"Flake Fish"?

[Rich]

May be a stupid question as I imagine anything would work, but does anyone have any preferred 'catch yourself' species they like to catch, cook, and flake (like canned tuna)? Figued if I could use bluegills or perch, it would sure save me buying cans of tuna. Anyone here do it?

[limeyangler]

i dont do it, but up here a lot of folks 'can' pike....i've tried it and it aint much different to tuna once you add mayo, tomato, a sprinkle of chives and a good rye bread.

[Dave Bailey]

A guy I worked with used to get pickled pike from a buddy of his up in Espanola. Quite good.

[fishnsled]

I have had pike like that and it was delicious. Wound imagine any fish would work just fine.

[fishindevil]

it used to be pretty common years ago,to can pickled suckers !!! in the spring, the americans used to come up to my grandparents fishing lodgein bobcaygeon and go crazy for them....i remember it well as a kid....not sure how many people do it anymore....and i know guys that can salmon from lake ontario as well....

[Spiel]

While it's been a long time since I brought a steelie home it was always a fave here with me and my kids, cooked left overs were always flaked cold the next day, mixed with mayo (onions, celery) and spread thick on toast garnished with lettuce.....Mmmmmmmmm, GOOD!

[Sinker]

Ya, I'd say trout/ salmon are your best bet if you want something similar to tuna. Mackeral and herring are very close when canned as well.

 

S.

[jimmer]

I enjoyed doing that with my trout when I was lucky enough to get one.

[misfish]

Many times,I have chopped up left over fish. Like the rest,just add what you like and enjoy. I found that salmon and trout had flavor. Perch and crappie not so much.

 

Good topic Rich.

[Old Ironmaker]

One of the old timers would flake the "Y" bone sections in pike. Once cooked he would pick out the Y bones then jar the fish flakes in oil, also made fish cakes with the Y bone section. The Y bones disappeared in the food processer. Both ways were delicious but he kept every hammer handle he caught and if you released one no matter the size he would loose it. Those were different times, when we started to catch and release he didn't get it and never did, why fish if you didn't keep them all, and I mean all.RIP. We all miss him.

[wkimwes]

I never thought about doing that, of course I mostly practice C&R. Sounds like a good idea to try the next time I catch a pike.

[Rich]

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

 

I couldn't bring myself to eat a pike in any form. But I will definitely try flaking some bluegills. Why am I the only one that seems to love bluegills?! So tasty, so plentiful.

 

I also have some stocker rainbows I may flake up.

 

Awesome thread and excited to see more suggestions!

[Beans]

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

 

I couldn't bring myself to eat a pike in any form. But I will definitely try flaking some bluegills. Why am I the only one that seems to love bluegills?! So tasty, so plentiful.

 

I also have some stocker rainbows I may flake up.

 

Awesome thread and excited to see more suggestions!

You are not alone Rich...My bro-in-law loves bluegills fried then with lettuce, cheese and tarter sauce on a hamburger bun...the original fillet o' fish sangweech...

Edited June 1, 2013 by Beans

[hammercarp]

I have had canned sucker. It was okay. The small bones are so soft you don't even know they are there.

[Canuck]

I thnk pike is really good to eat. If I get one over 5lbs I don't bother to remove the y bones, just filet them, deep fry and eat around the bones. I give the picky eaters the boneless tail pieces. I think breaded and deep fried pike is probably my second favourite after walleye. You virtually never get grubs in pike. I love perch too, but if I find one grub cleaning them, I have a tough time forgetting about it when I eat them. I know that they won't hurt you after cooking, but the ick factor stays with me.

[Joey]

I like to use Steelhead, and preferrably after I have smoked it in the smoker!

[capt_hooked]

Fresh Water Drum... only way to go...!

[Old Ironmaker]

Rich you said,

 

I couldn't bring myself to eat a pike in any form. But I will definitely try flaking some bluegills. Why am I the only one that seems to love bluegills?! So tasty, so plentiful.

 

Most of the folks I met recently on a trip to upper NY state were targeting bluegills. The couple in the cabin next to us are there every year and take home about 75 pounds of cleaned Bluegills for the year. They taste like Rock Bass to me, I love them and don't feel guilty about keeping any.

 

If anyone keeps a walleye for the table a pike can be as good. I've proven it with the hidden taste test.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Old Ironmaker

[crappieperchhunter]

 

But I will definitely try flaking some bluegills. Why am I the only one that seems to love bluegills?! So tasty, so plentiful.

 

 

 

Awesome thread and excited to see more suggestions!

Edited June 1, 2013 by crappieperchhunter

[crappieperchhunter]

But I will definitely try flaking some bluegills. Why am I the only one that seems to love bluegills?! So tasty, so plentiful.

 

 

Your not alone Rich. Bluegills are pretty much the only fish I keep for the table from the Kawarthas in the summer although I have never had them flaked.

 

My old bosses wife used to can fish. I gave her a bunch of suckers one spring and got a few mason jars of the finished product. Just as good as any can of tuna or salmon I have ever had from the store.

[Musky or Specks]

it used to be pretty common years ago,to can pickled suckers !!! in the spring, the americans used to come up to my grandparents fishing lodgein bobcaygeon and go crazy for them....i remember it well as a kid....not sure how many people do it anymore....and i know guys that can salmon from lake ontario as well....

My buddy up north still cans sucker and it taste just like tuna

[Old Ironmaker]

Does anyone have a recipe/technique to can suckers. When you say suckers I see so many different species in my Ontario Fish species handbook. Does it matter? There are a few spots you can't keep them off the line, now watch if I want one will never find them!!

 

From the handbook;

 

Bigmouth Buffalo

Black/Smallmouth Buffalo

Black Redhorse

Golden redhorse

Greater redhorse

Lake clubsucker

Longnose sucker

Northern hog sucker

Quillback

River redhorse

Shorthead redhorse

Silver redhorse

Spotted sucker

White sucker

 

That's a few suckers here in Ontario

[Musky or Specks]

His family spends a couple days during the spawn of white suckers catching them. They can some and use some for baiting fur traps during the winter. He says you have to get them when the water is cold for them to taste good.

Edited June 2, 2013 by Musky or Specks

[Rich]

I have eaten spring suckers, panfried .. merely as a means to survive at the time, lol, long story.. canoe trip..

 

Anyway, they weren't that bad. Lots of tiny bones but in the ones 12-14" they cooked right out.

[fishindevil]

White suckers are the most common I believe !!! And the red horse !!!!! My grandmother used to put pickling salt dill and garlic in it if I remember correctly I wonder if there is still any recipes out there as my grandparents are no longer alive so I never got the scoop on how to make them ?? She also would make fish-cakes too !!!!! Being lodge owners they would feed 20people a day so there was always many ways to cook and eat fish !!!!!