# Spadefish Regulations



## Trey_M (Jan 23, 2012)

I have looked all over the FWC website and in their booklet of rules and I can't find any mention of spadefish at all. Does anyone know where I can find the official rules on spadefish size and or bag limits?


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## Flatspro (Oct 3, 2007)

Wirelessly posted

There is none specified by Florida regulations!


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## amnbowser (Oct 2, 2009)

There are no rules if you can stomach them taste like turpentine to me but my wife likes them.


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## Sequoiha (Sep 28, 2007)

There is no size and bag limit, but i think they are included in the reef fish aggreate limit. which i belive is 52.


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## Trey_M (Jan 23, 2012)

Thank yall! I really appreciate the help! I wasnt sure and I like the taste so thats great news for me!


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## kelly1 (Oct 1, 2007)

Fun to catch but nasty tasting....


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## Seachaser 186 (Apr 9, 2009)

Man - I don't understand the bad taste comments. Every one I've caught has always been great on the grill. I guess to each their own


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## Sequoiha (Sep 28, 2007)

Im the same way,, i used to dive for them with my pole spear and paralizer tip,, would rack up on them, and i love the taste..


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

kelly1 said:


> Fun to catch but nasty tasting....


Odd, I grilled one this summer and it was great.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

*Spadefish are tasty to me!*

Scale em, head and gut em, then score them and bake them with garlic and lemon juice .... mmmmmm.... goooood.

Or grilled on the half-shell too for bigguns.

Tough to clean and catch, but not bad to eat!


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

I too think they are great to eat. All white meat. My son "floats on a rope" off the boat and shoots them.

You can also catch very big ones around the bridges in the heat of summer. Just a small piece of fresh shrimp will do.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Same here. I love eating em. Firm very white sweet meet. Taste great coconut breaded and fried


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## nextstep (Jun 27, 2008)

clay, you dont count, you will eat anything. even sharks

i dont care for them, but appears others do.


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## Captdroot (Jan 18, 2012)

kelly1 said:


> Fun to catch but nasty tasting....


Taste about like sheephead........... that are regulated.

but no where near triggerfish.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

I like them. They are a pita to catch, but they're good to eat.

Maybe some people need more ice in their fish box.:whistling:


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## Captdroot (Jan 18, 2012)

Ocean Master said:


> I too think they are great to eat. All white meat. My son "floats on a rope" off the boat and shoots them.
> 
> You can also catch very big ones around the bridges in the heat of summer. Just a small piece of fresh shrimp will do.



Shoots em? That sounds cruel! PETA folks will think you are goin on Safari! Bet those boogers are darn tough to hit between the eyes!


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## Haulin' Ash (Jan 4, 2011)

I think they are great, but lets keep it quiet or we will only be able to keep 2 per person - 10 days out of the year.:whistling:


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## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

Haulin' Ash said:


> I think they are great, but lets keep it quiet or we will only be able to keep 2 per person - 10 days out of the year.:whistling:


Hillarious!! Lol, sooo true.


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## Trey_M (Jan 23, 2012)

Ocean Master said:


> I too think they are great to eat. All white meat. My son "floats on a rope" off the boat and shoots them.
> 
> You can also catch very big ones around the bridges in the heat of summer. Just a small piece of fresh shrimp will do.


What do you mean by floats on a rope?


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## Trucker (Sep 25, 2008)

I wouldn't know what one was even if it bit me in the butt. Does anyone have a pic of one? Hey Kenny, how is the shoulder coming a long? The tilt/trim is working great.


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## Trey_M (Jan 23, 2012)

this is one


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

Like I have said time and time again. When someone says a fish tastes like crap it means one thing... they can't cook...


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## EODangler (Apr 7, 2011)

Even ladyfish?


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Ha ha Mark, I don't eat anything. Tried jack crevelle once,and salwater cats, and hated both. But had to try em.

Trey, floats on a rope is putting on a mask and snorkel, jumping off the boat with a speargun and holding onto a rope cleated off to the boat so you don't drift away. Lot's a fun shooting spade fish that way, I've done it plenty of times. Don't need to be a diver or anything fancy.


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## Trey_M (Jan 23, 2012)

Sounds like fun! ill have to give it a try.


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

We often make ceviche out of them. They have a light, white meat with a very mild flavor. I've only eaten them when they are fresh.


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## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

Ocean Master said:


> You can also catch very big ones around the bridges in the heat of summer. Just a small piece of fresh shrimp will do.


Yepper, have caught them in the bay on the channel markers in June on shrimp or even squid. 

Get them fired up with a lil chum then free line/snatch'em up near the surface.

Lots of fun and the bigger ones put up a pretty good fight for the kids.

Pics from Hargreaves Tourney in 2010


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## Sequoiha (Sep 28, 2007)

Trucker said:


> I wouldn't know what one was even if it bit me in the butt. Does anyone have a pic of one? Hey Kenny, how is the shoulder coming a long? The tilt/trim is working great.


 glad the ptt is working good, im doing good, tues. was one week post op. out of my sling. was at work the next day. Thanks for asking.


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## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

Clay-Doh. please share the coconut fried recipe


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## Captdroot (Jan 18, 2012)

Trey_M said:


> this is one


Darn nice picture. Did you take that?


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## Trey_M (Jan 23, 2012)

Captdroot said:


> Darn nice picture. Did you take that?


I wish! I possess neither the camera nor the skills nessasary for this quality of a photo.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Lyin Too...got it from Matt (Ocean Man). Just buy a bag of shredded coconut in the baking section, and mix it like half and half with regular fish fry breading (unseasoned, but add just a little salt.) Dip the fillets in heavy wipping cream and then in the breading-coconut mix, and fry!

Simple, and taste absolutely awesome! Have been meaning to try it on large shrimp or sea scallops too.


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

EODangler said:


> Even ladyfish?



Never tried. I use them for the chum churn. That's not to say I wouldn't try one I have just never been in a position to have one to try.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

My Greek father in law cooked a ladyfish once. It was the boniest, mushiest, nastiest thing I had ever seen. I wasn't touching it. That man would eat a fried turd, but even he threw the rest out.


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## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

I have speared 3 spadefish last september because water was too muddy to see anything that would swim farther away, so i took a few shots at the spadefish. brought them home and cleaned them, seems like they have a really tough skin and a lot of boney body and little meat. I froze them in the freezer, I think my dad ate them in the end. Dunno if they were any good.But I`m still willing to try, and as someone mentioned earlier, it`s VERY often a question of the cooking abilities....pretty much everything tastes good deep fried and with a bunch of batter.


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Paolo said:


> I have speared 3 spadefish last september because water was too muddy to see anything that would swim farther away, so i took a few shots at the spadefish. brought them home and cleaned them, seems like they have a really tough skin and a lot of boney body and little meat. I froze them in the freezer, I think my dad ate them in the end. Dunno if they were any good.But I`m still willing to try, and as someone mentioned earlier, it`s VERY often a question of the cooking abilities....pretty much everything tastes good deep fried and with a bunch of batter.


I gutted mine, seasoned it inside and out with Italian dressing and put it on the grill whole. When done the whole skin pealed off in one big slab per side leaving flakey white flesh to be picked off easily with a fork.


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

I will eat fried fish but prefer not to. I like my fish to taste like fish. I have never understood the idea behind removing the "fishy" taste. ummmm I know how... eat chicken...


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

WW2 said:


> I will eat fried fish but prefer not to. I like my fish to taste like fish. I have never understood the idea behind removing the "fishy" taste. ummmm I know how... eat chicken...


 
LOL

When I fix steak my wife and daughter drown it in steak sauce and talk about how good the steak is. If meat needs more than salt, pepper and butter it's not good meat. If it's good meat don't ruin it with crap on it. 


I like fried fish but prefer it grilled, smoked or baked.


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## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

Yeah exactly, or like how people say "mhhh, this dear meat is sooo good, it tastes nothing like venison"! I hate it. Or just like WW2 said: don't waste the good exotic food if you don't like the special taste it has.

Whole grilled fish which has been marinating in oil and some minor spices is the best.


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Best way to cook a deer steak. 

1/2" thick deer steak
Butter
Salt
Pepper

Heat butter in cast iron skillet till it starts to smoke
Add steak, lightly salt and pepper. Count to 30 and flip steak.

Lightly salt and pepper. Count to 30 and remove steak.

Let stand for 3 minutes. 

Mmmmmmm


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## Caddy Yakker (May 21, 2011)

Clay-Doh said:


> Lyin Too...got it from Matt (Ocean Man). Just buy a bag of shredded coconut in the baking section, and mix it like half and half with regular fish fry breading (unseasoned, but add just a little salt.) Dip the fillets in heavy wipping cream and then in the breading-coconut mix, and fry!
> 
> Simple, and taste absolutely awesome! Have been meaning to try it on large shrimp or sea scallops too.


Clay let me try some at Wed oysters and it was awesome!:thumbup:


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## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

johnf said:


> Best way to cook a deer steak.
> 
> 1/2" thick deer steak
> Butter
> ...


Isn't the butter burnt if it starts smokin? Olive oil would be healthier, and if you use sunflower oil you can heat it up much higher without it separating and burning (the heat you want to reach when frying or doing stuff of the skillet), just my 2cents


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## gator7_5 (Oct 4, 2007)

Caught one and cooked it with some snapper and trigger this past summer. Mushy. The dogs liked it I think..


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

Paolo said:


> Yeah exactly, or like how people say "mhhh, this dear meat is sooo good, it tastes nothing like venison"! I hate it. Or just like WW2 said: don't waste the good exotic food if you don't like the special taste it has.
> 
> Whole grilled fish which has been marinating in oil and some minor spices is the best.



Yeah, or people that eat duck and complain that it has a gamey taste.... ummm, maybe that is because it is WILD GAME.....

WTF. Eat a friggin turkey from publix then....

If I am making a burger for me 90% of the time I grind 1 pound beef and 1 pound pork and combine them. Make 1/4 pound patties and grill. No salt, no pepper, no butter. When it is done I put it on a bun. No ketchup, no mustard, no veggies. Burger, bun, done. 

Now, that is not to say that I won't go crazy and make burgers with all kinds of stuff in them. In those cases I am going for that taste specifically. Not because I am trying to avoid the other way. 

Same thing with fish. If it doesn't taste like fish then it's because I just wanted to cook it that way. Not because I was trying to avoid it.


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Paolo said:


> Isn't the butter burnt if it starts smokin? Olive oil would be healthier, and if you use sunflower oil you can heat it up much higher without it separating and burning (the heat you want to reach when frying or doing stuff of the skillet), just my 2cents


Just a little burned. I like it that way. Not worried about the healthy alternatives.


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## 1pescadoloco (Dec 2, 2011)

They used to be thick as thieves on the Mass in the summer. I could never get them to bite anything. Guess they were full up on jellies


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## pappastratos (Oct 9, 2007)

My son caught one that weighed 5 pounds, it was a hoss compared to the others we have caught


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## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

Thanks Clay-Doh, I'll try it soon.


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## debean (Jun 24, 2013)

*Cut out the red next time.*



amnbowser said:


> There are no rules if you can stomach them taste like turpentine to me but my wife likes them.


I think he must of for gotten to cut out the red meat. I just had it for dinner and it was AMAZING. They are hard to catch but it is worth it.
bean


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

The red meat in all fish filets are nasty. I have eaten many Spade fish and they are always great. I catch them in my cast net and pic out some nice ones and throw the rest back for next week.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Pier-Dude said:


> The red meat in all fish filets are nasty. I have eaten many Spade fish and they are always great. I catch them in my cast net and pic out some nice ones and throw the rest back for next week.


If you ever catch a tuna, I'll take all the red meat.:shifty:


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## Burnt Drag (Jun 3, 2008)

I've heard those cajuns talk about how good they are... if it's good to them, I know I'll like it.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

Hard to catch? We always catch the stew out of em...
1/0 hook on a dropper rig with some squid tentacles carefully strung onto the hook... hang the bait right at the depth that they are holding. Then tease them with it. Like you would a piece of string to a kitten. They cant stand it.

We think they are awesome to eat. Not of them ever make it home to Alabama from our trips to the salt. They get grilled that night! Wrapped in foil with a pat of butter and a ground up pinch of rosemary....


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

MrFish said:


> I like them...............
> Maybe some people need more ice in their fish box.:whistling:


I've been saying that for years. A fish that died ice-cold tastes a whole lot better. Spanish mackeral is a big one for me. It really blows my mind when someone say they don't eat spanish. I fried up a PILE of spanish filets one night at a friend's house. His parents showed up about the time we finished cooking and we all pigged out. After the meal, his dad went on about how GOOD the fish was. Still savoring the crispy-fried goodness, he say's "man that stuff was GOOD, some of the best fish I've had in a WHILE! What kind of fish was that?" "Spanish", I said. "Ughhh...well, some people like em, I've never cared for em myself." The look on his face was as if every previous bite had suddenly turned, retrospectively, to dog turds. 

I simply don't understand the reasons certain people say they don't like certain fish. Maybe it's the ice thing...Idk.


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## bean (Jun 25, 2013)

*get'em to bite*



1pescadoloco said:


> They used to be thick as thieves on the Mass in the summer. I could never get them to bite anything. Guess they were full up on jellies


I have found that they love clam. But to get them to bite you have to keep it at the same depth they are at and not moving. I found that the best way to do that is with a bobber. Though people kinda look at you weird when you are fishing 10 miles out with a bobber pole.


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## DAWGONIT (Jan 16, 2009)

bean said:


> I have found that they love clam. But to get them to bite you have to keep it at the same depth they are at and not moving. I found that the best way to do that is with a bobber. Though people kinda look at you weird when you are fishing 10 miles out with a bobber pole.


Hey, it works as long as the Remoras aren't hanging around...and that usually doesn't take long.

catch 'em up.


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## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

Tôi muốn ăn cá - Ha ha


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

Seachaser 186 said:


> Man - I don't understand the bad taste comments. Every one I've caught has always been great on the grill. I guess to each their own


It's easy to understand when you accept one thing... some people cannot cook and it's the meats fault that it tastes bad....


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## Smarty (Nov 23, 2008)

Tôi sẽ thay vì ăn Nghêu :laughing:


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## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

hjorgan said:


> Scale em, head and gut em, then score them and bake them with garlic and lemon juice .... mmmmmm.... goooood.
> 
> Or grilled on the half-shell too for bigguns.
> 
> Tough to clean and catch, but not bad to eat!


*+1. Good eating if you can get em big enough.:thumbsup:*


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## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

WW2 said:


> I will eat fried fish but prefer not to. I like my fish to taste like fish. I have never understood the idea behind removing the "fishy" taste. ummmm I know how... eat chicken...


*Are you Asian? In my life the only people I know that LIKE the " Fishey" Taste are Asian people. Everyone I know does anything they can to get the fish stank out. Either marinating them in Milk or Italian dressing, salt water to freeze ect.... So do you like Bonita and fish like that? They got plenty of fish flavor, lol.:blink: *


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## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

Smarty said:


> Tôi sẽ thay vì ăn Nghêu :laughing:


 ++++


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## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

Yakavelli said:


> I've been saying that for years. A fish that died ice-cold tastes a whole lot better. Spanish mackeral is a big one for me. It really blows my mind when someone say they don't eat spanish. I fried up a PILE of spanish filets one night at a friend's house. His parents showed up about the time we finished cooking and we all pigged out. After the meal, his dad went on about how GOOD the fish was. Still savoring the crispy-fried goodness, he say's "man that stuff was GOOD, some of the best fish I've had in a WHILE! What kind of fish was that?" "Spanish", I said. "Ughhh...well, some people like em, I've never cared for em myself." The look on his face was as if every previous bite had suddenly turned, retrospectively, to dog turds.
> 
> I simply don't understand the reasons certain people say they don't like certain fish. Maybe it's the ice thing...Idk.


*I feel the same way. I've seen people catch Spanish and put them in an empty bucket for hours or just throw them up on the pier and then wonder why they taste like sh>t. Ice is a must. I spend some $ on ice every time I go out just in case.*


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

TURTLE said:


> *Are you Asian? In my life the only people I know that LIKE the " Fishey" Taste are Asian people. Everyone I know does anything they can to get the fish stank out. Either marinating them in Milk or Italian dressing, salt water to freeze ect.... So do you like Bonita and fish like that? They got plenty of fish flavor, lol.:blink: *



No, German, Irish and Cherokee. Bonita is fine if bled properly. 

Maybe everyone you know sucks at cooking too...


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## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

:thumbsup:


WW2 said:


> No, German, Irish and Cherokee. Bonita is fine if bled properly.
> 
> Maybe everyone you know sucks at cooking too...


*I guess they cook fine because they got the fish taste out and all was well. lol. That's a good cook in my book. It's not adding flavor to cover anything up it's drawing things out that make it taste bad. Like Milk removing uric acid. I have eaten many Bonita and they do have to be bleed right. If you do it right though you can make a mock tuna dip that rocks. :thumbsup:*


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

TURTLE said:


> :thumbsup:
> 
> *I guess they cook fine because they got the fish taste out and all was well. lol. That's a good cook in my book. It's not adding flavor to cover anything up it's drawing things out that make it taste bad. Like Milk removing uric acid. I have eaten many Bonita and they do have to be bleed right. If you do it right though you can make a mock tuna dip that rocks. :thumbsup:*



Yeah, I bet if you don't put the bonita in at all it tastes exactly the same. rofl


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Aren't they also called Batfish?


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