The best and worst eating fish

[Chris Shelton]

June 11, 2007 'OUTDOOR LIFE'

Best eating, worst eating fish

Look, everybody knows catch-and-release is a necessary fact of life today but it doesn’t preclude the thoughtful (and legal) taking of specific fish from environments that can tolerate careful harvest. Unfortunately, catch-release is elevated to near religious fanaticism among some folks. The advent of release tournament fishing, for instance, has caused a generation of anglers to gasp in horror over the taking of a large or smallmouth bass to eat (interesting that not so many walleye anglers feel that way). And recently out West, one of this country’s finest conservationists, fishing educator, angler and tackle shop owner who kept his trophy-of-a-lifetime brown trout, was treated in some circles to bodily threats, boycotts, and some of the ugliest comments I’ve seen.

Which brings us back to the joy of noshing on a fish-based dinner, and the best candidates for supplying the raw ingredients. This is tough. The only way I can narrow down my favorite eating (and worst eating) fish is to limit the selection first to freshwater species. I’ll get to saltwater fish later. Anyway, here are my choices for the six best and worst eating fish.

BEST

Small Brook Trout from wilderness water, gutted and grilled whole over a low campfire and eaten—skin and all—like cob corn.

Yellow Perch taken through the ice or from really cold water. Behead them, skin them, cut away the lower rib bones with a knife, the sauté or fry.

Wild Salmon (Pacific or Atlantic), preferably brushed with olive oil and grilled over a smoky alderwood fire. Larger, stronger flavored fish are great marinated in equal parts soy sauce, brown sugar and your favorite hooch, then grilled on the barbie.

Walleye in any of a dozen ways, broiled, fried, sautéed. Their lack of distinctive strong flavor lets you go wild with recipes and sauces.

Catfish, preferably smaller channel cats from a clean river. Always deep fried.

Crappie, fried or sautéed, depending on size.

WORST

Bowfin (a.k.a mudfish or grindle). A long time back somebody served me a piece of one as a cruel joke. Gag.

Carp. Unless its smoked and from northern waters.

Sturgeon. Even smoked these things are like rubber. Especially larger ones. Give me their eggs.

Suckers. Flesh is questionable for my taste, and there are way too many bones.

Shad (American). Flesh is sweet but the rats nest of bones makes it hardly worthwhile.

Hatchery trout from marginal put-and-take water. Otherwise I love trout.

OK, anybody have candidates for either of these lists?

[Deneys]

1.Bass - Garlic ,Butter , Some herbs in tin foil over the Braai - stuff the belly with partially cooked rice with peanuts and some lemons butter garlic and herbs yum yum

2.yellow fish - Same as above (jokes)

damn Chris I think you covered it all there

[Chris Shelton]

Hi Deneys. MMMM, I have to agree with you on the Bass with Garlic butter.....superb!!

The original posting is an extract from the latest Outdoor life in the States, and it is one guys opinion. I don't think it applies much to South African conditions. Perhaps we should make up a list of our own?

One of my personal favorites is fresh Elf (shad) lightly smoked....mmmmmm, my mouth waters at the thought! There can be few fish to beat shad for succulence and delicacy.

[Jasper]

BEST
1: Red Steenbras
2: Geelbek
3: Elf (FRESH) .. fried in butter
4: Freshly caught hake

WORST
1: Carp
2: Carp
3: Carp
4: Carp

[Chris Shelton]

Interesting that he puts catfish on the 'best' list though

[Chris Shelton]

WORST
1: Carp
2: Carp
3: Carp
4: Carp[/QUOTE]

hahahahaha

[Jasper]

Interesting that he puts catfish on the 'best' list though

Yanks are wierd!! .. but then again ... some Eastern Cape farmers go around collecting discarded sea barbel ... they maintain they are delicious!!

[Chris Shelton]

Yanks are wierd!! .. but then again ... some Eastern Cape farmers go around collecting discarded sea barbel ... they maintain they are delicious!!

Apparently sea barbel are excellent eating, especially smoked. Nice firm flesh too. The locals in Namibia consider it a delicacy

[bluegill]

Strange how we all have different tastes, for me:

Best:
Freshly caught Shad baked in oven with onion & tomato....
Yellowtail
Geelbek

Worst:
Carp
Trout

I just cannot seem to enjoy trout, I suppose I need to find a decent recipe & then try it out?

Cheers

Alan

[Jasper]

Apparently sea barbel are excellent eating, especially smoked. Nice firm flesh too. The locals in Namibia consider it a delicacy

they are welcome to them!!!