Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em
By Pat Leff Hartwell
(As published in Utah Fishing magazine)

"How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"

These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are asked
when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old opinion
sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become, that catfish are a
trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.

They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and living
on the Bayou to enjoy them. It seems that most folks simply are uneducated
about catfish and the few who do enjoy this tasty whiskered fellow are
criticized. I am here to support those fellow catfish lovers and to
encourage others to try something new...

http://www.utahoutdoors.com/fishspec...tfishhowto.htm

Make a note that in the article it suggests to pre-soak catfish in
salted water or milk a few hours before cooking to relieve the muddy taste.

Michael2590

Michael (Piedmont) wrote:

> Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em

Yum!

> By Pat Leff Hartwell
> (As published in Utah Fishing magazine)
>
> "How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"
>
> These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are asked
> when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old opinion
> sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become, that catfish are a
> trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.
>
> They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and living
> on the Bayou to enjoy them. It seems that most folks simply are uneducated
> about catfish and the few who do enjoy this tasty whiskered fellow are
> criticized. I am here to support those fellow catfish lovers and to
> encourage others to try something new...
>
> http://www.utahoutdoors.com/fishspec...tfishhowto.htm
>
> Make a note that in the article it suggests to pre-soak catfish in
> salted water or milk a few hours before cooking to relieve the muddy taste.

Hmmmm. I love catfish, and I've never noticed a "muddy taste". I've
never had home-caught catfish though...just store-bought; I wonder if
that's the difference.

--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project - http://improve-usenet.org

In article .net>,
Blinky the Shark > wrote:

> Hmmmm. I love catfish, and I've never noticed a "muddy taste". I've
> never had home-caught catfish though...just store-bought; I wonder if
> that's the difference.

Maybe. I've caught catfish from the same lake that tasted different that
way. There were three species in the lakes I used to fish. White,
channel and yellow bullhead (mudcat). My wife swears they all tasted
muddy, but I think they all tasted like catfish. I quit fishing for them
thirty years ago. I like them but she doesn't. Game over.

leo

On Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:30:10 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> wrote:

>Hmmmm. I love catfish, and I've never noticed a "muddy taste". I've
>never had home-caught catfish though...just store-bought; I wonder if
>that's the difference.

I love catfish too and have never noticed a muddy taste. I think the
reason why is because they are "farm raised". S'OK with me. I hate
to think I'm eliminating nature's vacuum cleaner from rivers.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

On Dec 28, 7:35*pm, "Michael \(Piedmont\)" > wrote:
> * * * Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em
> * * * By Pat Leff Hartwell
> * * * (As published in Utah Fishing magazine)
>
> * * * "How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"
>
> * * * These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are asked
> when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old opinion
> sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become, that catfish are a
> trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.

To catch one, you bait a treble hook with actively decomposing chicken
innards. Catfish are the possums of the freshwater ecosystem. They
like putrefication and decay.
>
> * * * They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and living
> on the Bayou to enjoy them. It seems that most folks simply are uneducated
> about catfish and the few who do enjoy this tasty whiskered fellow are
> criticized. I am here to support those fellow catfish lovers and to
> encourage others to try something new...
>
> * * *http://www.utahoutdoors.com/fishspec...tfishhowto.htm
>
> * * * Make a note that in the article it suggests to pre-soak catfish in
> salted water or milk a few hours before cooking to relieve the muddy taste..

A waste of milk if you ask me. All the sweet mammary secretions in
the world are not enough to divorce a catfish from the essence of the
grave.
>
> * * * Michael2590

--Bryan

Leonard Blaisdell wrote:

> In article .net>,
> Blinky the Shark > wrote:
>
>> Hmmmm. I love catfish, and I've never noticed a "muddy taste". I've
>> never had home-caught catfish though...just store-bought; I wonder if
>> that's the difference.
>
> Maybe. I've caught catfish from the same lake that tasted different that
> way. There were three species in the lakes I used to fish. White,
> channel and yellow bullhead (mudcat). My wife swears they all tasted
> muddy, but I think they all tasted like catfish. I quit fishing for them
> thirty years ago. I like them but she doesn't. Game over.

I remember my dad talking about catching bullheads; when I was wee (up to
four years old, in this case) he and my granddad fished together from time
to time. I didn't know that "bullhead" was another name of or kind of
catfish.


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project - http://improve-usenet.org

--

Blinky the Shark wrote:

> Michael (Piedmont) wrote:
>
> > Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em
>
> Yum!
>
> > By Pat Leff Hartwell
> > (As published in Utah Fishing magazine)
> >
> > "How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"
> >
> > These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are
asked
> > when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old opinion
> > sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become, that catfish
are a
> > trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.
> >
> > They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and
living
> > on the Bayou to enjoy them. It seems that most folks simply are
uneducated
> > about catfish and the few who do enjoy this tasty whiskered fellow are
> > criticized. I am here to support those fellow catfish lovers and to
> > encourage others to try something new...
> >
> > http://www.utahoutdoors.com/fishspec...tfishhowto.htm
> >
> > Make a note that in the article it suggests to pre-soak catfish in
> > salted water or milk a few hours before cooking to relieve the muddy
taste.
>
> Hmmmm. I love catfish, and I've never noticed a "muddy taste". I've
> never had home-caught catfish though...just store-bought; I wonder if
> that's the difference.


Blinky, catfish are *extreme* bottom feeders (like carp) and they will
scavenge the bottom of wherever they are for food...like carp they will eat
mud or even sh*t.

The catfish we buy in the stores now are largely farm - raised in ponds,
they are fed scientifically - made catfish food...that's why their flesh is
relatively white, mild, and so no "muddy" taste...

Catfish are also VERY lazy piscines, they are not fast - moving like
sharks...

At Asian markets here in Chicawgo they sell whole undressed catfish,
complete with the barbellish - like "whiskers"....hadn't seen that since I
was a kid (I grew up a coupla miles from the Mississippi River in
Illannoy}...


--
Best
Greg

On Fri 28 Dec 2007 06:35:28p, Michael (Piedmont) told us...

> Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em
> By Pat Leff Hartwell
> (As published in Utah Fishing magazine)
>
> "How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"
>
> These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are
> asked
> when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old opinion
> sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become, that catfish
> are a trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.
>
> They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and
> living
> on the Bayou to enjoy them. It seems that most folks simply are
> uneducated about catfish and the few who do enjoy this tasty whiskered
> fellow are criticized. I am here to support those fellow catfish lovers
> and to encourage others to try something new...
>
> http://www.utahoutdoors.com/fishspec...tfishhowto.htm
>
> Make a note that in the article it suggests to pre-soak catfish in
> salted water or milk a few hours before cooking to relieve the muddy
> taste.
>
> Michael2590

A milk soak works best.



--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Friday, 12(XII)/28(XXVIII)/07(MMVII)
Countdown till New Years
3dys 2hrs 15mins
*******************************************
'It's not funny; I'm just pointing it
out.' -- Tom Servo
*******************************************

Gregory Morrow wrote:

>
>
> --
>
> Blinky the Shark wrote:
>
>> Michael (Piedmont) wrote:
>>
>> > Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em
>>
>> Yum!
>>
>> > By Pat Leff Hartwell
>> > (As published in Utah Fishing magazine)
>> >
>> > "How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"
>> >
>> > These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are
> asked
>> > when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old opinion
>> > sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become, that catfish
> are a
>> > trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.
>> >
>> > They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and
> living
>> > on the Bayou to enjoy them. It seems that most folks simply are
> uneducated
>> > about catfish and the few who do enjoy this tasty whiskered fellow are
>> > criticized. I am here to support those fellow catfish lovers and to
>> > encourage others to try something new...
>> >
>> > http://www.utahoutdoors.com/fishspec...tfishhowto.htm
>> >
>> > Make a note that in the article it suggests to pre-soak catfish in
>> > salted water or milk a few hours before cooking to relieve the muddy
> taste.
>>
>> Hmmmm. I love catfish, and I've never noticed a "muddy taste". I've
>> never had home-caught catfish though...just store-bought; I wonder if
>> that's the difference.
>
>
> Blinky, catfish are *extreme* bottom feeders (like carp) and they will
> scavenge the bottom of wherever they are for food...like carp they will eat
> mud or even sh*t.

Right. I know.

> The catfish we buy in the stores now are largely farm - raised in ponds,
> they are fed scientifically - made catfish food...that's why their flesh is
> relatively white, mild, and so no "muddy" taste...

Gotcha.

> Catfish are also VERY lazy piscines, they are not fast - moving like
> sharks...

Aye! We're built for speed. Zoom zoom zoom.

> At Asian markets here in Chicawgo they sell whole undressed catfish,
> complete with the barbellish - like "whiskers"....hadn't seen that since I
> was a kid (I grew up a coupla miles from the Mississippi River in
> Illannoy}...

I've seen those out here, too. (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de
los Angeles de Porciuncula, CA USA)


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project - http://improve-usenet.org

<sf> wrote in message ...
> On Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:30:10 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> > wrote:
>
>>Hmmmm. I love catfish, and I've never noticed a "muddy taste". I've
>>never had home-caught catfish though...just store-bought; I wonder if
>>that's the difference.
>
> I love catfish too and have never noticed a muddy taste. I think the
> reason why is because they are "farm raised". S'OK with me. I hate
> to think I'm eliminating nature's vacuum cleaner from rivers.
>
> --
> See return address to reply by email
> remove the smiley face first

When I was a little baby of 14-18 years My Parents lived on a good sized
lake, in Colorado. I spent a lot of time fishing there.
there were Channel cats Walleyes, Northerns ,Trout and Crappies in the
Lake. I remember liking the Crappies the best. The Catfish were never
Muddy tasting , and would never bite on stink baits. Crawdads and worms
were the best baits Minnows worked too.

The trout in shallow lakes in Wa. Get a muddy taste in the summer maybe
this is the same with the Catfish a few have mentioned.

I still Fondly remember my Teen years of sitting around a bonfire ,
drinking beer with a bunch of Dumb Asses and
Catching catfish at night.

Michael (Piedmont) wrote:
> Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em
> By Pat Leff Hartwell
> (As published in Utah Fishing magazine)
>
> "How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"
>
> These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are
> asked when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old
> opinion sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become,
> that catfish are a trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.
>
> They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and
> living on the Bayou to enjoy them.
> Michael2590

We like farm-raised catfish - I use a flour>egg and water>panko coating
and they're delicious that way.

However, we've also caught our share of catfish in a large pond/lake
where I used to work. My husband and sons would go outside at night,
drive some electrical something into the ground, then wait for all the
worms to come up in panic. Off we'd go the next morning. We caught
quite a lot of catfish but my kids and thought they were so
repulsive-looking that we wouldn't eat them and we'd give them to other
fishermen, to their delight.

Well, we wondered what we were missing so brought home the next batch
and threw the string of fish into the laundry tray to deal with later.
We then totally forgot them - in horror, I remembered them around
midnight and thought, "to hxxx with'em". Horror of horrors - nobody
told me they had a secondary breathing system! The next morning, those
things were breathing in big gulps, staring at me, whiskers waving,
saying, "Save me, save me!". That's when I learned that I was a
totally merciless human being. They made good garden fertilizer,
though.

On Sat 29 Dec 2007 12:21:22p, limey told us...

> Michael (Piedmont) wrote:
>> Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em
>> By Pat Leff Hartwell
>> (As published in Utah Fishing magazine)
>>
>> "How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"
>>
>> These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are
>> asked when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old
>> opinion sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become, that
>> catfish are a trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.
>>
>> They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and
>> living on the Bayou to enjoy them.
>> Michael2590
>
> We like farm-raised catfish - I use a flour>egg and water>panko coating
> and they're delicious that way.
>
> However, we've also caught our share of catfish in a large pond/lake
> where I used to work. My husband and sons would go outside at night,
> drive some electrical something into the ground, then wait for all the
> worms to come up in panic. Off we'd go the next morning. We caught
> quite a lot of catfish but my kids and thought they were so
> repulsive-looking that we wouldn't eat them and we'd give them to other
> fishermen, to their delight.
>
> Well, we wondered what we were missing so brought home the next batch
> and threw the string of fish into the laundry tray to deal with later.
> We then totally forgot them - in horror, I remembered them around
> midnight and thought, "to hxxx with'em". Horror of horrors - nobody
> told me they had a secondary breathing system! The next morning, those
> things were breathing in big gulps, staring at me, whiskers waving,
> saying, "Save me, save me!". That's when I learned that I was a
> totally merciless human being. They made good garden fertilizer,
> though.
>
>

Dora! I never knew you were so heartless. The poor little creatures.

--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Saturday, 12(XII)/29(XXIX)/07(MMVII)
Countdown till New Years
2dys 10hrs 35mins
*******************************************
All computers run at the same speed...
with the power off.
*******************************************

"limey" > wrote in message
...
> Michael (Piedmont) wrote:
>> Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em
>> By Pat Leff Hartwell
>> (As published in Utah Fishing magazine)
>>
>> "How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"
>>
>> These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are
>> asked when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old
>> opinion sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become,
>> that catfish are a trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.
>>
>> They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and
>> living on the Bayou to enjoy them.
>> Michael2590
>
> We like farm-raised catfish - I use a flour>egg and water>panko coating
> and they're delicious that way.
>
> However, we've also caught our share of catfish in a large pond/lake where
> I used to work. My husband and sons would go outside at night, drive
> some electrical something into the ground, then wait for all the worms to
> come up in panic. Off we'd go the next morning. We caught quite a lot
> of catfish but my kids and thought they were so repulsive-looking that we
> wouldn't eat them and we'd give them to other fishermen, to their delight.
>
> Well, we wondered what we were missing so brought home the next batch and
> threw the string of fish into the laundry tray to deal with later. We then
> totally forgot them - in horror, I remembered them around midnight and
> thought, "to hxxx with'em". Horror of horrors - nobody told me they had
> a secondary breathing system! The next morning, those things were
> breathing in big gulps, staring at me, whiskers waving, saying, "Save me,
> save me!". That's when I learned that I was a totally merciless human
> being. They made good garden fertilizer, though.

Where I grew up in NC certain species of catfish were called 'walkers' they
would hump up on their front fins and flop out of the tub and across the
ground to get back into the water.
-ginny

"Michael (Piedmont)" > wrote in message
...
> Catfish - How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em
> By Pat Leff Hartwell
> (As published in Utah Fishing magazine)
>
> "How did you catch that thing? What do you do with it?"
>
> These are two of the most common questions my husband and I are asked
> when we come into dock with a livewell full of catfish. The old opinion
> sticks, no matter how worldly and informed people become, that catfish are
> a trash fish and therefore not fit for eating.
>
> They are not inedible, folks, and you don't have to be poor and
> living on the Bayou to enjoy them. It seems that most folks simply are
> uneducated about catfish and the few who do enjoy this tasty whiskered
> fellow are criticized. I am here to support those fellow catfish lovers
> and to encourage others to try something new...
>
> http://www.utahoutdoors.com/fishspec...tfishhowto.htm
>
> Make a note that in the article it suggests to pre-soak catfish in
> salted water or milk a few hours before cooking to relieve the muddy
> taste.
>
> Michael2590
>
>
>
>

Thannks for the good memory. My favorite uncle used to run a
bait/tackle/bicycle repair shop/general merchantile when I was a kid. Since
he worked on or at least baited every hook for a good fifty miles, whenever
there was a big catch it was brought by the store and a picture was taken of
it and sent to the local paper and a copy posted on the wall of the store.
You REALLY don't want to know how big those channel cats can get.........I
remember one tied to the front bumper of a pickup and posted next to a
picture of the same pickup with a deer on the front......catfish was WAY
bigger.

Rumor was if you wanted to commit suicide, do it near Blewitt Falls on the
PeeDee River. Seems the catfish near the dam were supposed to eat the
evidence if you didn't want to be found. Yes, they WERE that big.

My daddy nailed them to a tree so they couldn't escape before he skinned
them. Kept him from being 'finned' as well.
-ginny

Virginia Tadrzynski wrote:
>
> Where I grew up in NC certain species of catfish were called 'walkers'
> they would hump up on their front fins and flop out of the tub
> and across the ground to get back into the water.

They are an introduced species.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_catfish

Virginia Tadrzynski wrote:
>
> Where I grew up in NC certain species of catfish were called
> 'walkers' they would hump up on their front fins and flop out of the
> tub and across the ground to get back into the water.
> -ginny

I've heard that, Ginny!! Makes me freak out.
Dora

Virginia Tadrzynski wrote:
>>
>
> Thannks for the good memory. My favorite uncle used to run a
> bait/tackle/bicycle repair shop/general merchantile when I was a kid.
> Since he worked on or at least baited every hook for a good fifty
> miles, whenever there was a big catch it was brought by the store and
> a picture was taken of it and sent to the local paper and a copy
> posted on the wall of the store. You REALLY don't want to know how
> big those channel cats can get.........I remember one tied to the
> front bumper of a pickup and posted next to a picture of the same
> pickup with a deer on the front......catfish was WAY bigger.
>
> Rumor was if you wanted to commit suicide, do it near Blewitt Falls
> on the PeeDee River. Seems the catfish near the dam were supposed to
> eat the evidence if you didn't want to be found. Yes, they WERE that
> big.
> My daddy nailed them to a tree so they couldn't escape before he
> skinned them. Kept him from being 'finned' as well.
> -ginny

I've seen those huge ones at Silver Springs in Florida.
The water is incredibly deep but so clear you can see to the bottom.
Those catfish circling around for give-aways were *enormous*, like
sharks.
Dora

On Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:50:54 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> wrote:

>Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
>
>> In article .net>,
>> Blinky the Shark > wrote:
>>
>>> Hmmmm. I love catfish, and I've never noticed a "muddy taste". I've
>>> never had home-caught catfish though...just store-bought; I wonder if
>>> that's the difference.
>>
>> Maybe. I've caught catfish from the same lake that tasted different that
>> way. There were three species in the lakes I used to fish. White,
>> channel and yellow bullhead (mudcat). My wife swears they all tasted
>> muddy, but I think they all tasted like catfish. I quit fishing for them
>> thirty years ago. I like them but she doesn't. Game over.
>
>I remember my dad talking about catching bullheads; when I was wee (up to
>four years old, in this case) he and my granddad fished together from time
>to time. I didn't know that "bullhead" was another name of or kind of
>catfish.

Yep & usually smaller.You either love them or hate them. Occasionally
the local store here sells them but I don't from what source. They
don't sell well as you can drive to the wide spot in river we call a
lake (Laq Oui Parle) & catch all you want (or don't want). Around here
their looked upon as a rough fish in the same vein as a carp.

limey wrote:


> However, we've also caught our share of catfish in a large pond/lake
> where I used to work. My husband and sons would go outside at night,
> drive some electrical something into the ground, then wait for all the
> worms to come up in panic. Off we'd go the next morning. We caught
> quite a lot of catfish but my kids and thought they were so
> repulsive-looking that we wouldn't eat them and we'd give them to other
> fishermen, to their delight.

We used to stomp a pitchfork into the ground nice and deep, and then
"twang" the handle. The vibration apparently made the nightcrawlers come
up to see what was going on.


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project - http://improve-usenet.org

Virginia Tadrzynski wrote:

> Thannks for the good memory. My favorite uncle used to run a
> bait/tackle/bicycle repair shop/general merchantile when I was a kid. Since
> he worked on or at least baited every hook for a good fifty miles, whenever
> there was a big catch it was brought by the store and a picture was taken of
> it and sent to the local paper and a copy posted on the wall of the store.
> You REALLY don't want to know how big those channel cats can get.........I
> remember one tied to the front bumper of a pickup and posted next to a
> picture of the same pickup with a deer on the front......catfish was WAY
> bigger.

World's biggest catfish:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8404622/


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project - http://improve-usenet.org

Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:31:50 -0500, limey wrote:
>
>> I've seen those huge ones at Silver Springs in Florida.
>> The water is incredibly deep but so clear you can see to the bottom.
>> Those catfish circling around for give-aways were *enormous*, like
>> sharks.
>
> How'd you like this to come knocking at your door late one night:
> <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/photogalleries/giantcatfish/index.html>
>
> -sw

Especially if it walked to get there!
Dora

limey wrote:

> Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:31:50 -0500, limey wrote:
>>
>>> I've seen those huge ones at Silver Springs in Florida.
>>> The water is incredibly deep but so clear you can see to the bottom.
>>> Those catfish circling around for give-aways were *enormous*, like
>>> sharks.
>>
>> How'd you like this to come knocking at your door late one night:
>> <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/photogalleries/giantcatfish/index.html>
>>
>> -sw
>
> Especially if it walked to get there!

"Candygram."

"Girl Scout cookies."

"Land catfish."


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project - http://improve-usenet.org

On Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:35:28 -0500, "Michael \(Piedmont\)"
> wrote:


>
> Make a note that in the article it suggests to pre-soak catfish in
>salted water or milk a few hours before cooking to relieve the muddy taste.
>
I never knew that. I always lop off their tails and hang them up by
their mandible for an hour to let them bleed. A bloodless catfish
never tastes muddy.