BajaNomad

Not big but tasty

Osprey - 11-8-2009 at 09:36 AM

The adult sierra are back in spots up and down the beach. Not giants but very tasty with rice and beans and salsa.

Sierra dinner.JPG - 11kB

Cardon Man - 11-8-2009 at 10:05 AM

Nice work Osprey. Sierra is good eats! Fried, grilled, ceviche, smoked...you can't go wrong.

Udo - 11-8-2009 at 11:14 AM

I can't wait to meet up with you, George, and share some seafood recipes!
I have seen some SIERRA in one of our local oriental markets. Is it the same as yours?
I just don't quite trust Oriental seafood markets. They have a tendency to keep fish on ice past their prime. Although those markets are the only ones I can find some animal parts one can't find in regular markets (things like duck feet, pork bellies, kidneys, cheek meat, goat meat, etc.)

Osprey - 11-8-2009 at 12:11 PM

Udo, I think it is -- Pacific Sierra, all white meat. For the last two seasons they seem to want a lure (new to me) called a Gotcha. Silver tube, slant head, two treble hooks. Best trolled with wire and slow enough for a little wobble. Strictly a schooling fish although one can pick up loners. So schools can fill your limit in minutes if you just find the patterns to intercept the school. Only a winter fish but the water is still 80 here -- they show up when the sardines are present in large shoals and leave when they've taken their fill. There have been years they have fed the whole village for months when shore fishermen use the same little tube but hand line and jerk.

Udo - 11-8-2009 at 12:50 PM

Thanks for the informative fishing instructions, George.
I'll give one a try next time a'm at the Oriental fish market, plus, I'll be sure to ask for some ice for the ice chest.
However, I should be near Santa Monica Seafood in the next couple of weeks, and I should be able to find a couple there.

24baja - 11-8-2009 at 01:20 PM

We hope to never eat another Sierra in our lifetime, for us it was a horrible flavor. We keep hearing tales of fantastic ceveche and cooked Sierra but can't bring ourselves to try it again, it had an overwhelming fishy taste and and was incredibly oily (this was BBQ'd and Smoked). But to each their own and I hope you enjoy and discover a fish you enjoy eating.

vandenberg - 11-8-2009 at 01:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 24baja
We hope to never eat another Sierra in our lifetime, for us it was a horrible flavor. We keep hearing tales of fantastic ceveche and cooked Sierra but can't bring ourselves to try it again, it had an overwhelming fishy taste and and was incredibly oily (this was BBQ'd and Smoked). But to each their own and I hope you enjoy and discover a fish you enjoy eating.


Are you sure you got the right fish. They are oily, all fish in the mackerel family are oily, which makes them exceptionally good for smoking.( Hang whole fish in smoker). Great for ceviche, since the meat is soft and the lime juice cooks it fast.
Only thing I agree with, not too god prepared any other way. Too many great fish to be had here anyway, why Spanish mackerel.:biggrin:

[Edited on 11-8-2009 by vandenberg]

24baja - 11-8-2009 at 01:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vandenberg
Quote:
Originally posted by 24baja
We hope to never eat another Sierra in our lifetime, for us it was a horrible flavor. We keep hearing tales of fantastic ceveche and cooked Sierra but can't bring ourselves to try it again, it had an overwhelming fishy taste and and was incredibly oily (this was BBQ'd and Smoked). But to each their own and I hope you enjoy and discover a fish you enjoy eating.


Are you sure you got the right fish. They are oily, all fish in the mackerel family are oily, which makes them exceptionally good for smoking.( Hang whole fish in smoker). Great for ceviche, since the meat is soft and the lime juice cooks it fast.
Only thing I agree with, not too god prepared any other way. Too many great fish to be had here anyway, why Spanish mackerel.:biggrin:

[Edited on 11-8-2009 by vandenberg]



I am holding the fish I am speaking of, we were told these were Sierra, Connie



vgabndo - 11-8-2009 at 01:48 PM

If I'm not mistaken I see two Sierras, and a football tuna being held up. I don't recognize the second from the right. Yellowtail Snapper?
When you split the fillet to remove the dark stripe, you can then cut the half fillets to taco lengths that are just right. The strong flavor works well for me in combo with all the other powerful ingredients in a fish taco.

In the pic. are Sierras and two Bonita tunas on the bottom. The biggest of these Bahia San Nicolas specimens was about 34". We would troll Rebel Fastracks until we got into them, then change over to light spinning gear with ANYTHING flashy tied on. If you throw three trebel hooks at them, they WILL get all nine points stuck in themselves, severely increasing the time it takes to get a lure back on the school. Dawn and dusk were the best times.

[Edited on 11-8-2009 by vgabndo]

Sierra in Baja001.jpg - 45kB

Udo - 11-8-2009 at 02:49 PM

Terrific fotos, vgabndo and 24baja. Now I know for sure What I am looking for in the market.:spingrin:
The ones I saw at the Oriental fish market were not the ones in the above fotos...they looked like a baracuda with seabass skin and scales.:?:

Skipjack Joe - 11-8-2009 at 04:01 PM

Don't know which one is Connie in the picture. If it's the lady than indeed you are holding sierras. If it's the gentleman than that's a skipjack you are holding. Skipjack taste lousey. The Mexicans usually don't bother to take them home. They just cut them up to attract other fish.

Regarding fish taste: A great deal has to do with preparation. For decades I looked down on pacific bonito. But then had them in sushi restaurants and couldn't believe how good they tasted. Shari considers them to be one of her favorites. I'm told that if you bleed the fish before it dies it really helps the flavor.

vgabndo - 11-8-2009 at 04:28 PM

Skipjack...I thought the Skipjack had really obvious belly stripes. For the Oregonians, if the little guy I called a tuna had really red flesh, like beef color, it was a Skipjack. I have always heard that it was critical to bleed the Bonitos over the side of the boat. A wonderful fish to land on light tackle. Rod bend double, and steam coming off the drag!

Skeet/Loreto - 11-8-2009 at 04:41 PM

It is great to see the photos of the Sierra and hear that they are back in close to the beach.

Many years ago I would stand on the beach at San Nicholas and cast into the trailing edge of the school of Sierra and hook on to a 25 LB. Yellowtail!

Then along came the Fertilizer Boats from Guyamus and they took out all of the schools of Sierra.

They are an excellent fish for Ceviche and when smoked, and lots of fun onlight tackle.
Glad you all are now enjoying them. I knew they would be back, it just took some time

Skeet/Loreto.

24baja - 11-8-2009 at 08:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Don't know which one is Connie in the picture. If it's the lady than indeed you are holding sierras. If it's the gentleman than that's a skipjack you are holding. Skipjack taste lousey. The Mexicans usually don't bother to take them home. They just cut them up to attract other fish.

Regarding fish taste: A great deal has to do with preparation. For decades I looked down on pacific bonito. But then had them in sushi restaurants and couldn't believe how good they tasted. Shari considers them to be one of her favorites. I'm told that if you bleed the fish before it dies it really helps the flavor.


I am indeed the lady holding the sierra, however you can call brett, connie and he will sometimes answer. :lol: He is holding what we call and can as bonita.

Thanks for all your info on how to fix the fish, we may try it as ceveche next time we catch one.

[Edited on 11-9-2009 by 24baja]

Pescador - 11-9-2009 at 06:53 AM

The fish he is holding is a bonita and they have pretty sharp teeth and a more pointed nose. The sierra is more spotted with gold spots and both are excellent fish but should be put on ice very soon after being caught. If allowed to get warm the meat turns soft very quickly. It is lousy if frozen so fresh is the best way to get the flavor of the fish. My favorite way to cook sierra is to clean the fillets, trim the red, and then pan sear with butter and garlic.

bonito/bonita

Paulina - 11-9-2009 at 09:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by 24baja
Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Don't know which one is Connie in the picture. If it's the lady than indeed you are holding sierras. If it's the gentleman than that's a skipjack you are holding. Skipjack taste lousey. The Mexicans usually don't bother to take them home. They just cut them up to attract other fish.

Regarding fish taste: A great deal has to do with preparation. For decades I looked down on pacific bonito. But then had them in sushi restaurants and couldn't believe how good they tasted. Shari considers them to be one of her favorites. I'm told that if you bleed the fish before it dies it really helps the flavor.


I am indeed the lady holding the sierra, however you can call brett, connie and he will sometimes answer. :lol: He is holding what we call and can as bonita.

Thanks for all your info on how to fix the fish, we may try it as ceveche next time we catch one.


Regarding Bonita,

We really like the flavor, texture and oil content. As Igor stated, it's best to bleed them out ASAP. Also, having an icechest packed full of ice to keep them super chilled is a must. Eating/smoking that day is crucial. Freezing them and then defrosting them and cooking doesn't work. They mush out and get real fishy. IMO.

This past summer we caught on to what the pangueros were doing on the boats for themselves and their clients. Fresh ceviche with Bonita. Kinda like a cross between Poke and Ceviche. Cubes of fish, cilantro, onion, peppers, cucumber, lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil. Topped on a salditas cracker, it made for a great mid morning snack. This is a new staple for us in the future when fishing Bahia.

We also like sierra. However, it needs to be treated like Bonita to get the full potential of freshness.

Dern

Cypress - 11-9-2009 at 09:54 AM

Wrap 'em in foil. season with butter, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, etc. and bake in oven or in coals. Very good. You can also fillet 'em and salt the fillets. A layer of salt, a layer of fillets, repeat untill you fill the box, keep the fluid drained. Good for bait or for breakfast.:D If you're gonna eat the salted fillets soak 'em in fresh water overnight, dry them, then fry as you would bacon.:D