What's the deal with this fish? Why aren't more people eating this fish?
Let's hear your tips on filleting and cooking the pesky Utah chub.
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They would probably be ok bottled.. They are probably pretty strong flavored...
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[#0000FF]Chubs live in the same waters and eat the same foods as trout. They have delicate white flaky flesh that is very mild...but bony. As members of the minnow family they do have a row of pesky small flesh bones to deal with.
More than a few anglers have eaten them fried...after removal of head, guts and scales...or skin. I have. They are toothsome if not troublesome. They can also be smoked but that does little to remove the bones. However, if you cross score the flesh and fry them crisp, like ciscos, you can eat the bones too.
When I was a kid in Idaho I deposited all my chubs and suckers with an older European lady who lived right next to the creek I fished every day. She either slow baked them, pressure cooked them or pickled them...all of which renders the bones soft. She often rewarded me with fresh-baked cookies or hot bread. Good trade.
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There was a report or two a while back by someone fishing Scofield and keeping bigger chubs to make fish tacos. I think he also made a return trip to pick up a few for the smoker. I've eaten a lot of different species of fish and I'm always up for trying more. I think the reason why they aren't kept as a food fish is the fact that they do have all those bones that TubeDude mentioned as well as the reputation of being a trash fish. I'd try em once either smoked or fried. Sometimes it is hard to keep something like a chub, carp, or sucker as a meal when there are so many other species that taste great and are readily available too.
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Looks like im gonna have to try them!
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They do taste good, but as already stated the bones make them more trouble than most people are willing to deal with.
I have made it a point to basically try all the legal fish species at the table that I have the opportunity to catch at least once just to be able to compare them against other fish and to authoritatively be able to tell others if they are good or not. I have to admit that I've been surprised many times. For instance, carp that are less than a foot long are some of the sweetest, mildest fillets that I have tried, but they (like the chub) have those pesky Y bones in their flesh that will choke you and are really not worth trying to cut out due to the shredding of the meat that will result. Now, score them across the fillet every 1/8-1/4" almost all the way through and fry them and they are delicious! I have tried chub that way and also smoked and they are good too. In fact, I personally think that young carp, young suckers, and chubs are actually better tasting than largemouth bass, but the bass gets kept for the table because it is far less of a hassle to prepare without choking on the stray bone or two that may missed in the rough fish.
I have bottled sucker and it is great for making "tuna" sandwiches or fish patties. Mud cats are also great eating if you can get one of the little buggers big enough to be worth the hassle.
I guess the message I would like to get out there is although I usually keep only the "normal" fish that everyone else keeps, I can attest to the fact that most fish I've had is good to eat and it TOTALLY depends on how they are care for and prepared according to each species particular bone structures and flesh type. It is very rare for me to keep "trash fish" unless I need catfish or laker bait. They are not as easy to prepare for the oven or fryer as a trout, perch, or catfish, but if your conscience nags at you from time to time about killing something for no other reason than because its a trash fish, by all means go ahead and try eating them, they taste just fine... Just be ready to invest a little more time in the filleting process.
Oh ya, back to the carp, it really takes a nose dive in taste and texture once they get bigger than about 14", but other fish think they taste grrrrreat
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I've eaten the chub. I filleted them and put zaterans cajun fry on them and deep fried them. They taste like a white fish. I thought my father In-law was crazy when he told me we needed to try them. Everyone thought perch was trash fish back in the day also. Now a lot of people eat them. The only way you will know if they are good is to try them. I think you will be amazed at how good they really are.
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The way I see it Chubs make great bait. Both for fish and fur trapping. Why waste my time filleting them when I have plenty of other uses. [
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