is 137. Take that thing off and let it rest a little and tell me that aint good. Put it on some nice german rye with creme fraiche, onions and dill, even better.


No.

Bleed them out and get them on ice right away. When you fillet them, skin them too, cut them into strips and don't leave the blood line in. They are great fried into fish fingers.


No.

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I was right.

I hate to say it but you might be a Philistine.

...and you might be right. lol

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I was right.

Bleed them out and get them on ice right away. When you fillet them, skin them too, cut them into strips and don't leave the blood line in. They are great fried into fish fingers.

Get them along all the time the beach at dawn when the tide is up just tossing a silver Kastmaster on 10 braid with 40 fluorocarbon leader. Once in a while a king, tarpon, or snook takes it too. Though to be honest, if I am chasing snook that isn't my approach.

yes we bump gears and or drag a bucket. You can troll them faster behind a jighead as well

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I troll 2L.com to be a better person in real life

Honestly never tried to eat ladyfish, they are always snook or tarpon live bait for me.

Redfish love them cut up.

Speaking of redfish. They really like lizardfish (so do snook)

Cool. You catch a ton inside the inlet. I get some really nice small ones. I'll throw one on next time. Never knew. Makes sense because they are really tasty fish.

Yep. those stinky Ladyfish are a go to to attract a lazy summer redfish up here (if you use bait

I love some spanish mack! sashimi, ceviche, fried, balckened baked you name it. Only problem I have had is they dont freeze well so I try to eat within a few days.

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I troll 2L.com to be a better person in real life

spanish mack! sashimi - no, ceviche - no, fried - no, balckened - no, baked - no

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I was right.

You must really hate kingfish and bluefish. Do you eat pompano? That's usually a love or hate fish for people.

I'll trade Whiting for pompano any day. They are okay skinned and blackened, but at the end of the day, they are still a jack.

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I was right.

If I made you jack, and put it side by side with mahi you wouldn't be able to tell them apart.

I'll take that bet any day.

I cooked a Red Fish along side Red Snapper one day, took one bite of the Red fish and gave it to the cat.



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I was right.

Red snapper is great. I think i might like mutto a little better. Not sure as I never had them side by side.

Pretty much the same fish as far as flavor. Yellow Tail is my least favorite snapper, but that has more to do with the consistency of the meat than the flavor. Unless they are fried whole, then they get moved to the top of the list.



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I was right.

I feel the same way about yellowtail and mangrove snapper. Fried whole is the best way.

I'm kinda bummed. Due to current situation in the world, no annual keys trip for snappers with the family. It's our favorite kind of fishing, chum slick out the back with a tiny hook with a tiny bit of bait on it drifting out the back and feeding the line with the bail open. Pop on a live hoo if can get them...

I'm old school:
Blacken the red, fry the mangrove snapper, grill or smoke the kings, bake the pomps whole, Yellow tail on the flat grill, shallow fry the mack, whitting bake or fry, I like the trout baked with garlic and butter. I like to pan sautee mahi. My favorite eating fish is cobe. Anyway you cook it, damn good.

I will not take a snook.

Stuff I just will not eat: lady, cat, jack, trigger. Did one of you say you would eat a lizard? NFW.

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So if you are a surfer I wish you the prosperity that allows you more time to pursue the salt water dream, and the true happiness that comes from warm water, clean waves and the companionship of your fellow surfers. If you are an internet troll just spewing bs then f off.

Yup, one if the best tasting fish you could ever eat.

You were looking like the voice of reason in this thread.... until the trigger comment

All trace of the skin must be removed from the trigger and they need to be cooked quickly and left raw in the middle so they aren't over done via the residual heat.

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I was right.

Trigger is really good too.

One of the best.... by far!

Im just no good at cleaning trigger. I'm not sure when it became ok to eat. But in my formative years it was just another trash fish.


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So if you are a surfer I wish you the prosperity that allows you more time to pursue the salt water dream, and the true happiness that comes from warm water, clean waves and the companionship of your fellow surfers. If you are an internet troll just spewing bs then f off.

I was taught to whittle around the sides, then pull off the skin. Yuck.

Now I go at them line a poor man's surgeon. Anything that isn't meat goes.

When you bake the trout, what do you use to keep them from sticking to the baking tray? The flakes are so small I end up with a pile of fish and not a fillet.

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I was right.

Olive oil. I've never had this issue with any fish. You might be baking too hot or over cooking too. Also, I do not put flour or over season the fish when baking, just salt and pepper. If you over coat when baking your spices or flour could be causing them to stick. Season them after.

If you want something really good, bake them. Meanwhile, fry some Julianned ginger in oil until crispy. Take the fish out when done, top with soy sauce and fish sauce cover in salt, pepper and sugar and then ladle the hot oil over the fish. The oil should sizzle on the salt/pepper/sugar mix and caramelize. then add crispy ginger and some green onion and serve. This is also great with a whole baked fish like a snapper but fillets work great too.



Edited: 08/14/2020 at 08:58 AM by HAPDigital

You grease it with olive oil, right? Too much oil kinda parboils it in it's own juices.

I've had fish prepared in other cultures, I don't like them there either. Most just make it so spicy hot it could be a shoe sole and I wouldn't know it. It might be edible, but it isn't good. If i have to blacken it, I'll just eat something else.

If I like to eat it, I'll keep it, if I don't, I'll let it go.

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I was right.

Baking is different than broiling. Baking fish leads to juices flowing, broiling prevents that. However my baked fish never comes out like it has been poached/boiled.

Trout: bake at 350, no more than 20 minutes Butter Lemon, granulated garlic.

Next day, fish tacos.

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So if you are a surfer I wish you the prosperity that allows you more time to pursue the salt water dream, and the true happiness that comes from warm water, clean waves and the companionship of your fellow surfers. If you are an internet troll just spewing bs then f off.

I think sea trout is one of the most underrated and misunderstood fish. People think the worms make them bad. Spaghetti worms are harmless to humans even if consumed raw. However, I'd never eat any fish raw unless it has been frozen commercially. Anyway, trout is great table fare. The only fish I will not eat is one of those mother-in-law fish and probably a hard head cat.

I'm up to about eight fish cleaning knives. Short, long, stiff, flexy, boning; all fish are different.

My newest addition is a Victorinox straight blade. It's badass for tough skin fish like snapper, Triple Tail and triggers.

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I was right.

That's the way. And if you want knives that stay sharp longer with less need to hone or sharpen, get knives with rockwell hardness 60+ Like VG10, AUS10, White Steel, Blue Steel etc.

I watched a guy do advanced surgery on a pompano with a paring knife. A fly would starve on the leftovers.

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I was right.

Like this:

Yoshihiro 150mm Inox Stain-Resistant AUS-10 Sabaki/Honesuki Japanese Chef Knife, 5.75-Inch $124 ?

or this:

TUO Sashimi Sushi Knife 8.25" - Japanese Fish filleting Knife - High Carbon Stainless Steel - Slicing Carving Knife Right Handed Single-bevel - Meteor Series

$38 ?

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So if you are a surfer I wish you the prosperity that allows you more time to pursue the salt water dream, and the true happiness that comes from warm water, clean waves and the companionship of your fellow surfers. If you are an internet troll just spewing bs then f off.

Honesuki is for deboning and chopping up chickens. The sashimi knife is for finely cutting fish that is already filleted. You want to try a Deba knife but traditional Gyutos or Bunka knives work too.

There is this knife too. I forget the name but I plan to buy it. It is 94 bucks online. Name starts with an M, can't find it right now.



I use these two:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007TDQVRM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026L5MNQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


One is for the house and the stainless steel one I take with me if I travel to the keys or something as I got it cheap and it does not rust fast like the high carbon steel one.


Edited: 08/17/2020 at 11:37 AM by HAPDigital

Found it

https://www.knifemerchant.com/product.asp?productID=7624



I never tried it but it looks really good. Make sure that if you buy high carbon steel type knives you wipe those and dry those often. They rust but they hold an edge llike nothing else. They also form a patina but this is not bad.

Edited: 08/17/2020 at 11:38 AM by HAPDigital

Only the USA has "trash fish". It's a privilege mentality. It's like way back, lobster was given to prisoners and slaves because they were seen as trash. Anyway, there are no trash fish, just trash cooks.

Trigger fillets a lot like sheepshead. I've been experimenting with Japanese high carbon steel knives, "Deba" style knives. My fillets have been coming out very clean and near perfect. After this experience I believe a lot of people in the USA are using the wrong kinds of knives for cleaning fish. Those thin flexy Dexters are good for skinning fish but when it comes to cutting the meat its not clean enough and not sharp enough. They don't hold the edge long either. These Debas have HRC 60+.



How Chefs Are Bringing 'Under-Loved' Seafood to Restaurant Menus


Edited: 08/14/2020 at 08:41 AM by HAPDigital

since trigger(and most fish's) skin is so tough, once you poke a hole, cut an outline of the fillet through the skin from the underside/inside of the skin outward by turning the blade upside down(blade up.)

Cuts much easier, and I agree they are one of my favorites, the slime has a soapy smell l so I make sure no fillets touch the slimey table and if they do give a quick rinse and quickly dry with paper towels.

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I troll 2L.com to be a better person in real life

When you get some smaller trigs.... grill one whole. Thank me later. ;-)