For people who are considering stocking a pond or dam, silver perch are an excellent choice because they're highly omnivorous with anything up to 80% of their diet being vegetable matter, but they'll happily munch on shrimp or worms. They're a fairly robust fish as natives go, with spangled perch and a few others being the more adaptable and tougher species. Their flavour, like any fish, depends a LOT on the qaulity of the water they live in, what they eat, how they're handled from capture to kitchen and then how they're prepared. Ideally bled, gilled and gutted, then straight on ice or in a slurry, then cooked within 24-48 hours. The skin can be nice if you sear it without getting it too dark. A little salt rubbed in before or during cooking can bring out some flavour. Even a drizzle of lemon juice, melted butter or oil. When cooking whole fish or skin-on fillets I score the skin. This will help prevent filllets curling (also cooking the flesh side first is best) and results in the heat getting right into the centre of the mass. Some lemon wedges, herb butter, garlic or parsley stuffed into the score can add a lot of flavour. With that pan you used, see if you can get a lid for it. Then you could throw a 1/4 cup of water in there, put the lid on and it will bake/poach the whole fish. Crack an egg and wash the fillet in it before crumbing. Herbs, garlic and other seasonings can be a big help in improving the taste of blander species like silvers, but freshwater fish just about always tend to have milder tastes compared to saltwater species. I know a guy who swears by dipping fillets in conrflour first as a base coat, then Franks Red Hot sauce (from the US) and then crumbs. Here's hoping you get a few more silvers to try out and find your favourite version of cooking them!!!!
WOW that is so fascinating. Thank you so much for your amazing insight. I hope heaps of people see this. I will pin this comment to the top. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and tips.
These Silver Perch were caught in Lake Moodemere. I incorrectly said Lake Nillahcootie at the start. I was WR0NG!! (There's a first time for everything). LOL 🤣 Filmed with: Camera1: amzn.to/3XUgHie -This Lens: amzn.to/3VoZqfX -This Microphone: amzn.to/3igNiyQ Camera2: amzn.to/3XV9ZIF Camera3: amzn.to/3XQKcBm My gas stove: www.anacondastores.com/camping-hiking/camp-cooking/camping-stoves/dune-4wd-butane-deep-dish-stove/BP90116769-grey Filleting knife: www.anacondastores.com/fishing/fishing-tools/fishing-knives-sharpeners/gerber-controller-8-inch-fillet-knife/BP90125052-green
I think after you have eaten Redfin, most other freshwater fish are never quite in the same league, but I certainly enjoyed the SP that I ate prior to the total protection. I’m sure the water that the fish comes from and it’s diet contributes to the taste. Incidentally, I got a smaller one in the Loddon on the way home.
Thanks Frank, I have heard that about Silver Perch, that their taste can be determined by what they've been eating. The old redfin sure are hard to beat.
Just got home after catching a 39cm Silver Bream in my local lake to find this video. It was very timely as I am going to cook it for lunch for me and my grandson tomorrow. Great video and thanks for the information.
@@robbiefishing Hi Robbie, I agree with you that Silver Bream is not as good as Redfin or Yellow Belly. It was like cutting into a tuna when I was filleting it, very dense flesh. It had a strong flavour and was not sweet like a Reddie. I cooked it in a light crunchy batter made from gluten free flour. The batter was seasoned with salt and pepper. I think the batter help with the flavour. I had to share it with my 2 grandsons, they are 3 and 4 and both enjoy fishing and yabbing with me.
Butter will give the fillets a better flavour, salt , pepper lemon. However you are use to Redfin flavour. Nice work. Looks like catch & release for Silver Perch. I remember the first carp I caught, brought it home, gutted it & made me feel ill, smelt awful. However I know there are ways to cook them. I remember seeing them for sale at the Vic Market. I was shocked. Europeans know how to cook carp. Thanks Robbie, looks like the Silvers will be going back.
Don’t worry about other people telling you how to cut a fish. The main thing was is that you didn’t hurt yourself so it doesn’t matter. Also I think the 20 or so red fin I caught when i was with my pop in Adelaide for holiday in January are still in the freezer at their place 😂 so they have been in there for a month haha I should probably tell him to chuck them out or try to fillet a couple and give them a shot. He is probably the best cook I know he could probably make a dog shit taste like cinnamon rolls 😂
Having caught a few Silvers, but not allowed to keep them, always pictured a ton of bones in my head. Bit surprised they didn't taste better too. Great video and info on the Silvers and what a job when prepping them for the pan. Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you so much Larry. The bones were quite good and easy to remove. The taste let them down a bit though. I am keen to try them again using different cooking techniques. I really hope that one day you are allowed to keep a few like us. It is bloody ridiculous to be honest. I understand them being protected in streams where they can spawn, but in stocked dams they need to be open with a size and bag limit. From what I understand they are quite easy to spawn in captivity and are therefor plentiful.
Great video mate. I’ve never tried silver perch and getting your opinion on them helps. I personally prefer to cook my fish whole on the bbq. Partially because I am lazy but more because I like getting more natural flavour into the meat, the skin also helps prevent overcooking and there’s not much waste compared with filleting. A dusting with salt, garlic and onion powder inside the fish with some lemon or basil goes well too. Cheers buddy.
@@robbiefishing as my wife would say to me KISS Keep It Simple Stupid. In this context it would refer to keeping the flavours coherent; not using multiple flavours and thus confusing the palate
Hey Robbie! You don't need to wash your fillets in water! As you know, once the scales and skin are off, the fillet isn't waterproof! All you need is paper towel to wipe your fillet down! Also! Put your fillets in plain flour, before frying,etc! Plain flour seals all the juices inside the fillet!
Ha Ha Robbie forgetting everything was comical as your list grew longer. A thought if you ever forget water to wet the fish for crumbing maybe rub the oil over the fish then apply the crumbs. Keep up the fun adventures Robbie enjoy watching your content.
Thanks so much mate, what a great idea. I wish I had of thought of that. I really am a terrible cook. LOL I will definitely keep that in mind for next time.
You CAN keep them from the Wimmera R system also. N.S.W. totally protected, so if you catch 1 in the Murray, it has to go back! Also with silvers, it is best to cook them FRESH! Do NOT freeze them! (They are just like red fin! They DON'T freeze! )
Thanks so much Deb. We had so much fun that day. We caught close to 50 carp, 8 or 9 redfin and those two big Silver's. Holly hasn't stopped nagging to go back. LOL
Ha ha great video Robbie. Glad to see you have a bit of etiquette wanting your knife and fork and wearing an apron. Not like me the mad fisherman. My wife always says i should have a bit more etiquette. LOL
Hello rob That was a nice looking fish and the fillets look good , maybe a little tweak with some seasoning and the it could all be round robs Friday for a fish super 🤣 Mate loved it big hello to everyone... we got our fish spring like day here wahooo🎣🎣 😎🏴
That's interesting the 34cm was caught on corn I've never caught a fish on corn in all my life and been apart of the Preston Northcote Angling club since the age 10 of I've used corn hundreds of times because it's a easy bait to keep in the tackle box yet I've never had as much as a bite on corn
I have heard that these fish are very sensitive to the water turbidity in regards to taste. To get them to be at their best essentially need clear water.
I've got 20 odd SP in my backyard part of my Aquaponic's setup, I've eaten some and there good tucker, but slow growers in Southern Vic, hard to keep water temp up in winter.
I was working with Queenslands DPI years ago when they were evaluating aquacultured silver perch and we found they were very prone to picking up muddy flavour taints. Whats more it was very difficult to get rid of, we had fish taken from aquaculture ponds and kept in clean water for months before taste testing and the flavour taints were still there
Hey Robbie, I love fishing but I'm not that keen on eating them. Maybe a bit of cod but that's about it. You said one was caught on corn, do you just thread a few kernels on the hook? I've used corn as burly, I load up my slingshot and spread it out but I've never caught any on just corn. Maybe I'm not holding my mouth the right way .
Thanks mate. Yep, I just put a few kernels on the hook. I use corn a lot for carp fishing. Holly's corn was I tended for a carp but caught the silver instead. Haha
Love it mate even out in the bush you got the apon on so professional haha. Silver perch is not to eat and I agree with the skin is tough as better sharpen that knife up before the next fish
@@robbiefishing I got showed buy aboriginals people & the meat falls off the bone without doing anything to it just put on coals , the scales are like tin foil..
i ate one out of nagambie but in a portion of the lake that had flow and was closer to a river then the lake and that was much better tasting then others i tried out of other areas.
Thanks for the vid Robbie it was really interesting. They look a bit slimmer fish for their size compared to redfin or yellas so they don’t look like they have as much meat on them per fillet?
Thanks mate. To be honest I expected them to have less meat, but they're very similar to a redfin or Yella the same size. For some reason they just looks slimmer. LOL
It's not an authentic bush cook unless you forget at least 2 of the essential things to cook or eat with...lol... the only thing it was missing is a bit of grass...🤣🤣.. I don't know how I do it but I always seem to get a bit of grass mixed up in the cooking somehow...
Good video Robbie. The fishing rules keep changing all the time. Does the Victorian app have a location indicator to help you work out which rules apply? Do I need to bring my lawyer with me like I need for prospecting, crown land access and others?
Haha thanks mate. It sure does get confusing. If you look at the Victorian rules, the fisheries app does have a shaded in area. Basically, anything in the Murray Darling basin is lakes only. Can't keep them from the streams.
@@robbiefishing thanks mate I was just wondering I have a friend in Benalla who has been fishing the broken river up there lately and has been catching cod and yellowbelly maybe if you are close by you could make a video on the cod and yellowbelly there by the they caught a strange fish let me se if I can send the photo it lookes like a hybrid between a redfin and a yellowbelly not Shaw how to send the photo
@@dimsimonastick5845 That hybrid is not possible, while both have perch in the common name they're not even closely related. I would guess your mystery fish may be a tench or golden orfe or roach, these have been released here also. See if these match your description, and please reply your findings. I'm curious what it is now, cheers.
@@robbiefishing You don't eat them , but certainly not the skins. I tell you a better habit which I am sure you do with offcuts of line and the wrapper of a new lure. Put what you brought in , into the plastic bag and take it home with you. That way , when the tourist comes to that spot tomorrow , he is not confronted by rotting meat and flies and bad smell. The animals in the area need to find food naturally. Another thing is , another bloke comes along and sees discarded stuff , and then he may think it is okay to throw lolly wrappers and orange peels. Just saying. It's not a good look Robbie. Tell me I'm wrong.
@@mohammednovalija I wasn't in a popular area. In fact, I was the first car to drive in there since the floods before Christmas. I don't film these types of videos in popular place. If it was, I wouldn't throw food scraps on the ground for the ants.
@@robbiefishing I just thought to remind people or to educate.It's what I do. You are a wonderful man , but even wonderful men can be even more wonderful.
Fatty fish taste completely different on the bbq, Much better tasting. But yeah after you commenting on how it tastes wouldn't want to come and try anymore lol
