eels

[barrike]

18 minutes ago, Eyesofthewoods said:

When I used to live back in PA we would catch em as kids in narrowsburg and then run em up to the old timer up on the mountain.  He had a smoke house.  He’s smoke thousands a year.  Then he’d sell em to the jews in Monticello.  Never tried em but I guess it’s a Jewish cuisine of sorts.

same guy is the one who taught us to smoke bullheads which we never dreamed of but they were damn good too.  Right about I think time of year into early June.  

Smoking makes anything taste good!  That's the only way I eat trout.  I can't stand it any other way.  I'd eat an old boot if it was smoked properly!

Edited April 22, 2021 by barrike

[archer36]

4 hours ago, barrike said:

Smoking makes anything taste good!  That's the only way I eat trout.  I can't stand it any other way.  I'd eat an old boot if it was smoked properly!

Even Bluefish. 

[archer36]

Many years ago when I was a kid (that's a lot), We fished the Allenhurst Jetty and Surf a lot. We caught everything there. Blackfish, Fluke, Kingfish, Stripers, Bluefish. One day I had a heavy fish on the line while fishing for Kingfish. I thought it was a small Striper or Bluefish but was not fighting like one. I was surprised to see it was a huge Eel. Had to be at least 30" long and 4" around. My Dad was from Italy and never let any potential food go. He and my Uncle were afraid to handle it. We unhooked it and put back in the surf. Never saw an Eel so big in my life. It probably would have been delicious!

[madeinuk]

5 hours ago, Eyesofthewoods said:

When I used to live back in PA we would catch em as kids in narrowsburg and then run em up to the old timer up on the mountain.  He had a smoke house.  He’s smoke thousands a year.  Then he’d sell em to the jews in Monticello.  Never tried em but I guess it’s a Jewish cuisine of sorts.

same guy is the one who taught us to smoke bullheads which we never dreamed of but they were damn good too.  Right about I think time of year into early June.  

Poles and Russians eat bullheads. 

[smittty]

30 minutes ago, archer36 said:

Many years ago when I was a kid (that's a lot), We fished the Allenhurst Jetty and Surf a lot. We caught everything there. Blackfish, Fluke, Kingfish, Stripers, Bluefish. One day I had a heavy fish on the line while fishing for Kingfish. I thought it was a small Striper or Bluefish but was not fighting like one. I was surprised to see it was a huge Eel. Had to be at least 30" long and 4" around. My Dad was from Italy and never let any potential food go. He and my Uncle were afraid to handle it. We unhooked it and put back in the surf. Never saw an Eel so big in my life. It probably would have been delicious!

That would of been a conger eel you caught not good table fare at all. The American green eel is the one to eat

[jerseyhunter]

Besides frying them  I've also smoked them.

[smittty]

When I was a young man I couldn’t wait for ice on the Shrewsberry and Navasink rivers to freeze over we would cut holes in the and gig them was nothing to walk off the ice with a hundred pounds or more we would drop them off at Roy’s fish market and he would smoke the and give us half back

[TJS]

Decades ago, my father and great uncle made a trip to spear them out of mud banks.  They brought back several 1/2 trashcans full.  Created a quite a time with rags, knives and pliers to clean them.  As others have said, they make great table fair.  I remember delicious fried meals.

[archer36]

14 hours ago, smittty said:

That would of been a conger eel you caught not good table fare at all. The American green eel is the one to eat

Smitty, I just looked at pictures of Conger Eels and they are similar to the smaller eels except for size.  You're probably right. When it comes to fish, you have much more knowledge than me. My Father ate just about anything. I was surprised he didn't eat this eel.  He tried Coot one time. LOL

[Eyesofthewoods]

16 hours ago, madeinuk said:

Poles and Russians eat bullheads. 

I love bullhead. Some of the best eating I’ve had