Gaff Top. Cats
 

Why have the Gaff Tops taken over big lake? I have never seen so many in every part of the lake. They are also under every group of birds.

It's the same in vermillion bay too!

Eat them. They good. Great table fare. I’ve actually come to realize that many fish that I was raised to consider trash fish is actually really good eating. And now my trips are a lot more fruitful as well because now I’m able to keep twice as much fish

I agree
People just take everyone's word for it that certain fish are trash
Just depends on the fisherman I guess
Also if you just catch them and throw them back they will keep multiplying causing more competition for food with specks and reds
The ladyfish have also taken over but I wouldn't recommend doing anything with that except using it for bait
They are mushy

We kept galftop for the first time today. They had nice filets on them. Looking forward to frying them tomorrow.

Cut the red out! Other than that, my wife will pass up a fresh water cat to get a Gaftop. They are pretty good. In the fall maybe not so much since the males hold the egss in their mouth for a ling period of time to hatch them....haha.

My next step is trying a hardhead. I read an article a few weeks back saying that they were as good as gafftop long as you cut the red out. I’m willing to try it once. I mean they eat the same thing everything else eats. Why would they taste so gross? They eat live shrimp and fish soo I’m willing to give it a try

Agree with everything said, but let me add this as well the same goes for a lot of animals last year I tried coon Neutra as well as a beaver and let me just say if I?m out hunting I will not pass either one up again


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Had nutria and its really good. Would try coon. And heard beaver is good

Ones I catch and throw back have zero chance to multiplying after a whacking with the galftop meatstick across that head


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Great post. I'm probably older than most on here, almost 59, having parents growing up on farms during the depression we did not let a lot go to waste. I have eaten, and still eat gaftop, sheepshead, garfish, and most ducks with the exception of Mergansers. The key is the preparation. "One man's trash is another man's treasure".

I’m with you on that. 2 things that I will not eat again is a snipe and a merganser. Those two are disgusting

Snot sharks!!!!

Snipe taste just like doves ! IMO


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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j-OtOVegaP0

Lots of tutorials on ladyfish.....I kinda like this one

snipe
 

sure it was a snipe?????????

Yeah never heard of anybody disliking snipe before
We have a lot of snipe and people beg me for them
I'm just like nah man I don't give up my snipe

Not 100% but looked just like the picture I was looking at and they were living in the environment that was described as their habitat

I've eaten harhead, taste like any other catfish. Only thing is on a 2lb harhead (which is big in my parts) you'll only yield about 3oz of meat. Almost not worth it to clean them.

Good to know!!! Thanks for another source of support for eating hardheads. I’ll try to start keeping the big ones