Best tasting fish

[Captain Hugh]

The best fish I have eaten was Fried mullet that was fried right after catching. Fried sea bass is good but it takes a lot of them since there is not much meat on even a large one, and cobia is good. Is stuffed squid a fish? If so it too is wonderful if stuffed and cooked properly. It is also good grilled. The above is just my humble opinion.

[Dustin]

I'll take small (less than 10lbs) stripers over anything inshore. For offshore, cobia is hard to beat. I'm also a huge fan of fried bluegills and other panfish (filleted).

[Todd]

Todd, have you ever eaten at Sam's in Dunedin. Get some of the Mullet backs for an appetizer, get a fried Mullet dinner with fries (throw the fries away). Then get another plate of them Mullet backs for dessert!!

Any fish that has to be only fried or smoked in order to taste great is crap in my book. Ever heard of grilled mullet, sauted mullet, broiled mullet?? No, try as you might mullet still is crap comapred to the many other speices of fish that are out there for us to eat.

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

Todd, have you ever eaten at Sam's in Dunedin. Get some of the Mullet backs for an appetizer, get a fried Mullet dinner with fries (throw the fries away). Then get another plate of them Mullet backs for dessert!!

Any fish that has to be only fried or smoked in order to taste great is crap in my book. Ever heard of grilled mullet, sauted mullet, broiled mullet?? No, try as you might mullet still is crap comapred to the many other speices of fish that are out there for us to eat.

Yep, just as in "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder" ... "everyone's tastes are different too".

You really don't have to smoke it to make it taste good. ha! Sam's in Dunedin has made a small fortune selling fried mullet. He started out selling ONLY fried mullet with no seating as far as a restaurant goes.

Everything was in disposables. Styrofoam, plastic utinsels, etc. Then he put out a couple of picnic tables, still selling only fried mullet. Everyone kept telling him he couldn't make a living selling mullet. All the while he kept raking in the $$$$$.

He now has a full fledged restaurant and sells many other items but fried mullet is what put the man where he is today. He still goes out and catches the mullet himself.

You meet me there soon* and I'll buy you a mullet back appetizer, mullet dinner w/2 sides, dessert (your choice) and two - three beers to wash it down with ... though that really isn't necessary. If you still feel the same way afterwards, well at least I tried.

Oh, by the way, I'm eating too!! I couldn't stand to see you enjoying that mullet all by yourself. haha!!

Deal!??

*Soon, because this is the absolute best time of the year to eat mullet while they're fat and oily.

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

Can't argue with that! Snook is almost like Largemouth Bass, which is snow white, firm and quite tastee!

Damn ... I missed this one. You compared Snook to LMB??

Snook is soooo far and away better than Largemouth Bass. LMB are awful compared to bluegill, shellcracker, specks, and just about anything else "edible" that swims in freshwater.

Again ... tastes vary FOR SURE!!

[kneedeep]

Can't argue with that! Snook is almost like Largemouth Bass, which is snow white, firm and quite tastee!

Damn ... I missed this one. You compared Snook to LMB??

Snook is soooo far and away better than Largemouth Bass. LMB are awful compared to bluegill, shellcracker, specks, and just about anything else "edible" that swims in freshwater.

Again ... tastes vary FOR SURE!!

You been fishin' in tha WRONG Ditch!!

[TampaJim]

You been fishin' in tha WRONG Ditch!!

I agree. LMB from a clear spring-fed lake or limestone river are very good. However, my favorite freshwater species would have to be specks (crappie for you Yanks). They are good grilled, broiled, baked and occasionally fried.

IMO, the best fish to eat ARE those that lend themselves to baking, grilling and broiling. It is really hard to beat a fillet of fresh catch of the day with a touch of EVOO, cracked pepper and a light dusting of garlic powder under a broiler.

Finish that fillet with a side of fresh homemade tropical salsa, a cold beer and a slice of key lime pie.

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

*****WHAT THE HELL AM I DOIN'!!??*****

I take it all back. Mullet is awful. Tastes like mud rolled in dirt before frying. You'll need TONS of sauce and lime juice for smoking just to get the bad taste outta your mouth. Don't eat it. I'm pretty sure I've heard the EPA, the FWC, the Dept of Ag., and President Nobama himself have deemed mullet not fit for human consumption!!!

*****Whew!! Glad I got that PSA out in time. Just before EVERYONE started eatin' the stuff and the price went sky high.*****

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

You been fishin' in tha WRONG Ditch!!

After 59 years of eatin' bass from just about every ditch in west central Florida and many other bodies of water from various parts of this state ... I still don't believe you compared LMB to Snook but as I said ..... tastes vary.

I don't think too many will disagree with me on this one.

[TampaJim]

I haven't kept a snook to eat, so I don't know. IMO, the snook are too much fun to catch - so I put them back. The only time that I keep LMB is when I am fishing in lakes that are overstocked with 2-4# fish ... at that point, I am culling to help produce bigger "trophy-size" fish. I like to keep species that reproduce easily, grow quickly and taste good without frying or covering in seasoning/sauces/ketchup.

[Lime Cider]

Most saltwater fish taste good if properly prepared.

Personally, I enjoy finding and fighting the fish that we get so much pleasure targeting from our kayaks.
So to take the "big 3 inshore" (Snook, Redfish, Trout), home for food doesn't make much sense to me.

There are certain species such as Flounder, Pompano, Snapper, Mackeral... etc. that are just as good to eat (and don't take a long time to mature) as the ones I wake up before the Sun does just for the fight.

I guess some people fish for the sport of it and some for food. To each, his own (within' the law), but next time you go out and don't catch fish, thank your neighbor.

[americanrobster]

Hogfish, Snook, Flounder, Mahi, Grouper are my favorite fish to eat.

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

Hogfish, Snook, Flounder, Mahi, Grouper are my favorite fish to eat.

ALL good!

[sfurman]

As was said before, tastes vary. I like oily fish like mackerel and king fish on the grill, grouper is supposed to be the holy grail of fish but to me is rather bland and has to be dressed up in order to have any flavor. The best thing you can do is go out there and catch one of every kind and try it for yourself then you decide. Only you truly know which fish tastes the best.

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

Most saltwater fish taste good if properly prepared.

Personally, I enjoy finding and fighting the fish that we get so much pleasure targeting from our kayaks.
So to take the "big 3 inshore" (Snook, Redfish, Trout), home for food doesn't make much sense to me.

There are certain species such as Flounder, Pompano, Snapper, Mackeral... etc. that are just as good to eat (and don't take a long time to mature) as the ones I wake up before the Sun does just for the fight.

I guess some people fish for the sport of it and some for food. To each, his own (within' the law), but next time you go out and don't catch fish, thank your neighbor.

I'm not saying don't target the Big Three and I'm not trying to be a smartass but your post begs the question, "Why not 'target' big ol' Jacks, rod bending Sailcats, doormat size Stingrays, etc, if you're not going to keep nor eat any of the Big Three ?"

All three of these put up a MUCH better fight than my biggest ever Yellow Mouth Speckled Trout.

Gil

p.s. Don't thank the "within the law" neighbor for you not catching fish. I think "for the most part" our fisheries management does a good job. DO thank the neighbor who cheats that keeps underslot/overslot and out of season fish. For everyone of these bastards who get caught there are probably 5 - 10 times more that get away with it.

p.p.s. Do they make slot Snook anymore.

[the_tall_man]

I had no idea my original question would elicit such a spirited thread! I am really enjoying it though.

Personally, I enjoy finding and fighting the fish that we get so much pleasure targeting from our kayaks.
So to take the "big 3 inshore" (Snook, Redfish, Trout), home for food doesn't make much sense to me.

Well, I sort of agree with you. Back in the Pacific NW alot of fisherman (most?) won't even go out unless they can keep their catch. Even my kayak fishing friends. The prevailing atitude is that you can't claim it unless you land it and KEEP it. So manly! I've never really understood that...I've always liked fishing for the sport. For the most part, I C&R, fresh or salt (while being careful to not target fish who won't survive being C&R'd). Having said that, I do like the taste of fish and I will occasionally keep fish when it is within my right to do so.

I guess some people fish for the sport of it and some for food.

Probably not as black-and-white as that. Unless we ourselves have the time, money and resources to research what species are being over-harvested, we kinda have to trust that the state fisheries management programs (who *should* have these resources)...is doing their job. In WA, they are notorious for erring on the side of being too conservative (and it's even worse when their funding gets cut), so if they say you can keep the fish, you can be pretty certain that you're not damaging the fishery. I guess that was a long-winded version of Gil's point.

What I find interesting about Florida saltwater fishing is that your regulations are far less restrictive, yet C&R-ing is far more popular. This could have to do with the type of fishing that flats inshore is (we don't really have anything comparable in WA)...or, perhaps that if the state
doesn't try to over-regulate it's citizenry, they will take more responsibility! That is what I'd like to believe, anyway. Sorry I keep bringing up the Pacific NW, it's my only point of reference for saltwater fishing!

I'm not saying don't target the Big Three and I'm not trying to be a smartass but your post begs the question, "Why not 'target' big ol' Jacks, rod bending Sailcats, doormat size Stingrays, etc, if you're not going to keep nor eat any of the Big Three ?"

Good point. Yesterday I hooked into a drag-ripping fish. Fought it for a good while and had an absolute blast. When I finally got it up, it was a large-ish cat (probably 4 or 5 lbs). I felt a little bit of disappointment that it wasn't something nicer, but then I thought hey, you'd put it back anyway, was it not fun??