Anyone ever actually eat the bait? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Waterâ€™s Edge

William Novotny · 10-12-2011, 07:32 AM

I want to learn to properly debone a spanard. Every sushi bar I go to I hear the same thing, " we don't serve spanish mackerel, they are too hard to fillet". Whatever ill start making my own sashimi. I even had one place that served me pacific mac and told me it was spanish. I imbaressed the hell out of my wife that day...but got our meal comped

PapaDave · 10-12-2011, 08:26 AM

If they are big enough to fillet, I will keep and eat mackeral, no problem. My grandson likes them too.

10-12-2011, 08:30 AM

Thanks guys. I usually pardon their lives when I head back in, but I guess a meal once in a while would be nice after getting skunked

j mo · 10-12-2011, 08:46 AM

Funny you should post about this. I just got a cook book by Ferran AdriÃX. The world's greatest chef & the man behind El Bulli in Spain.

Two recipes stuck out: Mackerel Stew and Sesame Sardines. If the worlds greatest chef is down w bait fish I guess I should give it a try. Though Mackeral stew sounds about as good as horsemeat tacos.

Ill let you know what I think.

mazilla · 10-12-2011, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j mo

The world's greatest chef & the man behind El Bulli in Spain.

I wonder who gave him that title...

ctfphoto · 10-12-2011, 12:09 PM

BECAUSE of this THREAD (and some google research, and my mother in laws father's fishing for smelt to eat), I ate the bait for breakfast THIS morning.

I was out fishing yesterday and caught lots of macks and lots of smelt. There was so much bait fish in the water that the larger fish did not seem hungry.

This morning I went into my lobster bait in the freezer and pulled out 3 smelt that were about 14 hrs old.

When I butterfly filet the bait, I noticed very white meat

WOW, super good eats, should have gone for more

mtnbykr2 · 10-12-2011, 12:20 PM

and I thought smelt were good for nothing but cut bait...bravo....nuther
good idea, nice presentation

TheBentRod · 10-12-2011, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctfphoto

When I butterfly filet the bait, I noticed very white meat

WOW, super good eats, should have gone for more

Did you scale them? How easy are they to butterfly?

ChefT · 10-12-2011, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mazilla

I wonder who gave him that title...

The mans legit...And so is his brother Albert. Some of the best chefs in the world have worked for him...
A meal there will run you around $600 US dollars.....per person and take a year to get into.... When they were open.... Now it's a school for modern cooking. Top restaurant in the world for along time along with The Fat Duck in England and the newcomer Noma in Denmark.

Food 4 thought ....?

mazilla · 10-12-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChefT

The mans legit...And so is his brother Albert. Some of the best chefs in the world have worked for him...
A meal there will run you around $600 US dollars.....per person and take a year to get into.... When they were open.... Now it's a school for modern cooking. Top restaurant in the world for along time along with The Fat Duck in England and the newcomer Noma in Denmark.

Food 4 thought ....?

I'm aware he is legit, however there is no way he can have a legitimate title as "the best chef in the world" it's an impossibility. It's like saying I'm the best artist in the world, food is an art, it's open to interpretation...you simply cannot have a "best". I've spent 600.00 on a meal in San Diego, was the chef the best in the world too?

I'm assuming you are/were also a chef(as was I, BA in culinary arts from CSCA le Cordon bleu) so you have to know what I'm talking about.

ryan111 · 10-12-2011, 01:42 PM

no offense but why would you eat bait!

ctfphoto · 10-12-2011, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan111

no offense but why would you eat bait!

Two reasons,

lack of catching anything larger that day except macs

and because they taste extremely delicious.

I am actually craving more right now as I only had one and my wife and her mother each had one. My wife does not really like fish and she ate the whole thing

pchen911 · 10-12-2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan111

no offense but why would you eat bait!

I think they are tasty.

Maybe not for everyone. But I like to switch up my meals a little sometimes. I still got yellowtails, white seabass, sheephead, and rockfish in the freezer, but I'll still eat bait once in a while. Taste-wise, I like spanish macks more than any of them.

FamousJay · 10-13-2011, 11:29 AM

I have had several types of "bait fish" over the years.

I take them and simply gut them, dip them in soy sauce, and them toss them into the smoker.

My better half is filipino and we eat just about anything as far as seafood goes, so we have no shame in dining on what some may refer to as "bait"

Some of the best fish I have ever had has been "bait" from the smoker!!

lterrero · 10-12-2011, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j mo

Funny you should post about this. I just got a cook book by Ferran Adrià. The world's greatest chef & the man behind El Bulli in Spain.

Two recipes stuck out: Mackerel Stew and Sesame Sardines. If the worlds greatest chef is down w bait fish I guess I should give it a try. Though Mackeral stew sounds about as good as horsemeat tacos.

Ill let you know what I think.

Amigo Josh! I like deep fry Anchovy ( Camiguana ) and cold beer, very common in bars in South America.

j mo · 10-13-2011, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lterrero

Amigo Josh! I like deep fry Anchovy ( Camiguana ) and cold beer, very common in bars in South America.

jimbo · 10-13-2011, 07:14 AM

Thanks for recipes. Good to learn them n hear people enjoying them. I tried straight PAC Mac raw one time. I was cutting for bait, I was hungry n it looked good. Was not too much a fan but maybe I should try again w a recipe.

More reasons to eat these fish...
High concentrations of efa's n lower concentations of mercury - healthy.
Shorter life cycles than large fish so much more sustainable for harvest (Hubbs won't need to start a hatchery).

Keep in mind that bft used to be considered bycatch -now most xpnsiv fish in world. I agree it has a lot to do w what we're taught is delicious, how fish is cared for (I love pix of people filleting fish on hot concrete in mid afternoon!) n how it's prepared. Those pix of Spanish macs look pretty appetizing.

lterrero · 10-13-2011, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j mo

“¡Che! ¿Qué pasó ?

Hey j mo! che is from Argentina, in Venezuela we say pana; and once again thanks for the

pics, next is going to be my 60 lbs YT

sasha · 10-12-2011, 09:00 AM

I eat them all the time if they are big ones. You can fry them grill them or marinade them. When you cut them make sure the meat is nice and white, Taste better. Now not all mackerel were born same. The best i ever had were the Medierranean mackerel the meat is nice white and not as oily. In the Medierranean area Mackerel is is up toward the top of the list. Most of the time its Grilled or baked. Russians eat marinaded Mackerel with boiled potatoes and veg on the side.
Just in case you guys didnt notice i love good food and love to cook lol.
If i could only catch something big to make a proper dinner.

Sasha

ChefT · 10-12-2011, 09:14 AM

..... Making a simple cure of 90% salt 10%sugar... some lemon zest and fennel pollen...... lightly cover for 10min...... rinse..... dry.... eat...

this same cure is great on local halibut for doing a crudo....

Crudo..= Sliced fish, citrus juice, olive oil, maldon salt, lil bit radish, italian arugula, or any other garnish you may see fit.....

Try it ....delish....

LIL bit this

lil bit this...

... even better.....

10-12-2011, 01:42 PM	#11
ryan111 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: la jolla CA Posts: 146	no offense but why would you eat bait! __________________

10-13-2011, 11:29 AM	#14
FamousJay Junior Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Laguna Grande Posts: 18	I have had several types of "bait fish" over the years. I take them and simply gut them, dip them in soy sauce, and them toss them into the smoker. My better half is filipino and we eat just about anything as far as seafood goes, so we have no shame in dining on what some may refer to as "bait" Some of the best fish I have ever had has been "bait" from the smoker!! Last edited by FamousJay; 10-13-2011 at 11:29 AM. Reason: sp

10-13-2011, 07:14 AM	#17
jimbo Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: san diego Posts: 97	Cool post Thanks for recipes. Good to learn them n hear people enjoying them. I tried straight PAC Mac raw one time. I was cutting for bait, I was hungry n it looked good. Was not too much a fan but maybe I should try again w a recipe. More reasons to eat these fish... High concentrations of efa's n lower concentations of mercury - healthy. Shorter life cycles than large fish so much more sustainable for harvest (Hubbs won't need to start a hatchery). Keep in mind that bft used to be considered bycatch -now most xpnsiv fish in world. I agree it has a lot to do w what we're taught is delicious, how fish is cared for (I love pix of people filleting fish on hot concrete in mid afternoon!) n how it's prepared. Those pix of Spanish macs look pretty appetizing. __________________ that's why they call it fishing

10-12-2011, 07:32 AM	#1
William Novotny The carpetbagger Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: tha newps Posts: 1,474	I want to learn to properly debone a spanard. Every sushi bar I go to I hear the same thing, " we don't serve spanish mackerel, they are too hard to fillet". Whatever ill start making my own sashimi. I even had one place that served me pacific mac and told me it was spanish. I imbaressed the hell out of my wife that day...but got our meal comped

10-12-2011, 08:26 AM	#2
PapaDave Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 1,480	If they are big enough to fillet, I will keep and eat mackeral, no problem. My grandson likes them too.

10-12-2011, 08:30 AM	#3
Drake Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks guys. I usually pardon their lives when I head back in, but I guess a meal once in a while would be nice after getting skunked

10-12-2011, 08:46 AM	#4
j mo Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Encinitas Posts: 600	Funny you should post about this. I just got a cook book by Ferran AdriÃX. The world's greatest chef & the man behind El Bulli in Spain. Two recipes stuck out: Mackerel Stew and Sesame Sardines. If the worlds greatest chef is down w bait fish I guess I should give it a try. Though Mackeral stew sounds about as good as horsemeat tacos. Ill let you know what I think.

10-12-2011, 12:20 PM	#7
mtnbykr2 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: newbury park ca Posts: 2,323	and I thought smelt were good for nothing but cut bait...bravo....nuther good idea, nice presentation

10-12-2011, 09:00 AM	#19
sasha Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 275	I eat them all the time if they are big ones. You can fry them grill them or marinade them. When you cut them make sure the meat is nice and white, Taste better. Now not all mackerel were born same. The best i ever had were the Medierranean mackerel the meat is nice white and not as oily. In the Medierranean area Mackerel is is up toward the top of the list. Most of the time its Grilled or baked. Russians eat marinaded Mackerel with boiled potatoes and veg on the side. Just in case you guys didnt notice i love good food and love to cook lol. If i could only catch something big to make a proper dinner. Sasha

10-12-2011, 09:14 AM	#20
ChefT Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: SD Posts: 216	..... Making a simple cure of 90% salt 10%sugar... some lemon zest and fennel pollen...... lightly cover for 10min...... rinse..... dry.... eat... this same cure is great on local halibut for doing a crudo.... Crudo..= Sliced fish, citrus juice, olive oil, maldon salt, lil bit radish, italian arugula, or any other garnish you may see fit..... Try it ....delish.... LIL bit this lil bit this... ... even better.....