CATCH & COOK: Redfish...Legit Or OVERRATED? (First Time Tasting) 

Enjoy the holiday weekend. Thanks to everyone making me feel welcome here. We MIGHT fish a Lucky Tackle Box Tournament next weekend....

I just found your channel, almost by accident, yesterday. Red fish is one of my favorites to eat. I don't get out to fish pretty much at all any more, but way back circa 1980, Texas was stocking reds in freshwater reservoirs (the ones we knew of were only small ones used as cooling for power plants) down near San Antonio, where a college buddy and I would frequently catch small ones. They do indeed fight like crazy for their relative size. Around 1998 or so, when my son was 7, we took a trip to Galveston and did a bay fishing trip, with 40-odd folks dropping hooks over the rail. At that time, there had been an over fishing of reds, and there was a slot plus you actually had to tag any legal catches with one of two tags from your license. I caught a very nice one that met the requirement of the slot and cooked it simply, soaking it in buttermilk, then salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic and onion powder. Not blackened (which is very, very tasty) but still turned out quite good. We had to leave the next day, so I knocked on the door of the property manager before we left, and he and his wife were delighted to accept the gift of the remaining couple of pounds or so of fresh red fish fillet (we had a 6-ish hour drive home, and didn't want to worry about transporting it). Anyway, now subscribed, and thumbs up. Also recommended your channel to my now grown son, as he fishes regularly near Houston, and out of a kayak too.

NEVER eaten Redfish before?! Crazy. I grew up with those, specks, and red snapper. Gulf Coast.

Since I’m moving down in that area soon I love watching these NC vids, it’s like an intro to what I’m gonna be doing down there soon👍

Love the catch and cooks man, keep em’ coming 😀

Dude your becoming like one of my all time favorites. Tight lines never stop brother!!

I love how you experiment so much with your cooking. Very inspiring.

You keep posting them & we'll keep watching them. BTW...your vids are the only ones the baker lady enjoys watching when it comes down to fishing. Watching your older stuff back up north... You showed her a lot of what I had been talking about for years.

I love these catch and cooks Elias!

I clicked the like button before I even watched the video cause of the simple fact that you never fail to bring the goods. Love your videos. From one New Yorker to another, I salute you. Be safe.

Another great video, glad the move is working out well. Tight lines!

Just another quality video. Don’t know if I’ve ever seen you throw top water in NY or since you’ve been in NC, but it would be awesome to see that on some marsh reds!

Enjoyed this one, you did a great job filleting the fish. Haven't seen you keep s big one in a long time. Looks yummy

Pretty reds. A special fish indeed. Once you start catching a bunch, they can almost become an obsession. For the keepers; bleed them out before putting them in the ice bag, 10 minutes on a stringer if sharks aren't an issue. Taste better and less mess when you filet them. After you get your filet, if you split it down the length, right in the bloodline, you can easily trim that out, then with a sharp knife, filet the brown meat off of the dark side of the filet. Much improved flavor when you do those two things. Tight lines!

Just started watching your channel a couple of days ago and I really enjoy it. Good job. Just watched this episode and you should try redfish on the half shell. You broil or grill it. Very good. You can do the same with sheepshead. We soften up butter and add whatever seasoning and the freeze it into a log and cut it good sized chunks and the you just put it on top of the fish. Grill it scales down and never turn it over. Also, the throats are awesome too. Cook them the same way.

I'm getting an airbnb in July in north Carolina right on the water. Can't wait to try some ocean fishing! Haven't done it since I was a kid.

Great video! I never even thought about using blue crab on the fort Fisher rocks. Now I'll take my son on my big tuna and make him my bait catcher. Thanks man!

Love the videos. Keep em coming!

Growing up in Louisiana I've eaten these many times. Great video

Yes, you look 10 years younger (Without Abe's Beard) But the show (your videos) are getting even better everyday! (That is great!) I consider you THE BEST fishing show at this moment. Very natural. Absolutely honest. 1)Humble (You never said you know everything, even when is visible you really know) 2)You catch and try to go forward cooking (there is a whole world beyond Fried fish and chips) 3)You give people a big clue "what you do", "How you do" and make everybody to feel "I can do it". 4)You have all the potential to become "The best Fishing show in U.S". (and I'm not a cheap "opinator" saying cheap things). I truly believe it. I promise myself as soon as I have my motorhome (7 to 10 months) , to find you and show you how to cook different fish in the best way I know, because not every fish is able to be cooked the same way. I hope to give you that little tool you need to make this show going up to next level (As your Italian friend did with that smoked salmon, total inmortal Italian guy) LOL. My absolutely support to your work (because it is humongous to angling community) My Biggest like to this video!!! Do not even think to stop!! I want you in Discovery channel!! Your subscriber from the early days. Regards, Fred.

looks good. You can get Redfish Magic on Amazon fairly priced also. Great video, it's raining here in FL so no fishing for us.

An easy way to bleed a redfish is to poke your finger thought the soft spot under their pectoral fin. Push your index finger through and angle in towards their head. This will open a hole that they bleed out of very quickly. Tight lines!

Cool video haven’t been able to try that fish yet because I live by the Great Lakes

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH INLET, the Jetty is a great place to fish. Gray Trout, Speckled Trout, Flounder, Red Drum, Black Drum..... you name it, you can catch it there. Enjoyed the video!!

Awesome catch and cook!

From a native Tarheel, try reds pan fried using House Autry Seafood mix. Can't be beat and it's southern style.

Great video, going to try those jigs.

Up in North Carolina they are called puppy drum more often than redfish. When I last fished where you were my spirit animal was those small sharks that were the same size as the toadfish and they were everywhere.

Awesome video man!

Looks like the move south is working out well. I took you recommendation on the hook 4 . Love it

I used to live on Topsail. Great surffishing.

TONIGHT! WE DINE LIKE KINGS!

Have you tried Cobia? In my opinion, one of the best tasting fish out there!

Whats the bump board you using? Thing is awesome!

Next time you get a chance you should try it on the half shell, that's how a lot of people clean and eat it in Charleston. Keep up the great work!

love your plain talking style, thank you

can’t wait to see how you do with the flounder down here. I can catch 14 inchers all day long.

Not the lizard king, the TOAD KING. Nice video, looks like the toads are the new sea robin! (Caught 5.5 of 'em today)

If you can get up around the Pamlico river around the brackish water areas, especially in summer, Blue Crabs are EVERYWHERE. I'm not 100 percent on the regs for em, but I had an ex that lived there and we just dipnetted em out of the water from the dock. (we were on private property, so it's probably worth checking)

Where do you catch your sheep head and drum? I live in eastern TN and I’d love to do some saltwater fishing in NC.

When using the bottom sweeper are you drifting with it or letting remain stationary? I can see your answer being both lol so how would you suggest I start thanks!

You need the toadfish tool. They work amazing. Flings them right off the hook and no touching them

When I lived in New Jersey we cought Toad fish but, the locals called them Sallygrowlers.

Here's a request to do a redfish on the half shell video, mainly just to see how Elias does it!

Red and black drum taste similar to me, delicious.

Keep up the hard work

I love your videos, have you ever done a catch and cook on dogfish?

Eli, you might get you a book named "Hunt, Gather, Cook" by Hank Shaw (if you don't already own it). He talks a lot about eating oyster toadfish in there, and he mentioned cutting the cheek meat out. I remember you mentioning how much trouble cleaning them was from your last video, but pulling cheeks might be easier.

Have you considered doing a trotline for blue crab? Not sure how that would work from a kayak but imagine it doable. May provide good content and save on cost. Those waters are abundant with blue crabs.

You sound like Raymond. Excellent video

Hey Elias do you bleed the fish in the water or into a bag? Every time I bleed them in the water sharks start showing up within a hour and force me to move.

The Cobia around here are on menhaden bait balls. They can be found right outside the inlets out to five miles. Drop a big spro jig with a gulp or curly tail plastic into the middle of the mendaden and let it drop below the school. Then jig it. If they are there you’ll hook one

hey Elias You should try buck tails or eels those are the best Cobia bait and look for bouys or any other structure that’s were cobia hang out i live on the outer banks and that’s what we do

Is the Toadfish there like the Sea Robin up north?

Elias which rod to you prefer dark matter or tsunami?

You said you have never eaten a redfish before? (2018 vid...OK) Whaaaaaaaaaat? Very tasty. Not sure if anyone mentioned it....Half Shell on the grill with olive oil-butter-garlic-salt-pepper and whatever you like...DA BOMB! Need to do a Toad Fish: Catch, Clean and Cook.

All drum/croakers are tasty I ate alot of yellowfin and spotfin croaker and they were always good eating.

That red fish meat looks a lot like striped bass. Does the red fish taste like or similar to striped bass. Any feed back would be appreciated. And I love this channel. Thank you for putting up great footage. Not long and boring simple straight to the point.😁

Great video, but why no filleting footage?

Nevermind... just saw the radar clip. Haha haha. I'm a Wilmington local. Been fishing here the last 30yrs. Reds are my go to favorite inshore fish. So sweet. Cut out the bloodline and that fishy flavor will go away.

Great video nice red

Didn't even watch and can tell you hands down Red Drum is Amazing 🍴

Dang. I had no idea the cobia came to NC waters so early.

where are you at in carolina?

Red Drum and Red Snapper stocks got depleted in the 80's. Some was due to states allowing liberal limits in both commercial and sport fishing and secondarily due to that glorious bastard, Chef Prudhomme and his recipe for blackened redfish. RIP.

Hey where are you fishing in north Carolina

So is this North Carolina? So hard to tell from the videos would be nice to know if it was in my area or not! A short comment would do!

Toadfish catch n cook?

Didn’t watch yet... Thumbs up 👍 Grilled redfish is amazing and steak like lol First 🤚

Are you in Wilmington?

Was this Masonboro inlet?

Would you say the redfish are the stripped bass of the south ?

Hey cut the bloodline out. Cut up some onion, garlic. And celery. Add Cajun spices, bay leaf, cook all of that down. Tamato sauce, fish or shrimp stock. Add lemon and green onions at the end. Put it over some rice. Awesome. Try it

Blackened Redfish is really delicious.

You can cook them anyway you want. Delicious.

Why'd you move out of NYC? I'm from NJ. Our local legend Elias is now gone? :(

Toadfish...spirit animal...LOL

know Im dragging up an old vid but ike jime on reds and striper make a huge difference in flavor...esp raw or min flavored

You are fishing around some great fishermen. What your calling a toad is not what we call toads. Those are Robin's. Toads usually show up in March April and are sweet as hell for eating.

I recommend you try this with Sheepshead next. One of my favorite ways to do Sheepshead. A bigger one works best so the fillet is thick enough not to dry out on the hot pan. Tight lines.

I said the exact same thing after you fillet it, before you said it. Looks just like stripper which honestly I think I like better. Last time I had red I cooked up some trout w it at the same time and like the trout better. After 3 yrs they just opened reds back up in SW Fl after yrs of bad water and fish kills. I MAY keep one to try it again but honestly Id rather buy cod and re catch my local fish.

Redfish is great. Toss in a 50/50 Beer and mustard marinade, then coat in flour, salt, pepper, deep fry. Best way imo. Blackened in a pan with heavy seasoning is great. Grilled is outstanding too. Loses nearly all the fishy flavor.

Funny to look back now when you’d caught an estimated dozen. You’ve easily got hundreds by now!

What size jighead would be good for your 5 in. Peanut shad.

Toadfish seem to be the sea robin of the south

Dude has anyone told you that you look like 10 years younger since moving out of the city??? for real

Reds sure can pull some drag...we were catching 36-40 inchers...man was my are tired .

Mmmm red drum ... hungry

Awesome fish to bake

Redfish is corvina right?

It’s a pretty tasty fish.

Also to catch crabs just go find docks and look at the pilings or other supports in the water they always hang around there

Have you ever caught and eaten snook. If not - your missing something great. Your my favorite fisherman please show your hook set up’s more explain your methods loyal watch. THANKS

2:05 Toaster Oydfish!

Are those toads edible? It may be interesting to see a catch and cook on those toads if possible.

The only way to cook redfish! Blackened is the bomb!!!

Never eaten readfish before😱

I’ve seen most of your catch and cooks and notice you don’t bleed your fish why’s that?

Love redfish. You're right it can be prepared so many different ways. Cut out that red or dark meat and that'll take care of the fishy taste. The 20"-22" size have a lot less red or dark meat and are better eating.

I usually taste a grassy/muddy type taste of them..