What do you consider trash fish?

[Smokey]

In your part of the country, what kind of fish falls into the category of trash fish? Where I'm from, we generally don't keep carp since they're bottom feeders but the funny thing is we'll keep catfish.

 

[The Scout]

I don't call them trashfish, but love a good fight from anything that's biting.

I'll throw Chubs, Suckers, Carp and most Catfish back.

 

[jason]

Anything from a polluted lake or river. But on a more serious note. I do not keep carp. Some people have called me strange because I will keep stingray's once in a while.

 

[outdoorsy]

I like that answer Jason. I wouldn't have thought about it, polluted fish for sure.
Carp and goldfish are about the only ones that I can think of that we don't eat here.

 

[Smokey]

Gotta admit that I like fishing for carp just because they put up a really good fight. Once I catch them, I throw them back into the water since they're of no use to me.

 

[wildberry]

Carp and drum in our area. I love to catch carp, though! They put up a good fight and often they are quite large.

It is funny that we throw back carp and not catfish! They are both bottom feeders. I always heard it was because carp have lots of small bones, so they are harder to eat.

When I was a kid, my dad knew some people who liked to cook carp. They would pressure them, and that made the bones soft so they weren't so hard to eat. (That is what they said.) When we would catch a smaller one, we would sometimes keep it and give it to them.

 

[RoughRider]

Carp, definitely. I don't like them even if you get the mud seam out. I do have friends who like them though so I bring them on to the house and call them. They will come over and get them. But I have to admit, the way they cook the carp makes them taste good. I asked them once how they did it and my friend said it's a family secret-but then he's full of it too.

 

[cookielover]

Carp does come to mind and its something I have never liked, even looking at them. Ugly buggers. And I never deal with polluted waters, thats just asking for trouble.

 

[Lookaround]

Of course I won't keep any fish living in polluted and contaminated water. I never keep carp either. But there is no trash fish for me. I would eat any of them when needed, though I hope I would never get into such a situation.

 

[peanut]

Add me to the carp is crap list. I don't know anyone who keeps them.

I have kept catfish and it's common for people in my locality to keep them but I know some people think they are nasty.

 

[northernbushape]

Around here the only real freshwater crap species is sturgeon. They are bottom dwellers and are said to be muddy flavored, but they are also protected here so illegal to keep anyway.

In the salt chuck it's another matter. There are several species I would not keep that are common to catch.

 

[topwaterking]

How about golbys Man such a pain in the butt!! But carp are some fun fighters heck yeah!!!

 

[dinosaur]

There are no such things as "trash fish", just a plethora of people who don't know how to properly prepare them. The State of Indiana says that carp, bowfin (dogfish) and gar are "trashfish". The reason they are designated as such is because they infringe upon or prey upon the habitat of those other species generally considered to be "game".

Carp, if taken from clean waters is excellent fare. Take a look in a good French Cook book for recipes. Gar, if you've visited the Southern States or live there, can't be kept on the fishmonger's ice tray because it sells as fast as it gets there. Dogfish is another story. I have heard that one needs to put it on ice immediately after catch to avoid the meat becoming mushy. Then they can be filleted and cooked. I believe it, I just don't know how.

I guess the upshot of it all is that there are very few animals on the earth that can't be eaten with relish if you know what you are doing. I never figured out how to cook Opposum properly although I had a stew once made by a Cajun woman that was delicious. I won't eat buzzards or rats. I've had just about everything else and enjoyed it. Don't turn your nose up if you haven't tried it and don't make all inclusive statements about anything. If you're just parroting something someone else told you, it may not hold water.

 

[topwaterking]

Golbys

Have u ever eaten a golby they are a creepy looking little fish i caught a bunch of them in the Detroit river are they edible?? i know they are carnviours fish and ur supposed too kill them so the birds got snacks but are they edible :tinysmile_grin_t:?

 

[ChadTower]

Carp, definitely. I don't like them even if you get the mud seam out. I do have friends who like them though so I bring them on to the house and call them. They will come over and get them. But I have to admit, the way they cook the carp makes them taste good. I asked them once how they did it and my friend said it's a family secret-but then he's full of it too.

So what you're saying is he's full of carp?

 

[dinosaur]

So what you're saying is he's full of carp?

Good one, Chad. And apparently Roughrider isn't. He just wants to be.

 

[jloomis]

Large shad are consider bait around here. They are a blast to catch and I keep them for crab bait. Some people do however eat them, but it is not common.

 

[dinosaur]

Shad are best smoked. If you ever get to Chicago, try visiting a Jewish Deli. They sell whole smoked shad for about 10 bucks a pound.

 

[jloomis]

I can imagine that might be tasty. I am always open to try something at least once. But I wonder how it compares to fresh crab?

 

[hunter44mag]

A trash fish is whatever one you don't like.

"One man's trash is another man's treasure"