Salmon that's 'clean' enough to eat. Where?

[hotsky]

I'm still new to fishing, been mainly interested in pike so far (always catch and release), but would like to fish for something I can eat and actually enjoy it! I love sushi and always been a big fan of smoked salmon and salmon roe, but all of that is quite pricy to buy, unfortunately.

 

So I was wondering;

 

1) What is the best Salmon to eat? Steelhead?... and

 

2) Where can I catch them (from shore) that would be clean enough to eat without being worried about consuming toxins and what not?

 

I'm in Hamilton, and eating fish from the Harbour out of the question. lol

 

Thanks!

Edited July 15, 2012 by Gray_Wolf

[Terry]

first thing to do is to read this

 

Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish

 

 

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/resources/collection/guide_to_eating_ontario_sport_fish/STDPROD_075994.html

 

 

then remember, it's not the size of the fish as much as the age of the fish

 

remove all fatty areas of the fish

[Christopheraaron]

Steelhead are trout. georgian bay is a little bit of a trip but clean enough to eat, you can catch them while they are entering the rivers to spawn in the fall.

[Live2fish85]

Lake Ontario has good eating Salmon and trout. Right now you need a boat to catch them for the most part.

[hotsky]

I had some smoked salmon from a grocery store this weekend (that was delicious!), it said Norwegian Steelhead Salmon. So I thought I'd start there So steelhead salmon and trout is the same thing? http://www.ats-sea.agr.gc.ca/sea-mer/4811-eng.htm

 

I figured that with out a boat I'd only be able to do it in the fall...

Edited July 15, 2012 by Gray_Wolf

[Live2fish85]

You can get them in the spring as well. At least the steelhead. Steelhead aren't a salmon they are a rainbow trout.

[danjang]

I had some smoked salmon from a grocery store this weekend (that was delicious!), it said Norwegian Steelhead Salmon. So I thought I'd start there So steelhead salmon and trout is the same thing? http://www.ats-sea.agr.gc.ca/sea-mer/4811-eng.htm

 

I figured that with out a boat I'd only be able to do it in the fall...

 

Common names are terrible to use as they differ from place to place! Who knows what kinda salmonid you had lol.

 

Anyways yeah pier fishing in the fall. Catch em fresh. Stick to the smaller range of fish. Cut the fat if you can, don't eat the eggs and do not eat them raw!!

[hotsky]

hmm I wonder where all the sushi places in Hamilton get their salmon, Lake Ontario by any chance?

[BillM]

hmm I wonder where all the sushi places in Hamilton get their salmon, Lake Ontario by any chance?

 

Absolutely not, sushi is ONLY salt water fish. (I'm assuming we are talking raw fish here, not cooked aka sushi, lol)

Edited July 16, 2012 by BillM

[John Bacon]

If you are catching them from Lake Ontario then I wouldn' think the it would make much of difference which part of Lake Ontario that you caught them in. They wander around the lake a lot so any salmon that you catch will have been all over the lake.

 

I eat the salmon from Lake Ontario on occasion. I am still hear.

[kickingfrog]

Steelhead are trout. georgian bay is a little bit of a trip but clean enough to eat, you can catch them while they are entering the rivers to spawn in the fall.

 

Steelhead, aka rainbow trout, are a Pacific salmon.

 

 

And just to confuse things a little more:

 

Atlantic salmon are a trout

 

Lake trout and brook trout are chars

 

Brown trout are actually a trout

[hotsky]

I'm guessing Lake Erie salmon is a bit cleaner? Would Dunnville be a good spot?

[danc]

Steelhead aren't a salmon they are a rainbow trout.

 

Actually, Steelhead are Salmon. kickingfrog pretty much has it covered.

[rocheleauc]

I'm still new to fishing, been mainly interested in pike so far (always catch and release), but would like to fish for something I can eat and actually enjoy it! I love sushi and always been a big fan of smoked salmon and salmon roe, but all of that is quite pricy to buy, unfortunately.

 

So I was wondering;

 

1) What is the best Salmon to eat? Steelhead?... and

 

2) Where can I catch them (from shore) that would be clean enough to eat without being worried about consuming toxins and what not?

 

I'm in Hamilton, and eating fish from the Harbour out of the question. lol

 

Thanks!

 

If you wait a month or so the chinook should be within casting distance at the piers. Personally I wouldn't eat any of the larger ones, but smaller ones are ok now and then.

[spincast]

first thing to do is to read this

 

Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish

 

 

http://www.ene.gov.o...ROD_075994.html

 

 

then remember, it's not the size of the fish as much as the age of the fish

 

remove all fatty areas of the fish

 

yup - tells you all you need to know

[dave524]

I'm guessing Lake Erie salmon is a bit cleaner? Would Dunnville be a good spot?

 

Unfortunately I beleieve it has been some years since salmon were stocked in Lake Erie, but then steelhead are salmon.

[strik]

If you can catch them Lake Huron has lots of tribs to fish

[spinnerdoc]

Absolutely not, sushi is ONLY salt water fish. (I'm assuming we are talking raw fish here, not cooked aka sushi, lol)

I always assumed the sushi grade fish were farmed, whether they are farmed from salt water or fresh water I never thought about. So salmon farmed from the georgean bay is not used for sushi?

[Live2fish85]

Actually, Steelhead are Salmon. kickingfrog pretty much has it covered.

 

Guess you learn something new every day lol. My bad.

[danc]

Guess you learn something new every day lol. My bad.

 

Why do you think that they call them Rainbow Trout??

[funfishing]

You guys are going to confuse a lot of newbies with your trout this, salmon that, steelhead this, steelhead that.

 

Genetics aside, (in Canada) a steelhead is the term used for migratory rainbow trout that live in the sea and spawn in tributaries. TROUT.

 

Atlantic salmon are genetically very similar to brown trout. We still call them SALMON.

 

You can buy "smoked Norwegian steelhead salmon" at the store. Is this a rainbow trout, or do the Norwegians use the term steelhead differently? Who cares, put a few capers on a slice and enjoy.

[funfishing]

Steelhead, aka rainbow trout, are a Pacific salmon.

 

 

And just to confuse things a little more:

 

Atlantic salmon are a trout

 

Lake trout and brook trout are chars

 

Brown trout are actually a trout

 

 

 

Steelhead are not a Pacific salmon, they are in the same family as Pacific salmon, salmonidae, but steelhead are simply migratory rainbow TROUT.

 

Atlantic salmon are just that, SALMON.

 

Lake trout and brook trout are char, which are also a part of the salmonidae family. Even though they are called lake "trout" and brook "trout", they are actually char.

 

[gogu392]

Before to eat check this link:

 

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/mapping/sportfish/

[funfishing]

Now to add to the debate - is a steelhead, which is actually a rainbow trout, which is actually a salmon, really a steelhead, if it only migrates between a lake and a river?

 

Are there steelhead in Lake Ontario, or just rainbow trout that have lost their colors (which are actually salmon?)

 

 

Steelhead are not "actually salmon". They are trout.

 

If you want to get technical, since the Great Lakes are technically lakes, not seas, you can call our population of "steelhead" migratory rainbow trout, since they never live in saltwater. But that technicality is pretty meaningless. When you talk about Great Lakes steelhead, people know you aren't talking about steelhead that migrated all the way from the pacific to spawn in a Great Lakes trib.

[danc]

Steelhead are Salmon. If you have the internet, look it up.