Rockfish and Bones...

[Saba Slayer]

I was invited to launch from one of the yacht clubs today and even had a tow, out to the deepwater spot...what a nice lazy morning...and what a BEAUTIFUL day
I really needed that Aqua Therapy...
We obeyed the recommendations...Social Distancing in our separate boats...
The PA 14 tows pretty good even up to about 5mph...Thanks Jeff at Cedros and Kevin at Hobie for the advise...skeg down, rudder up, and drive out with the plug in.
We launched about 8am and we both had limits by 9:30...I used the AHI Squirts, strips of Squid and 8 ounces of weight...Nothing big today...but lots of bites and all quality Reds for me...John had a couple bigger Salmon Grouper...wormy bastards...
The offshores were blowing pretty good good till about 9 when it switched around...there was about a half hour of perfect weather then the wind came on pretty good from offshore.
There are lots of perfect bait size Macks out there right now...they were a pest in a couple of the rockfish spots...it's amazing how quickly they can screw up a fishing rig...LOL
On the way back in John and I trolled the outer break wall with a couple of Rapalas and a Daisy chain hoping for a stray Bonito...as luck would have it, we found a couple of schools that wanted to play...nothing huge, but two was enough to make Poke, Tuna rolls and some spicy Tuna for my wife and I tonight...That Bonito is sooooo good......it was really nice to have some fresh raw fish tonight.
Kinda weird to have schools of Bonito around in April...maybe they got stuck in quarantine...
Hopefully we'll all be back on the water soon...I feel blessed to have had that opportunity to fish today...Thanks John...

[SDROB]

Yeah buddy!

[cris]

Damn I’ve been waiting for the bones to return.

Nice haul Jim!

[buckygoesfishing]

Nice catch! man, I definitely need to get me some of that Ahi Squirts. That fish cleaning setup is pretty nice too; thanks for giving me some more DIY ideas.

[Harry Hill]

it's just good to see someone getting out and on the fish.Thanks for the report

[daperrin]

Great catch, how deep were you?

[Saba Slayer]

[QUOTE=cris;305952]Damn I’ve been waiting for the bones to return.

Hey Cris...I'm not sure I'd call this the "return of the Bonito" that you've been waiting for...LOL
I've been fishing the South Bay Bonito for over 30 years and I can't recall catching schooling fish in April before now.
Maybe a Homeguard Bone once in a while if they're desperate to eat or if I get lucky...but for the most part the season generally seems to run from August through December...anytime after that and I feel blessed to run into one let alone a school of em...

[cris]

I guess I’m going bat shit crazy sitting at home.

[Harry Hill]

Originally Posted by cris

I guess I’m going bat shit crazy sitting at home.

we all are, well, maybe I was batshit crazy before it started but being stuck at home doesn't help.

[Oolie]

If you think bones are good eating and macks are pests, you might have things backwards.


Macks take more care and preparation for handling, but are phenomenal when prepared correctly.


Bones are better than no sashimi though.

[cris]

Originally Posted by Oolie

If you think bones are good eating and macks are pests, you might have things backwards.


Macks take more care and preparation for handling, but are phenomenal when prepared correctly.


Bones are better than no sashimi though.

Love both of them- raw and smoked.

[Saba Slayer]

Originally Posted by daperrin

Great catch, how deep were you?

The Bones were in 25' to 55' of water...

[Harry Hill]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

The Bones were in 25' to 55' of water...

I think he meant the rock fish?

[Saba Slayer]

[QUOTE=Oolie;305967]If you think bones are good eating and macks are pests, you might have things backwards.

I beg to differ...we all have different tastes and preferences...

I love eating our local Spanish Macks and the Green Macks in a sushi bar from northern cold water areas...but our local Macks are just too soft for me...
once in a while on the big boat we'll grab a fresh one from the bait tank and slab it, chill it, prep it with a light sauce, and then put it in with the other sushi dishes we're serving and see if anyone notices...it usually goes undetected as Green Mack...It's OK...but just that for me...
I love Dem Bones...

[JohnMckroidJr]

Always great to go fishing - Congrats. Nice pics and the plates look delicious! One note regarding towing the PA. The front and back handles have yanked out on mine while being towed. If I ever have to be towed in bad Wx again, I would tie a french bowline with one loop on the fwd handle, and the other around the mirage opening and fwd handle to take some of the strain off the fwd handle.

[Saba Slayer]

Thanks for the advice...
I'd never tow in bad weather and it was flat calm on Wednesday as you can see from the photo...
Neither Keven or Jeff warned about that... so I doubt they've towed in bad weather too...
Thanks
Ive heard of a "bowline on a bight" but I've never heard of it referred to as a French bowline...I'll have to check "Ashley's Book of Knots"

[sharjak]

[QUOTE=Saba Slayer;305971]

Originally Posted by Oolie

If you think bones are good eating and macks are pests, you might have things backwards.

I beg to differ...we all have different tastes and preferences...

I love eating our local Spanish Macks and the Green Macks in a sushi bar from northern cold water areas...but our local Macks are just too soft for me...
once in a while on the big boat we'll grab a fresh one from the bait tank and slab it, chill it, prep it with a light sauce, and then put it in with the other sushi dishes we're serving and see if anyone notices...it usually goes undetected as Green Mack...It's OK...but just that for me...
I love Dem Bones...

Love dem winter bones, especially a homeguard for Sash. Agree with the southern macs although the larger ones are good smoked or pickled if handled properly

[Oolie]

[QUOTE=sharjak;305987]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

Love dem winter bones, especially a homeguard for Sash. Agree with the southern macs although the larger ones are good smoked or pickled if handled properly

Exactly, they're only soft if mishandled and not pickled.


Don't touch them with bare hands, and keep them cool in saltwater.


Pickle them first with a sugar rub, then rinse and use a salt rub, then rinse and soak in vinegar.


They taste as good if not better than any sash I've had stateside.

[Harry Hill]

[QUOTE=Oolie;306011]

Originally Posted by sharjak

Exactly, they're only soft if mishandled and not pickled.


Don't touch them with bare hands, and keep them cool in saltwater.


Pickle them first with a sugar rub, then rinse and use a salt rub, then rinse and soak in vinegar.


They taste as good if not better than any sash I've had stateside.

I bleed them as soon as I kill them and keep them on ice until I prepare them. I've never tried them pickled but will next time I get some.

[Oolie]

Since we are all under quarantine, might as well learn how to fillet right?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKYt9rMKT9M


I think he's using salt in the vinegar brine, and using sugar at the first step. Your choice in how you want to play it.


Don't omit the Kombu.


Alternatively you can Kombujime, or preserve fish by wrapping in kombu to draw out moisture and add flavor, but maybe plan to do that with something larger that ages well like yellowtail.


Anyways, check out that channel for some excellent knifework.