Gut Shot
Well-known member
In this thread I'll tell you the secret of turning a trash fish into a great meal.
Step one is to catch a common carp. It isn't difficult in waters where they live. There are all kinds of baits that work (I prefer plain old night crawlers) spearing and archery are a lot of fun too.
Here is a 12.5lb fish but any size will work. Pay no attention to the stove sitting out by the barn, it was headed to the dump. I mean, I might be white trash but I ain't that bad.
You'll notice that she is hanging from a meat hook in the gills. You can cut the gills like this or cut the end of the tail and break the spine to bleed them. Collect the blood in a ziplock or bowl.
Next step is to fillet the fish.
Don't skin it. Now that it is filleted cut it into chunks. I prefer cubes about 1" in size.
Guys will tell you you have to soak it in buttermilk overnight or put it in the smoker for a few hours, that's way too much work to make a crap fish taste good. Throw all the chunks into the bag with the blood and head back down to the river.
We generally run trot lines with the bait but it will work pole fishing too. Carp works well because it is oily and their skin is very tough. That means it won't be easy to pull off once you have a hook through it.
Catch a bunch of these.
The little 1.5-2lb channels are perfect for cooking whole. The bigger ones can be filleted or steak cut.
Beer battered catfish is awesome.
So there you have it, turning a nasty, greasy trash fish into a wonderful, delicious meal.
Oh, catfish aren't the only thing you'll catch with good cut-bait. We pulled in drum, turtles, dogfish, gar and this guy.
Wife and son had never seen a northern before. I was wrestling a turtle on another line while they are trying to net this one. Wife, amidst splashing and cursing, says "It's a big gar!" I looked over my shoulder and chuckled, nope you got a nice pike.
Step one is to catch a common carp. It isn't difficult in waters where they live. There are all kinds of baits that work (I prefer plain old night crawlers) spearing and archery are a lot of fun too.
Here is a 12.5lb fish but any size will work. Pay no attention to the stove sitting out by the barn, it was headed to the dump. I mean, I might be white trash but I ain't that bad.
You'll notice that she is hanging from a meat hook in the gills. You can cut the gills like this or cut the end of the tail and break the spine to bleed them. Collect the blood in a ziplock or bowl.
Next step is to fillet the fish.
Don't skin it. Now that it is filleted cut it into chunks. I prefer cubes about 1" in size.
Guys will tell you you have to soak it in buttermilk overnight or put it in the smoker for a few hours, that's way too much work to make a crap fish taste good. Throw all the chunks into the bag with the blood and head back down to the river.
We generally run trot lines with the bait but it will work pole fishing too. Carp works well because it is oily and their skin is very tough. That means it won't be easy to pull off once you have a hook through it.
Catch a bunch of these.
The little 1.5-2lb channels are perfect for cooking whole. The bigger ones can be filleted or steak cut.
Beer battered catfish is awesome.
So there you have it, turning a nasty, greasy trash fish into a wonderful, delicious meal.
Oh, catfish aren't the only thing you'll catch with good cut-bait. We pulled in drum, turtles, dogfish, gar and this guy.
Wife and son had never seen a northern before. I was wrestling a turtle on another line while they are trying to net this one. Wife, amidst splashing and cursing, says "It's a big gar!" I looked over my shoulder and chuckled, nope you got a nice pike.
