Flounder

[username]

I remember catching them off the pier in Huntington Beach. Not that often but it did happen every now and then. They are definitely good eating.

 

[Hillcrest]

Well, those of us who live in the Commonwealth know what our fellow New Englanders sometimes call us. Of course, when they, their husband or wife, their parents or their children are desperately ill where do they look to for help and the world's best physicians? when they dream about their children's educations if they want some of the world's best colleges and Universities? When they want to attend a major sporting event or hear one of the world's best symphony orchestras? Which New England state offers everything: cosmopolitan, safe and beautiful city, miles of glorious beaches and coastline, fancy island life and winter sports in the western part of the state. They don't call Boston the "Hub of the universe" for nothing.

Not all; not even the majority, just a few and each state has them; its not limited to location; we all must deal with them and try to not lose faith in our fellow man.

 

[pantsBoots]

If you ask me the worse fish ever is tilapia likely because it's all farmed. I don't care what anyone says but I can certainly taste when fish is farmed. I think tilapia sort of replaced flounder at certain places because it's cheaper while flounder was taken off the menu at more upscale places because the uninformed consumer has the perception that it's a cheap fish. If you like more oily fish I find bluefish to be an incredible bargain, the local place I buy fish at which never peddles anything past its due, had bluefish at $8 a lb last time I was there and the monger sort of confirmed my suspicions that know one really buys it due to some misguided perception of cost related to quality.

Growing up near the Great Lakes, I assumed everyone had constant access to fresh wild-caught fish. I shake and shudder when I'm visiting up there these days and someone orders cod or salmon or tilapia. Boggles my feeble little mind. Now that I'm landlocked in Tennessee, I miss the bounty of wild-caught fish. All we have here are stocked reservoirs (blech!) and dang ole river rats - I mean catfish.

 

[mav]

Back in the 80s I used to fish with my dad in a Whaler Montauk 17 from CT and NY North to the coast of MA. Quincy Ma was the most prolific flounder fishing. It was insane, people would take too many fish. They had folks at the docks who would filet the catch for 10 cents a fish.

We took what we would eat and freeze. Fillets fried in beer batter was the way we liked it. In the late 80s and early 90's the water pollution got bad off Boston, and the fish off Quincy showed it. For a time they disappeared, one year I recall there was nothing in the water, not even crabs to steal bait. We stopped fishing there. I understand things are better but the whaler got sold and we've not been out in many many years. Flounder, like almost any fresh caught fish, is swell.

I remember those days! The water was so thick and oily, it's much better now I believe. We would blame Gov. Mike Dukakis but I don't think it was his fault

 

[mav]

Growing up near Boston my friends and I would charter a boat from Gloucester (pronounced Glosta) and fish off of Novia Scotia. Halibut, Mackerel, Flounder, Bluefish, and the occasional sand shark. I would bring some to my Dad that night and we'd cook it up. Hook to plate in the same day...so good!

 

[runscott]

There is a really good read "Bottom Feeders" that explains the history of fisheries and why things are like they are today in various places. Some of it is very surprising.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Growing up near the Great Lakes, I assumed everyone had constant access to fresh wild-caught fish. I shake and shudder when I'm visiting up there these days and someone orders cod or salmon or tilapia. Boggles my feeble little mind. Now that I'm landlocked in Tennessee, I miss the bounty of wild-caught fish. All we have here are stocked reservoirs (blech!) and dang ole river rats - I mean catfish.

What is the main catch in the great lakes? Walleye, perch and bluegill? The times I've been in WI I always enjoyed stopping at a supper club for a Friday fish fry.

I'm not such a fan of catfish either. A bit too slimy (waiting for the Cajun contingent here to lay into me), although those and sunnies are what I caught the most of when I went fishing with my Grandpa.

 

[tbradsim1]

Long time ago an Australian on assignment to us Exxon boys said when we fried up some catfish one Sunday, I DONT EAT THAT TRASH MATE! Looked him in the eye and Said YOU AINT GONNA MAKE IT MATE!

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Long time ago an Australian on assignment to us Exxon boys said when we fried up some catfish one Sunday, I DONT EAT THAT TRASH MATE! Looked him in the eye and Said YOU AINT GONNA MAKE IT MATE!

I would eat it BUT that doesn't mean I would like it but sure it would taste fine slathered in roumalade.

 

[karam]

Long time ago an Australian on assignment to us Exxon boys said when we fried up some catfish one Sunday, I DONT EAT THAT TRASH MATE! Looked him in the eye and Said YOU AINT GONNA MAKE IT MATE!

I guess that’s as big an offence as it gets for a Cajun! There’s no history of eating catfish where I am from, overall freshwater fish are considered inferior, but I had catfish a few times in restaurants and it was delicious, very meaty!

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Has anyone had shad? I don't know many who have tried it outside of Lambertville NJ which has a shadfest every year when they come up the Delaware to spawn. I always remember a week too late. Their sacks of roe are delicious, dusted with flour and pan fried in some brown butter, simply delectable.

 

[tbradsim1]

Raised on a farm, you ever see the ? chickens, pigs, ducks eat? Then don’t put down the lowly Catfish????

 

[Hillcrest]

Growing up near the Great Lakes, I assumed everyone had constant access to fresh wild-caught fish. I shake and shudder when I'm visiting up there these days and someone orders cod or salmon or tilapia. Boggles my feeble little mind. Now that I'm landlocked in Tennessee, I miss the bounty of wild-caught fish. All we have here are stocked reservoirs (blech!) and dang ole river rats - I mean catfish.

It seems to me, and I could be wrong as usual, but, most of the 'wild caught' fish is heading overseas to Asia while we are stuck with 'farm raised' which has, on average, 1/3rd of the nutrient value. I have had to switch to flash frozen at sea wild caught salmon ... some stores carry it. Like Target, BJs wholesale, Walmart on occasion. The stuff in stores now is all previously frozen farm raised. If I were President .... ? !!!!!

 

[puff_not_snuff]

It seems to me, and I could be wrong as usual, but, most of the 'wild caught' fish is heading overseas to Asia while we are stuck with 'farm raised' which has, on average, 1/3rd of the nutrient value. I have had to switch to flash frozen at sea wild caught salmon ... some stores carry it. Like Target, BJs wholesale, Walmart on occasion. The stuff in stores now is all previously frozen farm raised. If I were President .... ? !!!!!

Trader Joes has some decent frozen wild caught fish. It use to be reasonably priced but haven't checked in a while.

 

[jaytex1969]

It's only gonna get worse, as we've depleted well over 3/4 of the ocean's bounty.

Why do you think all the hungry sharks are now looking to the coastal areas for tasty bipeds?

As Agent Smith said in The Matrix, humanity is a blight upon the planet, a virus.

Smoke 'em while you got 'em....

 

[clynch]

Fished flounder in NY. In the OLD days, filled the boat.

 

[Hillcrest]

It's only gonna get worse, as we've depleted well over 3/4 of the ocean's bounty.

Why do you think all the hungry sharks are now looking to the coastal areas for tasty bipeds?

As Agent Smith said in The Matrix, humanity is a blight upon the planet, a virus.

Smoke 'em while you got 'em....

View attachment 155402

I don't completely agree with that ... but ... you may be partially correct :

 

[monty55]

Love crab-stuffed flounder! You can still find it in restaurants up and down the Texas gulf coast. Galveston still has excellent flounder fishing. They close the season on flounder in Texas from the beginning of November till the middle of December during spawning season. It's a popular fish here on the coast, along with Red Fish and Speckled Trout.

Interesting how some of the ugliest fish taste the best. Flounder and monkfish come to mind. I love the tender flakiness of flounder and monkfish taste just like lobster!

 

[Hillcrest]

When I worked in the fish market, I didn't know the small town had a private Trout Hatchery business until one day a guy came into the store as we opened with two bags of Rainbow trout. He explained that at 4 am his tank alarms went off and he ran out to find that a raccoon had chewed threw the tank electrical line and was electrocuted. He had spent all morning saving the fish and transferring them to other tanks but two dozen (large 1 1/2 to 2 lbs each) were too weak to survive so he had gutted them and put them on ice. The local grocery store took a dozen would our store like to buy the dozen at cost to defray his loss ?? My manager explained that she had just received a large shipment and they didn't have a call for trout but she would take six to help him out. Overhearing this I came running out of the back room and said "Dibs on that second bag !" ... cost me about $2.50 a fish. My family had a feast that night of fresh trout ! Best day fishing ever !!!!

 

[puff_not_snuff]

That reminds me of how that salmon farm in I believe was in the PNW had some breech a few years ago releasing thousands or tens of thousands of fish into the wild. The worrisome thing wasn't the loss to the hachery but how they could effect the natural stock through inter-breeding.