Thread: Keeping Jacks

I for one like the flavor of fresh fish. The only reason to use spices. Lemon or lime is to cover up that awful flavor. No, I'll release them. Much more milder good tasting fish to bring home. Just my opinion

Hey CarlF when are you leaving us.You are going to be missed and wish you the best.Are you done on the mobile site also.Take Care. Tom

Originally Posted by Mr. Cleland

A cute lil brunette( ) I know is part of a family owned catfish house... She said the muddy/earth flavor happens when its hot/or when the catfish bury down in the mud... I'll take her word for it.. I will NOT eat a catfish unless i'm starving..

What would yall use for the jack brine? Salt water? or....?

The muddy earthy flavor I've found has only been in store bought catfish- which I don't buy anymore. I'll occasionally keep one from the Arkansas river below the dam where I fish. These are cats that actively pursue bait fish, and I catch them on spoons, flukes, and jigs. Mostly flatheads, but occasionally blues like today's cat that grabbed my fluke on one of BK Wathen's spearhead jigs. I like to fillet and soak them in saltwater, then slice into strips, and make an egg wash with a generous quantity of franks red hot, coat with a mixture of flour, cornmeal, paprika, salt, pepper and a little garlic powder and then fry. Very similar to buffalo chicken, I even dip it in ranch once in a while. It's not something I make often, and catfish are accidental catches rather than something I pursue. All the same, it can be really good.

Originally Posted by hurry sundown

Hey CarlF when are you leaving us.You are going to be missed and wish you the best.Are you done on the mobile site also.Take Care. Tom

Tom, I'm already moved to Tampa. I'll be back up to close on our house in Mobile next week and then we're all moved.
I'll be back quite a bit for my new job but I doubt I will get to fish much. I still lurk here and over on the Mobile Saltwater Forum.

I wish you luck in your new position Carl. You've already been missed. I only hope that someday you'll be back wit da boys!

Love me some fried catfish

I catch a lot of blue cats on jigs while crappie fishing docks. An overnight soak in saltwater will oxidize the muddy taste out of river or pond catfish. I even use it on pompano that I didn't bleed properly prior to vacuum packing.

I love catfish flathead is one of my fav fresh water fishes to eat, then blue cats. Nether has a muddy taste, well at least where I fish for them. It Could be water quality or food they eat. Not sure but always remove the red meat on any cat. Also I soak my fish for 30 mins or more in a mustard water brine. It can just be mustard and water. Or mustard, water, hot sauce, and garlic. Some times ill add a little liquid crab boil to the mix! mmm fish!

Lots of folks eat jacks including me. Like a lot of things there is a process that will make them much better to eat (especially for sashimi) As soon as one hits the deck take it to a hose, cut the tail off and cut the gills. Stick the hose in the jack's mouth-there will be an astounding amount of blood that pumps out. It takes a bit for the bleeding to stop, when it's done fillet it and keep the lighter of the meat-mostly the top loins. The meat is good grilled or smoked-I've not tried it fried.

It takes some work and most folks either don't know how or aren't wanting to do it (understandable when there are usually fish to be caught that are better to eat and easier to clean). If a jack lays on the deck for a while the bleeding process won't work and it will not be nearly as palatable.

About once a year I go out and catch a few small ones, skin them, batter and fry them whole. Just a change of routine.