We never had much luck using green crabs for black fish bait and did better with sandworms or, especially, *giant hermit crabs* which we collected ourselves by walking in hip deep water out past the sand flats at low tide (they weren't something you usually find at the bait store). We had a wooden board clamped to the side of the boat and a hammer on a ropeto crack the shells with, and although the hermit crabs are soft and don't stay on the hook well, blackfish absolutely cannot resist them. I like the idea of using invasive green crabs as bait but when we were kids we weren't even told that they were invasive and just thought they were part of the natural ecosystem. Anyway, we didn't find them to be particularly effective as blackfish bait; but If I suppose you could use them in a chum pot. Crushed green crabs are excellent bait for minnow traps and eel pots. ( Some rotten people would use smashed up horseshoe crabs as minnow pot bait; shame on them! I personally wouldn't ever harm a horseshoe crab, as I think they're pretty cool, not to mention prehistorically interesting and medically relevant).
I tried using a large softshell blue crab as bait once, in hopes of catching a large striper, but instead I caught the biggest eel I've ever seen! I guess turnabout is fair play since we often used eels as crab bait, also bluefish and striper bait. We ate them as well, and I really like the taste of eel, but the population is nearing species collapse and so I would recommend that nobody use them for bait or catch them for the table. If you haven't read "the Book of Eels", I recommend it.
Awesome stuff Will. I'm another LI boy but up here in South Coast Mass/RI now-a-days. Just started getting Tog up here and you've encouraged me to step up my game. We've always done Tautog Sashimi and Ceviche, they make incredible Fish Tacos, awesome Chowdah, and every other way you can do fish. I was concerned about the slime in cooking down the heads and rails for stock, but definitely going to try it now! We had some Tog Sashimi, you showed to wrap it in a paper towel for a day, and then we did the thin slice of grape and lemon - WOW! The tips you give Aaron or the cooking you do on his channel is great as well. Keep up the good work!
In the early '50's I think we rented small skiffs/row boats with small motors (at Darian, Conn). We would collect fiddler crabs at low tide off the beach for blackfish bait. Break off the big claw drop it to the bottom and lights out bites and catches! Went to Grad school At UMass Amherst in 1966, and a grad student fellow was doing research on Tautog.
Your channel has inspired me to explore other ways of cooking. I live in Leesburg Florida but I grew up in Indiana, fishing for bluegills and catfish and a mushroom hunter. I enjoy your channel. You have taught me a lot.
The first time I went on a charter boat ,was in Ocracoke North Carolina, I was 15 years old and we were catching Black Sea Bass . To this day that's my favorite tasting fish. That was 40 years ago. If you have a chance to visit the island it's a 2 hour Ferry ride from the Mainland. It's a magical place.
Looks delicious ! The black sea bass are excellent fare also. I ate the Black Sea bass and grey triggers when I commercially fished. They weren’t in demand back then. I sold all the grouper and snapper. Great to see you have a good day catching fish ! Sometimes you struggle :)
@@CookingWithClams, whenever Anthony Bourdain went fishing for his show, he invariably got "skunked". I miss both the man and the show, even though I never personally met him.
Someday I hope to be brave enough to cut up a fish and make broth. Thanks so much for the great care of detailing the what and how! Love your videos!!!
Another great video and nice to see your use of Japanese spices and tea. I spent some time over there and miss there unique flavors. Putting the green tea in the broth was new to me and I will give it a try for sure.
Great video Will! That was some awesome catching… by Mike. Lol. Beautiful day, may not need the beanie. Man, what a slicker it turned out to be. Those sea bass are beautiful creatures. I’ve caught them off Vancouver Island. This meal may be one of my favs you have ever done! That looked so delicious! I have meant to ask you if you’ve tried Taku’s chili crisp? Thanks for sharing!!!
Mr CWC, Nice piece with the Tautog. Using green crab for bait reminded me of the scourge of the clam flats in Maine. I had an idea that a very good stock could be made with green crabs. I attempted it. Green crabs are plentiful. My attempts thus far have not been good. I have not given up but need some guidance. Have you ever approached this idea? Thanks for your work. Aaron and Madeline have introduced your work with enthusiasm.
Glad you got on some tog. Can’t wait to try the green tea in my next broth. Oh and I know the pain of not finding some Take out chopsticks when u need them.
@@CookingWithClams , Well you definitely should make an effort to do so assuming we get a winter that's cold enough you can safely walk out on a frozen pond or lake. Perch bluegill and crappie caught through the ice are incredibly lean sweet and flavorful. I've made a panfish chowder with a spicy tomato base that was out of this world. The bite from these fish is incredibly light and tentative in the wintertime and so we used to take a piece of wound guitar string about 2 inches long and add a tip top eyelet to it and tape it to the end of the Pole as an extra sensitive indicator that shows you when something nibbles very lightly.
@@CookingWithClams, Of course if you're in Key West for the entire winter then there won't be any ice fishing in your near future..... But it can be a lot of fun. I prefer jigging with tiny jigs or a Swedish Pimple or something similar (a small Kastmaster or hammered Hopkins lure perhaps) that has been tipped with a small grub or meal worm. You can catch a ton of fish in a short time if you come into a bite at the right time and location!
Sir my first time seeing your vids so can you say few words about the boat also I see that share the culinary appreciation of the throat and collar 25 yrs ago nobody ( I knew)m appreciated that part of a fish
Boater are like people driving on the roads these days. No manners, courtesy, or shame!!! At least the jon boat had an appropriate name!! 😝 Interesting combination of flavors!! I thought the secret ingredient was bay leaves. Have a good one.
Will, I love your channel and this was a fun outing, thank you for all the great content. Please do make a traditional New England type of chowder sometime with whatever you end up catching and give us your take on what a Chowder should be...Northeast or Southeast, doesn't matter! I spent my teenage years living in Key West and thoroughly enjoyed every single second of it. I've also spent the last 25 years in the great Northwest...we have our own stories to tell! Love you brother!
My mother used to make a 5 gallon pot of traditional broth style clam chowder to accompany our once a year clambake party at our beach cottage. Only 5 ingredients: chopped-up Quohog clams, clam broth (both canned and tge liquid left over from steaming the whole live clams), sautéed onions, diced potatoes, and butter, plus peppercorns. After growing up on that wonderful elixir, I refuse to ingest clam chowder made with milk/cream or, gasp, a heresy, tomato.😖 Unfortunately it only stays fresh for about 24 hours after you make it.
Is that a butane stove? I can't imagine one of those small butane canisters lasting thru a one hour simmer. I like these vids from the North Country. I am not a sashimi guy but I sure would have enjoyed the rice and broth with the seasoning you used. Your buddy snookered you by giving you the telephone pole to fish with while he hammered them with the Ugly Stik.
That’s actually my Rod to pull em off wrecks. I didn’t know we were fishing so shallow. Also I didn’t have the touch but hey happy to have my two keepers
I wonder what the blackfish think of the invasive Mitten crabs from Asia. Some idiot was importing these to New York because they're considered a Chinese delicacy, but they got loose and are now colonizing the western end of Long Island sound.
Since you eat so much raw fresh ocean fish, how often do you get tested for parasites and/or take anti-parasitic's? So much of what's out there has *some kind* of crawly in it; even if most of them aren't harmful or even noticeable. (There's a reason even top shelf tuna gets frozen before use as sushi/sashimi)
A question where can I get the ingredients because there's no Japanese place by me on Staten Island New York how do I go by getting it because I got fillet of black fish in my freezer that I picked some black fish like a week ago and I got it in a Ziploc bag in the freezer meaning I got the head the body and stuff still in the freezer but they're filleting cleaned so just asking do you know where I can get ingredients from because I tell you that look good thank you if you could give me the information
@@CookingWithClams I didn't know we had one on Staten Island I know Forest Avenue I got to take a bus on Forest Avenue but I'm trying to figure out what bus to take I mean I got Blackfish caucuses I think I got like two caucuses plus the head that I was going to use them for blue crabbing next year but after watching your video with the caucuses and the head of the Blackfish damn very interesting I mean I caught too many Blackfish this year
Another delicious video that looked very 🤤!!! I might have to run up to Long Island!! Check out new country song “Me around you” by James Harris featuring Matt Riner
your buddy should brushen up on the regulations for NY. seabass are 16.5" min. not 16" and even though you steamed all the way to the CT side, you are returning to NY
