# Friday Gulf Macks



## PBTH (Oct 1, 2007)

I had the intent to wake up early and hit the beach, but that plan quickly evolved into an afternoon session. Midday a friend texted me that he was catching fish in the sound and I should join him. I already had the kayak loaded so I decided to make the short detour to join him. After a few trout and reds and a short chilly wading session I launched off the beach past Portifino. 

The Gulf was dead calm, but the SSW wind picked up while I was out. I was out with hopes to fill the smoker, be it with Spanish or a king. After paddling just over a mile out and seeing no life other than hoards of jellies, I trolled my way back to the 2nd bar where Spanish were jumping. I landed eight, 6 keepers and many more missed strikes. One slid out the tankwell on in the surf so I'm left with 5 to fill the smoker, along with some wahoo to top it off, all of it brining overnight. 

So, there you go, plenty of Spanish off the beach if anyone's interested.:thumbsup:


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## Butcherpen (Oct 8, 2007)

Thanks, I'm interested. Good work on the spainiards


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## Night Wing (May 16, 2011)

Spanish mackerel and pompano are my favorite fish to target off the beach in the Gulf.


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## PBTH (Oct 1, 2007)

*Start to finish smoked fish update*

I smoked all the macks, along with some wahoo in the AM yesterday. Here are the results:

Fresh as can be:









Drying from an overnight brine:









Two layers loaded in the smoker. Wahoo chunks on the left:









End product. Several wahoo chunks have already disappeared. The mack will be made into dip this evening:









The wahoo didn't get as thick of a pellicle as the mack as I had to thaw it overnight and brined it for just over an hour in the morning as I prepped the smoker. It still turned out great. Haven't tried the mack yet, but its consistency and texture seem perfect.:thumbup:


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## Robin (Mar 22, 2011)

That's some fine looking fish.........................
What's your brine recipe?

Robin


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## Night Wing (May 16, 2011)

That looks delicious. :thumbsup:


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## PBTH (Oct 1, 2007)

It's a standard brine recipe:

-Lots of kosher salt in water.
-A few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
-Brown sugar. I made a glaze this time and coated each fillet several times at the beginning of the drying process.


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Thanks for the report and the cooking tips! I have been planning to do the same whenever I caught an appropriate species (spanish, almaco/amberjack). Looks like i'll give it a shot tomorrow with some spanish meat.


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## Robin (Mar 22, 2011)

PBTH said:


> It's a standard brine recipe:
> 
> -Lots of kosher salt in water.
> -A few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
> -Brown sugar. I made a glaze this time and coated each fillet several times at the beginning of the drying process.


Thanks,I never used the vinegar.The glazing I'll have to try.
My last batch was a little weak on the pelicel.

Robin


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## need2fish (Oct 2, 2007)

Thanks Taylor - I'll have to try the apple cider vinegar in the brine.

The weather was great this weekend -


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## bbarton13 (May 4, 2009)

yum, good job taylor


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