I remember my grandfather cleaning big catfish with a hatchet. First he would make a few thin cuts near the head plate and then he would use pliers to pull the skin off. Then he would gut it. The hatchet was used to chop the big catfish into diagonal chunks. Bone in of course. So, We would have big chunks of fried catfish that was always cooked to perfection. Usually, We would have fried okra and homemade hushpuppies with the fried catfish. Darn, Making myself want to get out there and catch some big catfish.
Nice to see you enjoying that Harvest! Getting ready to cleanup a 15LB Flathead right now, thanks for the inspiration. New Sub from Indiana, tight lines Man.
March 16, 2019---Thanks for the video. Never caught anything that size....color me green with jealousy. Did 10 years in the Air Force and last base was at Beale AFB, home of the SR-71's & U-2's at the time. Base had a canal where I caught a lot of bass and 2 lakes. It was in one of the lakes I was fishing for bass using shiners when I thought I had the mother of all bass....it was a 3 pound cat. Which was quickly followed by 7 more that were in the 1-3 pound range. Hit the laundry room in the barracks and started cleaning 'em all. I did it like Dad showed me: cut off it's head, peel the skin back with a pair of pliers, etc. Of course, while this messy operation was going down, NO ONE offered to help. Mom had given me a big (18"?) electric skillet, out comes the oil, cornbread, and bread to put the cooked fish on. About 10 minutes into cooking what I could, suddenly I found I had a lot of new friends asking I was doing, etc....while also looking at Moms skillet. Yeah, while I got what I wanted to eat, everyone else got some. Still got Moms skillet 37 years later.
We don't have fishing up here in northeastern CA like you have down there. Watching your videos makes me want to move down to where you live. Thanks for all your wonderful videos!!!!!!!!!!!!
I eat blue catfish every Saturday, and I have yet to get a bad taste. I always,s trim the red meat off.Look,s like you were enjoying it.Keep on doing what pleases you and enjoy yourself.
Good job Mr Hood I always enjoy your videos been a sub for quiet a while now. That's a nice blue I'm still trying to get one like that, been fishing the new river here in WV we have caught a few channels and couple little flatheads thebonoy blue we got all summer was about 7-8 lbs he was spawned out. Any good tips on finding the big cats from the bank?
Love your down to earth fishin you seem to be kinda like me I only keep what I’m gonna eat or use for bait lol thanks and keep me coming your new brother from Illinois
Good to see your dog likes your cooking finally sit there and make sure I cook it right to everybody else is sleeping it's good to have somebody in the kitchen with you
I liked the idea of leaving the fish in cold water to draw some of the toxins out. Never thought of that, but it's the same as drawing gamey blood out of the deer meat, Thanks
I fillet Gafftops the way you did this nice cat. Freshwater cats I skin, gut & fillet. To each their own though. Had a friend always talked about fishing in Delacroix (hope I got that right). He was from New Orleans. He always said the Speck fishing there was spectacular!
Try soaking it in milk. When I was a kid my grandfather would soak cat fillets in milk till next morning in fridge. Then fry dipped in cornbread. Best breakfast ever after a night of cat fishing.
Passing along the latest rumor on Elvis Presley---he's running a catfish farm outside Biloxi Mississippi. Just serve the catfish, OK? Rumors you can't turn into supper.
When you put those fillets in water to soak, try a couple tablespoons of plain white vinegar. It really draws out the blood and impurities. Great demo, thanks
You are totally cool. We use to catch big cats in the Texas Power and Light reservoirs back in the 60's. Simpler times back then. Keep up the outstanding job. Let me know if you ever come out to Lovell, Wyoming.
It’s interesting that the “bad meat” as you call it are the nuggets that are sold in stores. I think it’s all about water quality and not eating the older fish that have accumulated more.
Hey Hood great catch! Recently subscribed love the videos. I fish a small local river in illinois called the Kaskaskia great flathead and big blue cat riv. Tight lines to you brother!
The make absolutely no sense.. a little bit of Common Sense would teach you that leaving all the small ones would make giant ones keep one giant one is the same as keeping 10 little ones that could potentially turn into 10 Giants come on now
Nice video. Do you filet the smaller catfish a different way? I would think because of the size difference you could just run along the fin On the smaller ones? Thanks for sharing the video.-Scott
I always pull the skin off first with pliers. I mostly release catfish unless it's flathead. They seem to taste better than channel. I mostly keep pan fish, like crappie, blue gill, and perch.
@@davitapeterkin6320 yeah, I don't care for channel cat. Mostly after flat head. The meat is whiter and taste better. I live in Missouri so I'm far lol
In a wheelchair due to a heart attack . Still love to fish for cats .Have you heard of anywhere in Indianapolis Indiana that is handicapped accessable?
Hey Mark. I caught a big cat about that size... We were not cooks at the time. We baked it and baked it... It was exactly the consistancy of broiled lobster tail... Tasted delicious but was nothing like catfish. lol Bunch of goofey kids at the time.
Cool, the main difference is, I would skin that rascal before slicing the meat off rather than trying to cut the skin off. Just the I've done it all my life. End result still the same. Thanks for sharing
with catfish like this if u cook just the filet u waste a lot, u can use the rest to make a giant soup and when is served u add the just of one lemon OMG!!! is delicious.
You need a sharper knife, I'm sure you can find something that cuts cleaner and more efficiently for cheaper. And secondarily those slide sharpeners don't work as well as a whetstone you should invest in one
There is no way in hell would I eat a catfish that big they ass is tough as leather and u hurt your damn jaw trying to chew the meat hell no leave that fucker in the lake river or where the hell ever you caught it
Why did your ascent change like 4 times during this video, who fillets at 2 in the morning lol. I personally don't keep a catfish over 10 pounds for many reasons.
I catch one of those, the same size. But we don't really like big catfish, cause we love small and fried catfish (around 300-500gram ). We brought home the fish, I leaved a night. Suddenly the catfish eaten by cat and just left the head alone
