Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratdog
I personally do not want or need to clean more than two fish 30 lb or more. It tires me out after an allredy long day.
|
We can usually put 4-5 bulls (reds and/or drum) in a 120 quart ice chest. These fish are typically 36-42" long and barely fit lengthwise. If I don't have the energy to clean them the same day, we ice them down well and I clean them the next day with no loss of quality. Even when the drum have the parasites, there is plenty of good meat in the back area with the parasites closer to the tail. We've notice a tendency to get more usable, quality meat from bull drum in the cooler months with more waste in the warmest months. Some summers Barataria drum are clearer and some summers Calcasieu drum are clearer.
I'd rather clean 4 bulls than 20 smaller fish. I've done so many that I've got my procedure down, and my wife and daughter have learned how to trim for excellent flavor and how to select recipes that make excellent use of the firmer texture: drum kabobs, drum parmesan, grilled drum, coconut drum, etc. We usually have plenty of fish around for dishes more suited for more tender, flakey fish (catfish, sheepshead, trout, bass, etc.)