Fished willard this weekend Fri and Sat night. Did ok at least no skunks around. Trolled the feedlot after dark in 12 foot of water with silver and blue rattle traps. Attached is the haul from Fri night. We landed 2 more last night. All fish around 20 - 21 inches. We trolled till we caught the last one at about 10pm or so.
Pictures of the dressing. Thanks to tube dude, I have been eating almost all of the fish. The heads and belly portions were boiled old man lobster style. Boiled in a quart of water with a 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup suger and then drenched in garlic butter. The filets will be for our fish fry next weekend.
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Thanks for posting your report, looks like a good trip. What time did you launch? Do you have lights on your boat so you don't run a ground?
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Thanks for report.
nice fish.
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We usually launch an hour or two before sunset to try and get on boils. That particular night there were none so we were just enjoyng the calm and serenity of the bay and trolling back to the marina when they started slamming the trolling polls, so we just kept it up and went back thru the same spots.
I do have lights but just the standard bow and stern mandatory ones that come with the boat, The full moon gave us the navigation light we needed, plus I'm very familiar with the bay in that area as well as the light coming out of the south marina as a guide.
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Nice one. I got on some fish there yesterday, but not the wipers. Though they were there!!! I saw my first serious boils.
I for one appreciate you sharing your processing pix. I like to know how folks work with their catch. I personally take pride in treating my takes with care and consideration. And make an effort to present them as nice-s-can-be. (pic)
So did TD give you a recipe for fish-belly-head-stew?
I tried my hand at fish-stock, perch and trout. Worked out pretty good. Made a batch of shrimp, scallion stew based on it, and served in pumpkin bread-bowls. Need to keep the soup thicker for that . . .
Thanks for the post. {They're out there . . . }
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Nice post!
Were you long lining your lures or using Planer Boards? We were there Saturday evening, and in on the North Dike Boil that lasted about 1 hour, but all the fish we caught were smaller in size.
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First... no stew at all, the flesh is pulled off and then dipped in butter thus the poor mans lobster. TD posted about a year ago on how to harvest the meat ala poaching it but not sure how he finishes it.
Second we were trolling about 1.7 mph on the gps and running out the trolling poles exactly 80 ft (no boards). I had the trolling poles still loaded with lead core line from chasing slimers and was too lazy to put on the mono reels, but we found the 80 ft mark simply because out farther was making the rattle traps hit bottom so we reeled up till no more bouncing. You could do the same long lining mono. We were in 12 ft of water so probably had the lures 2 ft off the bottom I guess.
We fried up a bunch on Saturday for my dads B/D. I cut the filets into 2 inch strips and then soak them in 2 cups milk mixed with about 1/4 cup vinager and then place the strips into a gallon zip lock of McCormick Golden Dipt Cajun dry mix till coated and drop into the fry daddy... OMG it iz off the hook delish. Serve with catsup, tartar and/or cocktail sauce.
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Awesome. Sounds like I had some of the right patterns out, just booked a little early I think.
Need to see about duplicating some of my lead core with mono reels, just like you say. Options.. . .
Toasted up some smoker trout and cats, plus - tonight. {cornish hens} Mouth is still watering (one of the perks of a beard/moustache). Gonna have to hit it again, seems like the fall bite is on. Just wish I had a faster boat!
TTDN