BajaNomad - Favorite Fish in Sea of Cortez to catch or to eat?

Favorite Fish in Sea of Cortez to catch or to eat?

Cypress - 9-19-2006 at 07:04 AM

Just curious.

Oso - 9-19-2006 at 08:11 AM

You might want to make a poll out of this one. Those are really two seperate categories. I love to catch roosters and I'm sure there's nothing like hooking a majestic marlin, but neither win any gourmet awards on the table. Catch & release for them. Pargo and broomtail grouper are great, tuna and bottomfish- especially lingcod in the pacfific, dorado and yellowtail, all have their qualities. Me, I like the humble cochito or triggerfish. I know many fishermen hate them for "bait-stealers", when after other species and it's true they're a b-tch to skin & fillet. But I like the firm texture of the meat that doesn't fall apart when cooked and it makes great ceviche. The catching isn't spectacular but it is generally reliable. Once a year, everyone here on the top end of the Cortez goes crazy over corvina as they become very abundant, but I'm just not that crazy about eating them. To each his own...

David K - 9-19-2006 at 08:22 AM

Great question Cypress...

My answer(s) is Corbina, Dorado, Halibut, Yellowtail. Actually almost anything is great to catch or eat! Corbina (which is easily caught from the beach near San Felipe) is my favorite if I had to pick one!

[Edited on 9-20-2006 by David K]

Favorite Fish

Loretana - 9-19-2006 at 09:18 AM

My votes....

For the challenge and punch per pound:

Yellowtail - Seriola Dorsalis

For delicious eating:

Spotted Cabrilla - Epinephelus Analogus

...al mojo de ajo! :saint:

The Sculpin - 9-19-2006 at 09:43 AM

Well, that's an easy one....Sculpin!! They're ok fighters, but the meat is soooo sweet. I also like ling cod, but the meat has to be green or blue, and you only get that with the pacific nortwest ones..need the cold water. Another favorite is the meat between the body and the wings on a guitarfish...so tender and firm it's like lobster. Absorbs a sauce real well, too.

backninedan - 9-19-2006 at 10:08 AM

Yellowtail tops my list for pure power, kinda like latching onto the back bumper of a buick.

For eating, im also a fan of the lowly triggerfish.

vandenberg - 9-19-2006 at 10:13 AM

Roosters and dorado most fun to catch. Billfish too much work.

Eating, cabrilla , grouper and the lowly parrotfish, if you can get by the smeel when cleaning.

Sharksbaja - 9-19-2006 at 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Sculpin
Well, that's an easy one....Sculpin!! They're ok fighters, but the meat is soooo sweet. I also like ling cod, but the meat has to be green or blue, and you only get that with the pacific nortwest ones..need the cold water. Another favorite is the meat between the body and the wings on a guitarfish...so tender and firm it's like lobster. Absorbs a sauce real well, too.

Sculpin, I regularly serve ling cod as a dinner special. The meat is always white. Sure your not confusing them with cabezon, which (always) has blue-green flesh. Until you cook it anyway.

In answer to your question; I find that depending on how and with what sauce or seasonings you use , you can make that particular species stand up and be noticed. Plain fish sucks.....unless it's sushi. :lol:

I like sea bass, cabrilla, rockfish, triggers...... smoked anything, except halibut.

Mike Humfreville - 9-19-2006 at 12:09 PM

There is a bottom grabber we love. The locals call it cabazon. I've looked it up in books and, while there is a fish the Americans call Cabazon (not the same), the closest we can come is Jawfish. We usually catch them in ~100 ft water with a sandy bottom. I think this is more or less the same as the blue and green fleshed fish mentioned above. They look somewhat like a cabrilla but are fleshier and without course scales. There is not a lot of yield but, cooked in beer batter and deep fried, Cabazon is the best. I've heard the name "aguado" associated with this fish by some of the locals. Beer batter= flour, yeast, warm beer, salt mixed to consistency you like then let it rise for several hours. Enjoy! I know, I know: cooking page.

Now that's very interesting

Sharksbaja - 9-19-2006 at 01:24 PM

I grew up in So. Cal where we would catch quite large cabezon in holes in the reefs at low tide. Pretty cool for little kids(back then). I never cared much for em. They were too fishy. THat was then! Of course my well intentioned father regularly ruined the game I constantly brought home.

They are a "rockfish" sp. but there are many in the complex.. I agree that sculpin and scorpionfish are other excellent bottom fish but watch dem spines!!
Scorpionfish

Skeet/Loreto - 9-19-2006 at 01:32 PM

Thirtyeight Years fishing the Sea of Cortez:

1. Catfish-Caught a Hundred Yards of of the "Penthouse" in the Bay of Loreto.
2. Cabrilla
3. Triggerfish- Left in the Refrig overnite taste like Lobster.
4.Yellowtail--Canned with a small amount of "Smoke". Best tuna in the World.
5. Sierra- Best for Ceveiche
6. Dorado- Cooked fresh on Day of Catch.
7. Lingcod- Greenies -Caught of Punta Pulpito

Skeet/Loreto

pargo - 9-19-2006 at 01:37 PM

Any fish I catch on rediculously light line and tackle quickly becomes "my favorite fish to catch". A surf perch on 2lb line with freshwater tackle? fun fun fun...Lke hooking up a huge homeguard yellow in BOLA! Quite good eating I might add, fried whole with only salt and pepper,lemon and tortillas to top it off a big glass of San Diego's own Ballast point Yellowtail Pale Ale!! Whooey!! gonna go get my gear ready!

Hook - 9-19-2006 at 01:45 PM

Partial to catching yellowtail.

Best eating common fish.......probably FRESH dorado.

But the best eating fish I have caught in Mexican waters is my overall favorite, too.............halibut. Flesh stays firm, no matter what and it takes well to marinading, grilling, frying, deep-frying, smoking. I just never really target them in Mexico.

Cypress - 9-19-2006 at 02:33 PM

Appreciate all the replies! Tripletails? They're tastey. Anybody fish for 'em?

maybe not my favorite,but

Tomas Tierra - 9-20-2006 at 10:57 AM

very yummy fish to eat.....Opah

opaaaaaah.JPG - 31kB

Trpiletails

pargo - 9-20-2006 at 11:05 AM

Cypress, I once fished and caught tripletails in the gulf coast of Florida. They swarm around deep sea marker bouys. They were all released. I've fished all up and down Baja and unless I'm mistaken, you cannot find those in the Cortez and pacific. I could be wrong though but I've never come across one 'roun here!

Cypress - 9-20-2006 at 11:16 AM

Thanks for the info Pargo.

Was wondering about that. Saw a picture of a guy holding one he'd supposedly caught from the beach somewhere down there either in the Pacific or the Sea of Cortez. :?:

They are very good cooked any way you like. :bounce:

Baja&Back - 9-20-2006 at 12:02 PM

Catching = Roosters

Eating = Triggers. Mmmmmmm :bounce:

(unless there's Swordfish!

SoCalAl - 9-20-2006 at 12:45 PM

For me, it depends on the mood..

If fishing and on a hot day, filleted trigger fish cut into small chunks and cooked in the sun for 20 to 30 minutes (sort of like ceviche) or any bottom fish with some fresh slasa and a beer and a bunch of chips to go with it.

Once home from fishing - There is nothing like fresh Pacific Sculpin fillets buttered fried in garlic. Some tortillas and white rice with some chopped tomatoes and onions to go with the tacos, hmmmmmm!!

Winter - A fish soup with fresh Pacific Ling cod (Yes the ones that are blue or greenish in color) they are the best. It gives the soup a really rich flavor and not to fishy. I add a couple punds of shrimp and the Head and spine as well as the wings of the Ling Cod are a must in the caldo. So what I do is keep the fillets for another occation.

Ceviche - By far barracuda (I know many of you hate them) but dang when they are fresh and you marrinate in lime, especially Mexican limes (not lemon) over night and on a very hot day you add the chopped onions, tomato, cilantro and fresh jalpeño peppers and serve it up on a fresh tostada with a cold one. Ahhyy caramba..

At a restaurant: Give me the sword fish with all the trimmings...

All tuna & yellowtail, I prefer in sushi, sashimi with rice and fresh vegatables.

On the BBQ grill - White sea bass and Albacore also yellow tail is OK.

But I do say this if you can find a way to mess up a sculping fillet, I want you to tell me cause that fish is so good. I wonder why they come in such small sizes. I wish those suckers got up to 10 or 20lbs. That would be awsome a Sculping steak vs a fillet.. Well I can drem can't I..

Anyway to each his own, some swear by mackerel and you can't force me to eat one..

God be with you all,
Alex L

Cypress - 9-20-2006 at 01:03 PM

SoCalAl, Sounds like you like fish a lot. :bounce:

Me too.

Thanks for the picture Tomas Tierra. That's an odd looking thing. Seems like the trigger fish is high on the list for being tastey.

Sharksbaja - 9-20-2006 at 01:27 PM

"At a restaurant: Give me the sword fish with all the trimmings..."

Like mercury?

Remember what they say bout' billfish. :yes:

I like Halibut too. Just a very low oil fish. If you are adept at cooking such an animal correctly, the pay-off can be good. As far as smoked fish goes, tuna family for sure, mucho oilio. YUM! :bounce:

Cypress - 9-20-2006 at 02:19 PM

Sharks, Low-oil fish! :light:

Smoked fish of most any kind is good. A fresh Spanish Mack is hard to beat, wrapped in foil etc. Anybody ever filet 'em, salt 'em down and have 'em for breakfast? Better than ham! You'll drink water all day.

Bob and Susan - 9-20-2006 at 02:23 PM

trigger fish...but the skin is like leather

we ate puffer fish last year...great but a little dangerous

Mucho gusto Cyp

Sharksbaja - 9-20-2006 at 02:39 PM

Smoking fish. Yes, I do. Plenty. Like it a bunch

Experience is the best teacher. Halibut loses moisture content easily. Oily types of fish like mackeral and bonito, which are typically to rich and fishy to eat for most becomes a a delicacy after smoking.

Smoked anything may taste good but if it loses precious moisture, well, jerky or cardboard comes to mind. Taste is good but..... but good texture too is what makes it much better.

Bragging rights divulged:

I recently installed a new machine. It's a steam driven pressure smoker. It can smoke anything 8 times faster and retain moisture content dramatically. Can do 4 - 25 lb fish in about an hour. Have been doing salmon lately. Will try tuna next, will report.
Getting hungry now...... :biggrin:

comitan - 9-20-2006 at 02:45 PM

The fish I like to catch most Dorado(But not to eat) For eating Cabrilla, Sierra with the skin on, and if you have too many the very best for smoking.

Cypress - 9-20-2006 at 03:10 PM

Sharks!! Any questions about smoking fish ought to be directed to you. :yes:

Bragging rights? You're not bragging when you're stating facts! :yes:

I've got an old refrig smoker! Problem! No fish to smoke. Gonna get there sooner or later. :yes:

Bob and jane - 9-20-2006 at 03:31 PM

Glad to see I'm not the only one who loves trigger. I even love catching them. They don't give up without a fight, you always know just what you have on the line, and they are delicious. We've found they freeze well and when thawed out here in Idaho, are still firm and make a great ceviche, far from the sea. Bob disagrees. He votes for yellowtail. He likes the hunt, he likes the fight, he likes the taste. Of course, he says he never met a fish he didn't like...................

SoCalAl - 9-20-2006 at 03:57 PM

Shark Baja said "Like mercury",
Honestly I don't care mercury, DDT or whatever. People purposely inhale tabacco or other ???. If I am going to die while eating a Sword Fish steak, so be it. But for today and the next few days I will skip the spinach, LOL.. :lol:

Cypress - 9-20-2006 at 04:09 PM

SoCalAl! :yes:

Better than choking on a chicken bone. Think maybe that spinach was washed in sewage water.

vgabndo - 9-20-2006 at 04:23 PM

Love to catch Yellows and they're great to smoke if you can keep them lit. I'm also a big triggerfish fan. Excellent on the BBQ because they don't fall apart. Cabrilla is good in my fish and shrimp "Veracruzana". Smoked Yellowtail below.

Smoked YT.JPG - 40kB

Mike Humfreville

vgabndo - 9-20-2006 at 04:26 PM

Is this the Cabazon you were talking about. Almost Sole-like in texture. Caught on a sandy bottom. Not a great picture.

[Edited on 9-20-2006 by vgabndo]

mike.JPG - 37kB

Oso - 9-20-2006 at 04:41 PM

Smoking fish?

Nah, makes the papers soggy and hard to light. :rolleyes:

Pompano!!!

frizkie - 9-20-2006 at 04:48 PM

Nummy!! Nummy!!

Nice white tender juicy and fresh Pompano gets my vote as far as eating.

As far as catching, I suppose a Striped Marlin would be fun but I've never had the pleasure. My favourite fish I have ever caught in Baja was a forty pound Dorado at Los Frailles on twenty pound test.....in a small zodiac right close to the beach. :spingrin:

Don Alley - 9-20-2006 at 04:55 PM

Favorites to catch: Roosterfish, except that I catch so few. Yellowtail, Dorado and sailfish. And I just love catching bonito and skipjack. Striped marlin; I have no interest in big blues or blacks.

What the heck, I have fun catching the bait. Mackeral, platano, big eye...but I haven't tried eating the bait. My personal best was this summer: six baits on one drop, with five hooks. :lol:

For eating? I'm not really big on eating fish, but I just have to get a smoker because my favorite fish are the ones "Bob and Jane" smoke. Yellowtail and sometimes dorado.

Skipjack Joe - 9-20-2006 at 05:03 PM

catching: Jack Crevalle from shore

eating: groupers (leopard,broomtail) and halibut.

I agree with the previous post. Catching mackerel at 5AM is really special. Fishing a night next to a bright light is also an experience not to be missed.

The Sculpin - 9-20-2006 at 06:07 PM

In my time in the fish business, I have fileted practically every kind of fish, and I have to say, the WORST ones to filet are the swordfish. Overall, it's an easy fish - skin is firm, meat cuts like butter, the ribs aren't too big, head comes off easily - no, none of that - its' the damn tumors! In every fish that I have fileted, I lose 10% to 15% yield in the fist sized tumors that lodge in the meat. These tumors are rock hard and nasty. It amazes me that this stuff goes for so much money. I will never eat swordfish.

As for large sculpin, the biggest I ever found were 6 to 8 pounders at the mouth of the Cadeje river. It happened one afternoon - got 10 or so, and I have been back many times to no avail. That was a feast!

This is a post I can sink my teeth into

Sharksbaja - 9-20-2006 at 06:33 PM

(what's left of em) :lol:

Ya know with all those scruptious fish out there it's time to show a couple photos of same:

Triggerfish with cumin and fresh vegetables:

serve over rice

Stovetop_t.jpg - 27kB

after

Sharksbaja - 9-20-2006 at 06:34 PM

Stovetop_u.jpg - 27kB

served

Sharksbaja - 9-20-2006 at 06:37 PM

hey, anyone seen some plates like this around Mulege? :lol:

Al G - 9-20-2006 at 07:08 PM

Sharks, Can I be your neighbor and learn to cook?

Can u catch fish Al?

Sharksbaja - 9-20-2006 at 08:53 PM

Piece o' pie Al it's all about sauce.....

can you say: S A U C E ??

Make sauce! Bring sauce!

Good lord, that's all anyone cares about anymore....! :lol:

Hey, it' goooooood! :tumble:

VIVA LA SALSA!

Mike Supino - 9-20-2006 at 10:39 PM

1. Wahoo
2. Sheepshead

FARASHA - 9-21-2006 at 01:26 AM

Favorit on my plate YELLOW TAIL , as long as I don't have to cook it (hate the smelly fingers) - and with my own made favorit sauce.
Favorit catch (with camera ONLY) SHARK's !!!

[Edited on 21-9-2006 by FARASHA]

Sharksbaja - 9-21-2006 at 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by FARASHA
Favorit to catch (with camera ONLY) SHARK's !!!

good girl

shark-friendly is good!

No, not me! :lol:

FARASHA - 9-21-2006 at 02:49 AM

The BEST catch we ever had!! But it wasn't in SOC.
[img]http://mail.a1.net/redirect/http://mem.a1.net:81/a1mail/attach/Shark05.jpg?[/img]
HOPE this works - it would not open on my PC in time.
IF it doesn't then I need HELP!!!!
Tried to insert it like Sharksbaja did with his tempting pic's - but couldn't manage.

Beside it - I'm friendly with every exsisting creature, as long as it doesn't attack ME.

[Edited on 21-9-2006 by FARASHA]

Cypress - 9-21-2006 at 04:38 AM

Those are some super pictures! Making me hungry. Thanks Sharks.

Mike. Watched a guy trun Sheephead into Pargo once. He fileted 'em and skinned 'em. Sold it as red snapper.

If Only....

Tomas Tierra - 9-21-2006 at 07:30 AM

we could talk all the mexicans trying to make a living into leaving the sharks alone...that would be good...

Sharks.jpg - 25kB

SoCalAl - 9-21-2006 at 07:31 AM

Shark Baja asked "Can u catch fish Al?"
If you are talking to SoCalAl my answer is SI SEñOR... I am not the best and certainly not the worst. I love light tackle fishing upto 100lbs for I am not going out there and getting into it with a 300 to 400 Marlin, tuna or whatever and then release after it kicked my a$$. Nohhhh, if I have to sweat my butt off to catch it, I am going to eat it and that's the bottom line (or surface line too). :lol:

I enjoy fishing the coast line the most for halibut, corvina, white sea bass and misc bass, pearch and others. I have been fishing since I was 11 yrs old. I used to ride the RTD (bus) from L.A. to Long Beach and I would catch bonito and mackerel. Then I would jump on the cattle boats and fish the islands (Catalina, San Clemente, Santa Rosa and etc.) Did lots of trips to Todos Santos island in Ensenada and just a few trips to San Quintin and LA Bay. So Shark Baja maybe one of these summers when God allows we can get together and catch a few, cook them fresh while the meat is still trembling and I will teach you make Salsa and you can teach me to cook the trigger fish plate. :cool:

By the way <b> Skip Jack Joe </b>, I need a tip on those Jack Caravel. I saw a whole bunch a couple years back in LA Bay I saw a bunch of Jack's and I threw grubs at them and squid but I could not get the suckers to bite.

Great Stuffs Nomads, enjoyed the post.

tasty fishes

Cardon Man - 9-21-2006 at 08:01 AM

Catching...Roosterfish...Nematistius Pectoralis!

Eating....Pompano, triggerfish, and of course the ever so tasty perico ( parrotfish ).

Cypress - 9-21-2006 at 09:55 AM

Cardon Man. Have enjoyed both Pompano and Triggerfish. Parrotfish? Gonna have to try it. A previous post indicated that they have a bad smell.

SoCalAl

pargo - 9-21-2006 at 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCalAl
Shark Baja asked "Can u catch fish Al?"
If you are talking to SoCalAl my answer is SI SEñOR... I am not the best and certainly not the worst. I love light tackle fishing upto 100lbs for I am not going out there and getting into it with a 300 to 400 Marlin, tuna or whatever and then release after it kicked my a$$. Nohhhh, if I have to sweat my butt off to catch it, I am going to eat it and that's the bottom line (or surface line too). :lol:

Hey SoCal. I haven't heard anyone call a bus an RTD bus since, well, ...since they stopped being RTD buses, that's pretty cool. I've come full circle, so to speak, with fishing and I too have come back to my roots and enjoy lite lines and tackle and surf fishing on the coast... all that stuff!

Cypress - 9-21-2006 at 01:30 PM

Pargo, About those Jacks? Don't let a live bait get near 'em, but live bait will tempt most anything.

SoCalAl - 9-22-2006 at 08:00 AM

Cypress, live chovies, mackerel, sardine, squid or will a small bay bass do? What ever works is what I want to try next time I come down to BOLA.
Pargo - That's how long it has been since I rode the bus. It's still RTD in my mind and MTA as they call it today just does not sound right. I guess I am old school. The fishing never changes though still catching the same type of fish year after year and always looking to add the one missing to the list. Maybe we should start a new post and see who's caught what over their life time of fishing. What do you think?

Have a great day Baja Gente (People),
Alex L :yes:

SoCalAl

Sharksbaja - 9-22-2006 at 09:30 AM

Fresh caught fish is what I do. Only, boats were a previous part of our daily lives. When we made the switch to Oregon I gave up a lifetime of diving, deep sea fishing and such.
Yes, I still dive and fish but now always from some shore or spot we can call our own for the day. Bulky dive gear and boats take waaaaaay too much space anyhoo. :lol:

Now, either a pole and some bait or a mask and some fins. Good to go!

When I get that kitchen(and house) shoveled out and up and running. BIG ARSE PARTY! Come early we'll make a fish plate!

It'll be a little while.

Cypress - 9-22-2006 at 02:24 PM

SoCalAl and Sharks, Ya'll are two #1 fishermen. If things work out there's a chance we can all wet a line together. Got my fingers crossed. :yes:

JESSE - 9-22-2006 at 02:43 PM

White sea bass-Cavicucho

jack crevalle

Skipjack Joe - 9-22-2006 at 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCalAl
By the way <b> Skip Jack Joe </b>, I need a tip on those Jack Caravel. I saw a whole bunch a couple years back in LA Bay I saw a bunch of Jack's and I threw grubs at them and squid but I could not get the suckers to bite.

I've caught most of mine on Krocodiles, Broken back rebels, and poppers. Yes, they take popper pretty well actually.

I don't think it's the lures you're using that's the problem. They can be difficult. They hunt in packs and the best time to catch them is when a pack has cornered baitfish and is ravaging them. That seems to occur in the mornings and evenings most often. Years ago I camped on the shores near Cabo Pulmo and the jacks would appear like clockwork. They showed up around 5PM in a formation of about 3 fish across and maybe 50 fish long. And when they showed up you knew it meant trouble. They attacked like a wolf pack and there was destruction like you couldn't believe. Casting to a moving pack rarely resulted in a take but once the slashing started you were guarantted a hookup. It was opportunistic fishing. You had to pay attention and be ready.

I discovered that in March and April these fish would often move in tight schools during the day but would refuse everything you threw at them. Some have told me that they were preparing to spawn at that time.

On the other hand I have fished schools near San Lucas Cove that were not actively feeding in Octobber and got bit well. Although those schools had been feeding heavily throughout the day.

If there are schools of sardinas near shore chances are the toros are around somewhere. If you find a big school of baitfish in a small cove or a corner there will almost always be toro around. You just don't know when they will make their move.

Alex with what looks like a 7lb toro caught in Pt. Escondido in December.

baja_alex_9.jpg - 21kB

Vgabndo

Mike Humfreville - 9-22-2006 at 07:39 PM

You're absolutely right; that's what the locals call Cabazon and I think is called Jawfish in English.

Cypress - 9-23-2006 at 05:51 AM

The Cabazon looks sorta like a bourbot. Some folks refer to bourbot as "Poor Man's Lobster".

Al G - 9-24-2006 at 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sharksbaja
Piece o' pie Al it's all about sauce.....

can you say: S A U C E ??

Make sauce! Bring sauce!

Good lord, that's all anyone cares about anymore....! :lol:

Hey, it' goooooood! :tumble:

VIVA LA SALSA!

SharksBaja, Not super at Salt water fishing, but I bet I could catch some for dinner. I hope so, because I intend to live out my days eating great fish in Baja.

Cypress - 9-25-2006 at 11:39 AM

Al G. Saltwater fishing is about the same as freshwater. The boats, reels, bait, fish, etc. are usually bigger. One fish can provide way more than dinner. :spingrin:

Fish are fun

Sharksbaja - 9-25-2006 at 03:05 PM

"One fish can provide way more than dinner"

Now that is the most profound thing you've said yet on this subject. :biggrin:

I concur! Because when you spend all day and all your money to catch that "one" fish it provides you with time spent honorably. In my book anyhoo.

Sauce it up and you can appreciate it even more.

Al, I don't think you'll have much trouble filling the bill. Or the plate either!

Cypress - 9-26-2006 at 08:58 AM

Thanks for the compliment Sharks. About that sauce? Ever mixed a couple of canned/cooked Chipotle peppers(de-seeded and diced) in about a cup of mayo?