Random Landed Fish Thread

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by Purrybonker

Parr marked juvenile trout. Are you aware? That is a rare and seriously endangered species of trout.

In my younger days I often hiked into high mountain Canadian lakes to catch and release goldens. These had been introduced (via helicopter seeding) into highly inaccessible mountain lakes from their very limited evolutionary range in California.

The idea was to preserve the species in a natural environment after their inevitable demise in the US of A.

But a few of us - ultimate sport seekers, saw this as simply a challenge.

These fish are very intolerant of environmental pollutants and are quite "delicate" members of the trout family.

But really, I've come to realize - the catch and release fishery is really just humans being cruel to animals.

I was recently surprised to read that "catch and release" fishing is banned in several parts of the world for exactly that reason.

If you think about it - it makes sense - we view fish as "unfeeling" because they do not, cannot, express pain and suffering in any way that we can appreciate.

But, with a simple amount of reflection - it's pretty easy to imagine the torture that a fish would experience in being caught and "released".

My motivations were base - bragging rights about hiking up into the stratosphere to catch a trout inaccessible to most but the most hearty.

Besides, these little guys - Goldens - offer little in the way of catching or fighting challenge.

Really, can't we start to shake off the evolutionary drive to seek such trophies?

Remind me to never take you fishing.......

[Tishabet]

Originally Posted by Purrybonker

Hey, which is better eating in your impression? The chinook or pink?

The Chinook (aka King) salmon is a better fish for eating (or in the local fishing parlance it "cuts well"). Higher fat content and firm flesh makes them great for sushi/sashimi/poke which is my preferred way to eat them.

Pinks are more delicate and a bit bland (kind of like a trout) and must be bonked, bled, gutted and put on ice ASAP (same goes for any fish you are going to eat really) and they do not store well. They really should be eaten (or smoked or canned or whatever) the same day they are caught. If you filet, vacuum pack and freeze them and then thaw later their flesh is mushy and mealy. But if you treat them right and consume/smoke them quickly they are tasty, and a more sustainable fishery with huge runs coming into Puget Sound every odd-numbered year.

Here is what became of the chinook in my third pic:

Filets, getting ready to pull the pin bones (quarter for scale)


After salting for 1 hour (to draw off moisture) and a 20 minute soak in a rice vinegar bath I skin each filet and section into "blocks" for sushi


Prepared block with quarter for scale. After this I vacuum seal each piece, then freeze with dry ice (-100f) for 24 hours to kill of any parasites. Then, feast time.

[vash]

I’m getting better. Way more comfy on my kayak.

[Nordwest]

When I fish for salmon, I prefer Chinook....

[vash]

…..and my new biggest fish.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by vash

…..and my new biggest fish.

I'm fixin' to put somebody on my ignore list !

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by Tishabet

The Chinook (aka King) salmon is a better fish for eating (or in the local fishing parlance it "cuts well"). Higher fat content and firm flesh makes them great for sushi/sashimi/poke which is my preferred way to eat them.

Pinks are more delicate and a bit bland (kind of like a trout) and must be bonked, bled, gutted and put on ice ASAP (same goes for any fish you are going to eat really) and they do not store well. They really should be eaten (or smoked or canned or whatever) the same day they are caught. If you filet, vacuum pack and freeze them and then thaw later their flesh is mushy and mealy. But if you treat them right and consume/smoke them quickly they are tasty, and a more sustainable fishery with huge runs coming into Puget Sound every odd-numbered year.

Here is what became of the chinook in my third pic:

Filets, getting ready to pull the pin bones (quarter for scale)


After salting for 1 hour (to draw off moisture) and a 20 minute soak in a rice vinegar bath I skin each filet and section into "blocks" for sushi


Prepared block with quarter for scale. After this I vacuum seal each piece, then freeze with dry ice (-100f) for 24 hours to kill of any parasites. Then, feast time.

Oh boy that looks delish.

[Racerbvd]

On Mondays, it is slow at the club, so the bartender brings her fishing pole and drops a line in the river. This was last Monday.

[ramonesfreak]

Im a fisherman. Always have been, since the 1970s. I have struggled with the issue you point out below since the late 1990s. I grew up on, as in directly on, Lake Ontario. I fished it daily because it was my backyard, along with its many tributaries.

I also keep fish as pets (9 tanks) and I struggle and go to great lengths to keep them healthy and when they get sick, i treat them or euthanize as required....it is not enjoyable to see them injured or suffering from disease (usually because of me). I have learned more about fish by keeping them as pets than I could any other way....and it has really cooled me off the sport of fishing

I have found myself at a cross roads about whether or not to keep on fishing. I only catch and release. I do what I can to raise the chances of their survival by removing barbs, not touching slime coat, not using live bait, not fighting longer than necessary, doing my best to avoid fragile fish like Northern Pike etc...I still find it a struggle to justify what I do....

It is quite frankly, the most selfish indulgence i have ever been involved in. I love it but, yea...your right

Sorry to derail the thread

Originally Posted by Purrybonker

Parr marked juvenile trout. Are you aware? That is a rare and seriously endangered species of trout.

In my younger days I often hiked into high mountain Canadian lakes to catch and release goldens. These had been introduced (via helicopter seeding) into highly inaccessible mountain lakes from their very limited evolutionary range in California.

The idea was to preserve the species in a natural environment after their inevitable demise in the US of A.

But a few of us - ultimate sport seekers, saw this as simply a challenge.

These fish are very intolerant of environmental pollutants and are quite "delicate" members of the trout family.

But really, I've come to realize - the catch and release fishery is really just humans being cruel to animals.

I was recently surprised to read that "catch and release" fishing is banned in several parts of the world for exactly that reason.

If you think about it - it makes sense - we view fish as "unfeeling" because they do not, cannot, express pain and suffering in any way that we can appreciate.

But, with a simple amount of reflection - it's pretty easy to imagine the torture that a fish would experience in being caught and "released".

My motivations were base - bragging rights about hiking up into the stratosphere to catch a trout inaccessible to most but the most hearty.

Besides, these little guys - Goldens - offer little in the way of catching or fighting challenge.

Really, can't we start to shake off the evolutionary drive to seek such trophies?

[911 Rod]

^^^ You guys are a buzz kill.

But yes, the way we look at catch and release is changing.

[Tishabet]

The coho salmon have started showing up in my area of Puget Sound, here are two nice hatchery bucks I found this AM. The bigger one is already starting to form a "kype", the hooked jaw look that salmon get when spawning. Smaller one 6.27lb, larger one 8.96lb

[rfuerst911sc]

In my best Crocodile Dundee voice " that's not a fish , this is a fish " 😁 . Check out this recent catch .

https://www.google.com/amp/s/ftw.usatoday.com/2021/08/former-nhl-star-catches-sturgeon-world-record/amp

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by Tishabet

The coho salmon have started showing up in my area of Puget Sound, here are two nice hatchery bucks I found this AM. The bigger one is already starting to form a "kype", the hooked jaw look that salmon get when spawning. Smaller one 6.27lb, larger one 8.96lb

You sure do get your share of Salmon! What's your go to preparation for eating? I knew a guy who talked about wrapping in foil and using the "pot scrubber" setting on the dishwasher.

Nice catch BTW Grant!

[Tishabet]

Originally Posted by craigster59

You sure do get your share of Salmon! What's your go to preparation for eating? I knew a guy who talked about wrapping in foil and using the "pot scrubber" setting on the dishwasher.

Nice catch BTW Grant!

For King (aka Chinook) or Coho a decent amount of what I catch is consumed raw, either as sashimi/sushi or (my personal fave) poke. To properly prepare it this way you take entire filets and rub them with kosher salt and allow the salt to draw out excess liquid for 1+ hours (a surprising amount of liquid will come out), then you put the filets into a bath of rice vinegar for 20 minutes before patting dry and skinning/slicing into nice sashimi blocks. The last step is vacuum sealing and putting into a cooler with a generous amount of dry ice for 24 hours of extreme cold to kill parasites etc and make it safe to eat raw.

For actual "cooking" preparations I have three that are "go to":

1) Rub a generous amount of either pesto or "rub with love" salmon rub onto the flesh and bake at 450 (either in my oven or on my traeger smoker) until the flesh is just flaking, 7-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. The rub with love stuff is dynamite.
2) Poach in olive oil. This takes an extravagant amount of olive oil (you need the filet completely submerged in oil) but the result is silky and moist. I usually use the Costco brand oil for this. Get the oil (optionally doctored up with some fresh herbs) to 180, drop the entire filet in there, maintain 180 for 15 minutes, pull the fish out and pat dry to remove most oil, then serve.
3) Slice into candy bar sized portions and then cure it and smoke it. I typically "cure" for 24-48 hours in a combo of brown sugar, salt, black pepper, maple syrup and gin. Then I let it dry on racks in the fridge until it forms a "pellicle" which is basically a skin of dryness on the outside of the meat, then smoke as low as I dare. The result is what locals call "salmon candy" which is a bit sweet and kind of jerky-ish, a favorite snack to eat when I am out trying to catch more salmon.

[craigster59]

Thanks Grant! I've had the "Salmon Candy" when I was in Long Beach, Wa. and it was tasty. I'll try the other 2 cooked versions.

I've done sashimi and ceviche' with Dorado and Tuna, I'll have to try the Salmon.

[id10t]

Got this guy today, missed one of his buddies, as well as mullet, a couple of ladyfish, a skate, and two of the biggest grunts I've caught (10" or so). Cast net got me some shrimp, finger mullet, a mullet about 12" long, and a pinfish.

[porsche4life]

Any recommendations from this group for fishing charters in Seattle? We are going to be in town sat-wed next week and I’d like to take the kids out salmon fishing if possible. I see a bunch of different charter companies, just curious if there are any I should avoid?

[id10t]

Caught a new door mat this weekend, has a built in door bell even

~40" wing tip to wing tip, maybe 48" nose to end not counting tail.

Took about 30 minutes to bring it in

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Any recommendations from this group for fishing charters in Seattle? We are going to be in town sat-wed next week and I’d like to take the kids out salmon fishing if possible. I see a bunch of different charter companies, just curious if there are any I should avoid?

I'd try a local fishing forum or Facebook .

[porsche tech]

Day before yesterday caught 2 nice spot tails at the same time. Mr Gator came out of the grass but I prevailed!