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Catfish — How to Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em |
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By Pat Leff Hartwell "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. The first question is probably the more important since without the fish, recipes are not needed. Bait comes in a wide variety of types, smells and consistencies. The simplest bait is probably the common worm. The night before a fishing trip we heavily water the garden. About an hour after the water is cut off and it is dark the worms come to the surface to moontan. The kids grab flashlights and the race is on. There is a whole art to catching worms in the dark that would be better left to someone else to write about. Plain worms looped several times on a hook will attract both mud and channel catfish, but most of the time it will be a mud cat you catch on a worm. We have, however, run across a method of making the lowly worm more appealing to those large channel cats. This product we found at a local discount department store and it is called Bait Mate. It comes in a catfish flavor and they like it. The best way to use it seems to be to soak the worms in it for a couple of minutes before casting. I have seen channel cats hit on this combination within seconds. Now we must get into the dough baits. The word dough is supposed to refer to the consistency of this bait that comes in a plastic (and we hope airtight) container. This stuff can smell so bad that often people will flat refuse to go near it. On the other hand, animals love it and every cat in the neighborhood will raid your boat to find it. I personally disliked stinkbaits for quite a while. Then as time progressed it dawned on me that all the really fine fish were being caught on this goo. Our favorite product is called Little Stinker Supreme Formula. It has become difficult to locate in this area, but can be ordered through the Bass Pro Shops catalog at 1935 S. Campbell, Springfield, MO 65898-0001 or directly from the manufacturer at Little Stinker Bait Co., P.O. Box V, Lexington OK 73051. Also good are the Mr. Catfish tub baits that are available locally at tackle shops. Mr. Catfish blood bait has a tendency to harden in the tub after a while and this makes it difficult to keep on the hook. We found that mixing the blood bait with the much softer cheese bait designed for use with a sponge will make the consistency much more manageable and also more appealing for the fish. We use either an empty ziplock plastic bag or an old butter tub to mix them in and both will reseal. To use stinkbait, one needs to form a ball about the size of a large olive around a No. 1 or 2 hook. Treble hooks are also good to use but are more difficult to remove from the fish's mouth. It is common to break a treble hook trying to remove it from the strong jaws of a stubborn catfish. Gently lob the bait out (this takes practice to accomplish without losing the bait) to the area you desire to fish and let the bait sink to the bottom. Give your line some slack and don't be too anxious to set the hook. I have seen fish lost by overeager fisherpersons who jerk the hook right out of the fish's mouth. A bobber is a very good idea when fishing in less than six or seven feet of water. It gives one something to stare at when you aren't sure if you have caught a fish or a breeze. Dropoffs and pits or holes are usually the best areas to try. Near shore during the spawn is also a good bet. Also worth mentioning is a product available through Bass Pro Shops that I refer to as "the meat balls." Its name is Magic Bait and it comes in three flavors: Kat Chicken Blood, Whisker Beef Blood and Whopper Shad dough. We use the beef with a great deal of success. It has been our experience (and a waste of time and money) that anything made of fish is not as successful as those products made of beef or chicken. We like to have a little bit of everything with us at all times, as often a channel cat's appetite will change from hour to hour. It is also surprising what combinations a catfish will suddenly take a liking to. I have heard the story that a spawning catfish will strike even a bare hook. Although I have never actually seen this happen, I can imagine how the story got started. For those who are relatively new to the sport of catfishing there are a couple of things you may want to know. Some catfish can retain a muddy taste right through the cooking process. If you find this to be a problem try soaking your fillets a couple of hours before cooking in either salt water or milk. We usually do not notice this problem, but it depends on the location the fish were caught and the person who is eating it. A three to four-pound channel cat will feed a family of four nicely with a side of cornbread and a small salad. Catfish (as is any fish) is fine for diets. It contains only 132 calories in a 4-ounce piece. Prepare a catfish by filleting it, rather than trying to gut the thing for use as steaks. It is not only easier, but less smelly and less messy. Run a sharp fillet knife 1/8-inch deep down its back and around the dorsal fin to the tail. Follow the contour of the tail around toward the belly of the fish. With a pair of fish pliers, pull the side off the fish firmly. It helps to have the fish immobilized on a cutting board. My husband has an old carpentry sawhorse he uses out in the yard where a hose can be used to clean up the mess. For very large fish it is helpful to have an assistant hold the fish by the upper lip with a pair of pliers. Catfish do not fit well on fish cleaning boards because the head of the catfish is wider horizontally rather than vertically, as in a trout. Because of this they tend to wander all over while you're trying to prepare them. A word of warning about those spines on the pectoral and dorsal fms. THEY HURT! Break them in half with your pliers for safety. After you have the skin off, take your fillet knife and trace down the backbone to the tail. The knife should cut deep enough to see the thickest part of the vertebrae inside the fish. Be very careful not to puncture the intestinal cavity. Though a small nick won't be a problem, a large puncture can all but ruin the meat. Follow the shape of the fillet and set it aside. Turn the fish over and repeat. A good bet is to locate someone who has done this frequently (like my husband) and have them show you the technique. Your first try may look like fish fritters more than a fillet, but don't worry. You'll soon be cutting out fillets better than those in the local supermarket. If you clean your fish on Saturday and your trash pickup day is Friday, we STRONGLY recommend that you bag those fish remains in a couple of layers of plastic trash bags and freeze them. It only takes a day or two of summer heat to have every cat in the area and your angry next door neighbor on your doorstep. Our first recipe here will be the simplest and probably the most common way of cooking catfish. 4 catfish fillets Dip fillets in egg mixture, then in seasoned flour and deposit gently into hot frypan or griddle. Fry fish over medium high heat till golden on both sides and fish is opaque white. Serve. Should serve four people or two very hungry bear types. 1 cup cornmeal Mix all ingredients but the oil, which should be heating. Drop the mix a tablespoon at a time into the hot oil. Fry till golden brown and drain well. Serve. Try a 50/50 flend of hickory barbeque sauce and salad dressing or mayonnaise for dipping. 4 catfish fillets In a fish grilling basket that has been oiled or sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray, place fillets ready for hot coals. Baste on both sides of fish with the butter mixture only once and serve remaining butter mixture on side. Fish will easily flake when done and will appear opaque and white. Grilled fish is good served with salsa, lemon or any number of favorite sauces. 2 cups catfish fillets cut into pieces Pour milk and soup into saucepan and mix over low heat. Add onions, fish and vegetables. Cook till fish is done and seasoned to taste. Soup should be bubbling to gently stir in cheese. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve. Serves 4 people. 4 catfish fillets Saute fish in margerine till done. Remove to serving platter. Saute mushrooms and onions for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess margerine. Add tomato sauce to mushrooms and onions with oregano and seasonings. Stir and heat (medium heat) till bubbly and pour over fish. Sprinkle cheese over top and serve with hot garlic bread. 4 catfish fillets Brush fish with lemon juice and sprinkle with seasonings as you prefer. Drag fish through sesame seeds in a shallow dish. In broiler pan that has been oiled, place catfish. Place under broiler for about 4 minutes or until fish is browning. If seeds darken too quickly, spray lightly with cooking spray or increase distance between fook and heat or lower heat. Bake another 5 minutes with oven lowered to 350 degrees. This is a great dish to serve with a salad for those on diets. It may also be served over a bed of saffron rice or a light herbed pasta. Probably our one most favorite side dish with our fried, grilled or broiled catfish is good old cornbread or what I call Johnny Bread. All I do is use a couple of inexpensive boxes of cornbread mix and follow the package directions. I then add grated cheese (whatever kind is on hand) over the top of the batter. Sometimes I sprinkle bacon bits, chopped onions or garlic alone with the cheese. After baking it is cut into squares and served with margarine. Almost any green vegetable is delicious with catfish and I cannot think of any that might be a bad combination. One last think I would like to mention here. There is now a club for those people who love and support catfish and catfishing. For more information, write to the Loyal Order of Catfish Lovers POP 3376 Grand Central Station NY NY 10163-3376. The membership dues is a mere $5 and you get a little package that includes a publication by them. I hope that someone out there has been helped by this information and to all those that are already enjoying catfish, I encourage you to show a friend or neighbor that those silly ugly (I think they are rather pretty) old trash fish are probably one of the best eating fish around. They are plentiful, large and tasty. Well worth the effort to bring home to your family. |
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