# A challenge regarding eating fish -



## eym_sirius

I'd like to offer a challenge to anybody worthy, by virtue of his gastronomical fortitude, courage and skill. The challenge is this: Try eating a fish that people typically don't consume and report back with your assessment. 

Here are some ideas:
Jack Crevalle
Menhaden
Cigar minnows
Remoras
Ladyfish (skipjacks)
Hardtails
Pinfish
Hardhead catfish (bon appetit!)

I suggest staying away from puffer fish and related species, since they have toxins in their internal organs that can be fatal to humans. 

If you've already had PERSONAL experience with regard to preparation and consumption of any of the listed species, please share! Or if there's any species NOT listed, but frequently caught and thrown back, share those, too.

This thread is for the adventurous! I'll share a couple of my experiences:
*Hard-head catfish* - The worst fish, other than freshwater carp, that I've ever tried. I tried preparing it fried and it was terrible, with a yucky aftertaste. A D- on the grading curve!

*Remora *- What a delight! The flesh was white and firm and similar to fried triggerfish, in my estimation. The only downside was that the size of the fillets were disproportionately small in relation to the overall size of the fish. Still, what a great tasting fish! You'd just need to catch the really big ones to make it worth keeping them. An A on the grading curve!


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## Mac1528

Had my first sushi hardtail last year while down there....caught a pretty big one so I tried it. Not bad, probably a "C" on your scale, not as good as YFT. That gets a "A" from me!

From a forum search on ladyfish: http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f30/tasty-ladys-118341/


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## MoganMan

Grilled hardtail, wasn't bad, only complaint was how bony it was


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## tank banger

Hard heads- don't care for them(unless that's all I have)

Jack cravalle- very fishy but not to bad smoked and made into a dip

sting ray- fries up good(but cooks really fast frying) but the best is on the grill with a wrap of bacon around it. Uuuummmmm bacon


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## bay slayer

remora isnt bad at all, ladyfish is discusting


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## gastonfish

*Hard head catfish*- Will never try again did not like at all
Large *pinfish*- were actually very tasty (I love yellowfin croaker also)
*Sting ray*- Very good! one of my favorites out there to eat 
Have actually tried *Bowfin(Grinnell)* not bad but couldn't get past the texture and want try it again.


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## eym_sirius

I've tried pinfish, as well. They tasted, fried, like freshwater bluegill, so -- pretty good! A B+, I guess.

How about baitfish? Cigar minnows? "Spanish Sardines"? Menhaden? Ballyhoo? Flying Fish (although I guess they're not readily caught from the pier)?

Anybody tried lizardfish?


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## Realtor

ya can eat just about anything if you put enough seasoning on it. It can taste just like anything you put on it.... ladyfish would be pretty horrible I would think. kind of like eating a bowl full of fish pus..... yummy


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## MrFish49

Jack Crevalle-Haven't tried yet, have heard good about little ones that are bleed and iced down.

Menhaden-Yeah....... pass, the fact they have gallons of menhaden oil available at the tackle shops is a big nono for even me.

Cigar minnows- I know they eat these around the world, usually a lot bigger then the ones we get here though. I heard they are pretty good.

Remoras-I'll have to try, I mean it's related to the cobia so it can't be that bad.

Ladyfish-Grandma makes spicy soup out of them, but I'll stick to them being 
bait.

Hardtails- Again with the spicy soup.

Pinfish- Not bad, need to get the big ones though.

Hardhead catfish-Ok if bleed iced that filleted real fast, fried up pretty well and feed a lot of campers with them. The fillets are pretty small though.

Stingray/Skate- Probably one of my favorite things to eat off the pier. They fry up great to feed the campers. Or if you are fancy you can take a whole skinned wing and cook with brown butter and capers. Catfish skinning are your best friends when it comes to cleaning them.

Bobos- Ok raw with lots of wasabi and soy sauce, meh blackened.


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## sj1

I haven't been out in saltwater in a long time, but I was a fiend for it when I lived in Cape Coral. 
I used to catch a lot of ladyfish and jack crevalle. Ladyfish stunk too bad for me to attempt cooking, although I'm sure if I experimented enough, I could have come up with some way to make them edible. I just never wanted to waste perfectly good shark bait.
Jack crevalle, on the other hand, are very edible, if you keep the 2-3 pound schoolies. I would gut and ice them as soon as they were caught, then filet them like any other fish. Then I would soak them in lightly salty ice water overnight, Then air dry the filets in the refrigerator for another day or night. The little guys would cook up surprisingly well.

Big jacks, (over 5 lbs) on the other hand, would need a brine, then I would air dry and put them in the smoker. They were pretty good that way. 
I can't speak for anything else on the list.


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## Tobiwan

I believe that most of these "trash" fish are probably not bad, BUT chicken leg quarters are cheap. How hungry are you guys?


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## daylate

If Gulf fish regulations keep getting more and more idiotic, the fish on this list will be the only ones we recreational fishermen are allowed to keep. Well at least until they are all regulated.


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## tank banger

daylate said:


> If Gulf fish regulations keep getting more and more idiotic, the fish on this list will be the only ones we recreational fishermen are allowed to keep. Well at least until they are all regulated.


Sad but true!!! I forgot I have tried gar also. Pain to clean texture was a little strange but not to bad. Boiled in crab boil then cut up and made gar balls not bad but not my favorite either


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## iJabo

MrFish49 said:


> Bobos- Ok raw with lots of wasabi and soy sauce, meh blackened.


I've heard of them smoked but raw?! Now I'm a fan of sushi, but this sounds like a stretch. How does that work?


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## kiefersdad

*Sea Robins*

I have eaten Sea Robins and the meat was very good. The Sea Robin is kind of a brownish fish with wings and a light color belly and severe spines on its head that will never allow you to forget it if they stick you. Filet them open and cook them up. They are always good.


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## MrFish49

iJabo said:


> I've heard of them smoked but raw?! Now I'm a fan of sushi, but this sounds like a stretch. How does that work?


Treat them like any tuna when you catch them. Bleed, gut, then ice. Treat it like saba sashimi with green onions and lemon.


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## Rockntroll

Fried cigar minnows are very good. Filipinos also smoke them and fry them which is quite good as well. If you ever had thai fish cakes at one of the 100 or so thai restaurants in the FWB area, the majority of those are made with skipjacks


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## TTT

Ladyfish make pretty decent fishballs that can be used in Pho or other dishes


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## eym_sirius

Rockntroll said:


> Fried cigar minnows are very good.


This is good information! I'll give them a try next time!


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## Mac1528

Rockntroll said:


> Fried cigar minnows are very good. Filipinos also smoke them and fry them which is quite good as well.....


Don't want to derail OP to much on this since it's not under receipes but I think I'm going to give this a try! I'll make mine headless though. Looks and sounds good: http://ilovefastcooking.blogspot.com/2013/02/sambal-cigar-minnows-singaporean-flavors.html


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## eym_sirius

Tobiwan said:


> I believe that most of these "trash" fish are probably not bad, BUT chicken leg quarters are cheap. How hungry are you guys?


The idea, as I see it, is adventure, exploration, and self-sufficiency. You can't catch your own chicken leg quarters off the pier. My idea of a quality life is one of new experiences and discovery, not just meeting the minimum necessities to sustain life. My point is that the term "trash fish" is a misnomer which has been perpetuated through ignorance.

How many people look at a remora and dismiss it as a trash fish, when it is one of the most delicious fish that swims in the Gulf? If you've dismissed it as a trash fish, ask yourself, "why?". Because you "heard" that it was a trash fish from people who had no real knowledge from experience or study (a.k.a. "ignorance")? 

As I said before - This thread is for the adventurous. Adventure, stepping away from what others perceive to be the norm, discovery, experimentation -- these things apparently aren't for everyone. Some people may not have the ability to stand up to another angler questioning what he puts on ice! "You're going to keep THAT?"

Yeah - it is a kind of hunger that has me trying new stuff. It's a hunger for new life experiences 'cause life is short!


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## speckledcroaker

Wirelessly posted

fried sailcat yum


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## eym_sirius

iJabo said:


> I've heard of them smoked but raw?! Now I'm a fan of sushi, but this sounds like a stretch. How does that work?


If you're a fan of sushi, then try a bonita. Maybe try soaking a boneless, skinless fillet in brine to remove some of the bloody quality. Make sure that it has been trimmed of the dark lateral line. Slice it thin and dip it in your favorite sauces, just like you do other sushi items.

I'll prepare bonita sometime this summer. I'll probably marinate it and grill it, since it's easy to take grilled fillets and make a fish salad from them.


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## eym_sirius

speckledcroaker said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> fried sailcat yum


Now you're talkin! Sailcat is everybit as good as a freshwater stream-caught channel catfish! I can't believe that people throw them back because they think that sailcat's slime-protection makes them somehow unfit to eat!


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## Katartizo

Years ago we had some friends come down from Birmingham for the weekend. We went to 3MB and that day was not good for fishing. We caught a bunch of pinfish and croakers. We just used them for bait. We had carried a small grill to cook some hotdogs for lunch and my friend decided he wanted some fish so bad he cleaned a croaker and a pinfish and threw them on the grill for a very short time. The only seasoning we had was salt and pepper. I gotta say the croaker was really good and the pinfish was not bad. After we had all tried a few bites and realized we could eat a couple, even they quit biting. Never have tried it again. Too much work for little meat, for a lazy guy like me!
How did those that ate the rays cook them? I'll try just about anything once.

We moved to Ft Walton from Dallas the first time in the early 90s. The company that hired me paid for all my moving expenses and three months rent. They supplied a company vehicle and a expense account. We'll, we got here with our four daughters, oldest was about 10 I think, stayed in a hotel that night. Got up and found a house for rent by around 11am. Moved the moving truck to the front yard, opened the back sliding door, reached in and got my fishing gear, that I had intentionally packed last, closed and locked the door and we were on the Okaloosa pier within the hour. Of course, I had no idea about fishing in salt water or what it was about to do to my freshwater gear! Any way, we caught a big catfish and thought we had won the lottery! You know the rest of the story. That fish was terrible, my reels were trashed after not realizing I needed to rinse them, and I still had to unload that truck!
No offense intended toward anyone that likes the saltwater catfish! I guess if I had prepped it right the catfish may be better. I see a lot of guys saying it is good. I don't really care what someone else says about a fish or any other food I am about to eat. From what I have heard, redfish and trigger used to be "trash fish". I love trigger! I eat asparagus, do you? 
I see that Andrew Zimmeran (?) eat the butthole out of animals on TV. I will definitely try a fish!
Joe


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## ChileRelleno

Tobiwan said:


> I believe that most of these "trash" fish are probably not bad, BUT chicken leg quarters are cheap. How hungry are you guys?


Most sane people wouldn't eat commercially raised chicken if they knew how they're raised. The growth hormones and antibiotics they pump them full of is just asinine crazy. I know and still I eat chicken once in awhile, but I'd much rather eat, an have eaten, many of the species listed here so far.

I've eaten:
shark-great
Jack-very good
Bobo - fair
Gafftop- good-very good
Hardhead- poor
Rays- great
Hardtail- fair
Many types of Sardines/Herring - good-very good


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## eym_sirius

I usually try frying first. If a fish has a disagreeable taste when it's fried, then it's usually worse baked or grilled, IMO. 

I tried stingray fried. The meat was sweet and tasty, but it was difficult to clean. The ray that I had was fairly small, so I'll try a larger one next time. I'm interested in how other prepare stingray, as well.


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## MrFish49

I also forgot while technically not a fish but another weird but incredibly delicious thing are sand fleas. Just take off their little flap and give them a little squeeze to get the grit out. Then give them a good wash, pat dry, batter up, and give a fry. Once they start floating they are ready or you can cook till they are as browned as much as you like. Like little soft shell crab bites, I like the little ones better for this.


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## ChileRelleno

eym_sirius said:


> I usually try frying first. If a fish has a disagreeable taste when it's fried, then it's usually worse baked or grilled, IMO.
> 
> I tried stingray fried. The meat was sweet and tasty, but it was difficult to clean. The ray that I had was fairly small, so I'll try a larger one next time. I'm interested in how other prepare stingray, as well.


You need a big ray, a fat Cownose with at least a 3' wingspan is prime for eating.
Two ways to clean them relatively easily.
Cut the wings off, fillet the meat of both sides of the cartilage that runs through the middle, then skin.
Get 2-3" piece of conduit, bevel one edge and sharpen it.
With a mallet use it to cookie cutter the wings into rounds, once again fillet and skin.

As for cooking, they are too tasty to just deep fry.
I like them sauteed in butter or olive oil, garlic & salt with some rotel, maybe a splash of white wine.
Lightly dusted with seasoned flour and pan fried and then a good squirt of fresh lemon is good too.


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## tank banger

MrFish49 said:


> I also forgot while technically not a fish but another weird but incredibly delicious thing are sand fleas. Just take off their little flap and give them a little squeeze to get the grit out. Then give them a good wash, pat dry, batter up, and give a fry. Once they start floating they are ready or you can cook till they are as browned as much as you like. Like little soft shell crab bites, I like the little ones better for this.


Me and a couple of guys from work talked about this not long ago. Found where a few people tried them but could not get any real good info on it. But they all think I'm crazy/weird (hey maybe their right). Would love to get a better detail of how to squeeze the grit out.


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## tank banger

Also me and one other "weird" guy at work we're talking about seeing guys at the beach catching ghost/sand shrimp or first thought was "can you eat them"? Well? Anyone tried it?


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## MrFish49

I'm not going to eat a ghost shrimp seeing how much work they take to catch and how good of a bait they are but, for the sand fleas squeezing the grit out is just you take off the bottom cover and give them a little squeeze and the grit comes out.


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## eym_sirius

I'll try a ghost shrimp! They are a lot of trouble to catch, but what the heck? Weird-looking animal - I'll see if I can plate one before too long.


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## Rickpcfl

Tobiwan said:


> I believe that most of these "trash" fish are probably not bad, BUT chicken leg quarters are cheap. How hungry are you guys?


Your post reminds me of something my neighbor said. 

Last year I went frog gigging for the first time and enjoyed it. I got quite a few in the lake behind my house and told my neighbor about it. I asked him if he had ever eaten frogs and he said - "Chicken is cheap!"


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## tank banger

Any updates lately? I saved a remora and going to try it! Any recommendations on how to cook it?


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## Mac1528

Try this:

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f21/remoras-table-fare-152855/

Sent using tapatalk


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## tank banger

So yesterday I cleaned the remora and have to say the meat looked as good or better than the snapper I had. No bad smells or anything just good looking meat. So this morning I cooked some in the pan with cavenders Greek seasoning and brought it to work and told some of the guys I was trying a new seasoning tell me what you think. Everyone said it was great, really like it. Only one other guy new before hand. But it's was really good. Not fishy at all, didn't flake as much as some other fish, no after taste just good tasting fish!!! Everyone was really surprised at what it actually was. I give it :thumbup: only bad thing I can say is not enough meat on just one. Here is a pic of half a big snapper filet on top and all the remora on the bottom


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## eym_sirius

tank banger said:


> So yesterday I cleaned the remora and have to say the meat looked as good or better than the snapper I had. No bad smells or anything just good looking meat. So this morning I cooked some in the pan with cavenders Greek seasoning and brought it to work and told some of the guys I was trying a new seasoning tell me what you think. Everyone said it was great, really like it. Only one other guy new before hand. But it's was really good. Not fishy at all, didn't flake as much as some other fish, no after taste just good tasting fish!!! Everyone was really surprised at what it actually was. I give it :thumbup: only bad thing I can say is not enough meat on just one. Here is a pic of half a big snapper filet on top and all the remora on the bottom


That was my experience, too. The flesh was firm and white and very clean-tasting. For a meal, you need several, or they need to be the really big ones, since the amount of meat is relatively small compared to the size of the fish. 
I had tried them fried, and they were delicious. Because the flesh is firm, it would probably do well grilled or baked.
I appreciate your adventurous spirit!


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## Kenton

Thanks guys. I'm going to try the remora next time. It will keep him from stealing bait and help fill the cooler.


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## ghost95

Hard head catfish are really good but....they have to be bled and iced in brine(just scoop a bucket of water from where ever you're fishing and add it to the ice) as soon as they are landed and they do not freeze well. Other than that, try an experiment.Cook up some trout and catfish fillets in exactly the same seasoning, both fresh then ask friends which seasoning they like better (wink, wink). You might be surprised at how many people prefer the catfish. That's a good thing though, easier to procure fresh fish for a fry. 

Interested in the remora. I'll have to try that one soon.


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## eym_sirius

I tried hardhead catfish once. It was fresh and had been put on ice, but not bled. It had a horrible aftertaste, sort of rancid and the consistency was pasty with a filmy quality in the residual aftertaste. And that was fried! I fried different fish in different pots so that the flavor of one wouldn't influence the flavor of the other. I'll try it again, though -- with a degree of trepidation this time, though! 
I'm eager to put some big remoras in the cooler again. Sometimes, during the heat of the summer when nothing else is biting, the big remoras won't stay off your cigar minnow that you've put out there, trying for kings!


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## weedline

pinfish are ok tastes about like a white snapper, i hear remora are good from time to time but i cant try one just me. big jacks are bad i tryed soaking smoking and seasoning 2 when i was a kid and they are like little tunny aka bonito. a true atlantic bonito is decent smoked and thats what we call northern mackerel. skipjacks hardheads hardtails menhaden i wont try. sand fleas must be good i have eaten soft shells raw and they are great the hard shells are not appealing when they come out the other end. one fish that is great and overlooked is a squirrel fish the meat is like scamp great fried never get people cleaning their white snapper and throwing the bait well full of squirl fish back


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## spotfin

had some of tank bangers remora......it was deeelish......we were disgusted with ourselves for not keeping more


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## spotfin

i hear those little conchita bi-valves (or whatever the little shells are called that wash up in the surf and dig down) make a great chowder. think you have to boil em strain the shells out and use the stock to a recipe of your liking. im thinking those little bastages would be tasty. ill have to research a good recipe and give it a shot.


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## Kenton

We were snapper fishing and for the first time i was actually hoping for a remora. But i told my buddy who is the captain of the boat and he said no effin way is one coming aboard.


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## Mac1528

Kenton said:


> We were snapper fishing and for the first time i was actually hoping for a remora. But i told my buddy who is the captain of the boat and he said no effin way is one coming aboard.


Haahaaa love it! Guess you might have to catch some on the side...then invite the cap't to share a fish dinner with you. Just don't tell'em what it is till he's done.

Sent using tapatalk


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## Mac1528

spotfin said:


> i hear those little conchita bi-valves (or whatever the little shells are called that wash up in the surf and dig down) make a great chowder. think you have to boil em strain the shells out and use the stock to a recipe of your liking. im thinking those little bastages would be tasty. ill have to research a good recipe and give it a shot.


cocquinas: 
Here ya go spotfin, sounds good, let me know what it taste like, maybe I'll make some next time I'm down there!
http://www.cooks.com/recipe/2p0i00kd/m-s-coquina-beach-soup.html


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## Deeplines

Ruby red lips are Excellent. I keep all left over as bait. Have evenstopped on the way in and got a few. The have the texture of a crappie but taste better. For adults it takes about 5 or 6 for a good sized meal. When cleaned it will be a trigger looking filet but A LOT smaller.

I got to try the remora if I every get out fishing again.


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## spotfin

hey thanx mac1528. that little process sounds pretty interesting.....im thinking take the strained mixture and make some kind of a spin off of shrimp and grits kinda thing...maybe add some rotels for kick. ill have to roll it around some but ill come up with something. im sure the wife will be making me cook it outside if it ever come to fruition.


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## Mac1528

spotfin said:


> hey thanx mac1528. that little process sounds pretty interesting.....im thinking take the strained mixture and make some kind of a spin off of shrimp and grits kinda thing...maybe add some rotels for kick. ill have to roll it around some but ill come up with something. im sure the wife will be making me cook it outside if it ever come to fruition.


Let me know how it turns out. Glad I could infuse a little thought.

Sent using tapatalk


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## eym_sirius

At the end of many of the piers, there's a collection of large remoras that will take your cig when you're trying to fish for kings. Anyone who wants to try these delicious fish - they'll hit any scrap of cut bait and they'll stretch your line when nothing else is biting! You don't need steel leader, but maybe take a hand-towel to grab 'em with. 
Catch a bunch, since the available meat is disproportionately small, compared to most other species. fillet them, cut out the bones (the bones are regular, like most fish that you'd fillet). I suggest frying them, but they'd be good on the grill or just about any other way!


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## FunkyHomosapien

Mac1528 said:


> Had my first sushi hardtail last year while down there....caught a pretty big one so I tried it. Not bad, probably a "C" on your scale, not as good as YFT. That gets a "A" from me!
> 
> From a forum search on ladyfish: http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f30/tasty-ladys-118341/


Eugh. You're brave, I'll give you that.


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## Mac1528

Ok, got the next one done. Been here since last Saturday...caught some remora, you know what's next right? So, I didn't want to mask any flavors and I just fried it up in a little butter. Hey it turned out really good. It was flakey white meat and very moist. It has some oil content so I'm going to try some smoked. Next time if it's not smoked I will skin it and try it with a little Tony C's. It was somewhat boney in places....but large bones so they can be picked out, probably will do that before cooking next time. On a scale of 1-10....I'll give it a 7.5. Not fishy tasting at all.


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## JRH

A lot of "nice" as in really good Japanese restaurants serve various type of sushi with Bonita. Pretty good.
Course they eat a lot of other strange things. Seriously, the Bonita sushi was pretty good.


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## Kangirl

Love this thread. I'm new to the saltwater fishing world and IF I ever catch a fish my first thought is "can I eat it?". Now I'm open to trying any fish!


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## Kim

I'm impressed by this thread. Thought provoking to say the least because in many countries of the world "our" bait or trash fish is on the list of good table fare and if current trends continue, we will be looking at some of these fish in a whole new light and this thread is a step in the right direction. Next big Remora I catch gets the billy stick and into the cooler, get something good to eat and save myself 10 minutes untangling my rig from the fish.


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