Mackerel Fishing this year.

Caught two decent sized mackerel crossing Poole Bay last Saturday. Paravane and mackerel spinner at about 4 knots. They were caught a long way apart and we stopped at the two. Oven baked in foil they were superb that evening.
 
I have three ways of cooking eating Mackerel on a boat:

Stuffed with chopped peppers, mushrooms, onion baked in foil.

Fillets on top of a bed of onions, mushrooms drizzled with olive oil and white wine baked in the oven and eaten with crusty bread and the rest of the white wine.

Fillets taken straight off the freshly caught fish fried in butter eaten with brown bread and of course the ubiquitous white wine and any relish that you may choose.

Raw marinated with lemon or lime juice as an apéritif or lunch time snack.

All of the above may be combined with a salad or new potatoes to make a fine evening meal at anchor, the trick is the fish has to be fresh, the fresher the better in particular the raw, straight off the bone and on to the plate.
 
One of the easiest and cleanest ways to cook mackerel on board is to gently poach the fish in a pan of salted water for 5-10minutes, depending on the size of the fish, until the fish starts to separate from the bone. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.
 
On the subject of the freshness of fish I once bought some plaice off some fishermen that came into the pub in the early hours. They told me not to eat them straight away but to leave them for a day or so to as if too fresh the flesh was watery. Not sure if it is true.
 
Storyline said:
On the subject of the freshness of fish I once bought some plaice off some fishermen that came into the pub in the early hours. They told me not to eat them straight away but to leave them for a day or so to as if too fresh the flesh was watery. Not sure if it is true.
Click to expand...

It varies with the type of fish. As a general rule oily fish the fresher the better, meaty fish is better kept for a day or two. I only eat mackerel that I have seen alive (unless smoked), whereas skate benefits from a couple of days in the fridge.
 
l'escargot said:
It varies with the type of fish. As a general rule oily fish the fresher the better, meaty fish is better kept for a day or two. I only eat mackerel that I have seen alive (unless smoked), whereas skate benefits from a couple of days in the fridge.
Click to expand...
Ummm skate, another favourite but rare to see these days. Are there any tips on how to catch them from a boat ? Also on the subject of flatfish, we often anchor in places with a sandy bottom, how best to catch flatfish which I assume may be in some island anchorages ?

(Should say I am an ignorant fisherman, just use killers (plastic shrimpy type lures) & usually just catch mackerel or pollack).
 
Storyline said:
Ummm skate, another favourite but rare to see these days. Are there any tips on how to catch them from a boat ? Also on the subject of flatfish, we often anchor in places with a sandy bottom, how best to catch flatfish which I assume may be in some island anchorages ?

(Should say I am an ignorant fisherman, just use killers (plastic shrimpy type lures) & usually just catch mackerel or pollack).
Click to expand...
Like many things people have turned fishing into a high tech activity. I would keep it simple. For bottom feeders I always used to use a simple running trace - about a metre of line with an appropriate size hook for what I was after on the end, joined to the main line with a swivel and then a suitable weight attached on a slider above the swivel. Ragworm is the preferred bait in the Solent for most things, with mackerel and/or squid or peelers/hermits for the larger species. I've caught good size flatfish, bass and rays on that set up over the years. The rays I used to get along the Cowes side of the Brambles bank, bass at Hurst and Bembridge, and Ventnor was the place for plaice. Don't really fish much these days but the commercial boys don't seem to have too much trouble getting those species around the island still.
 
Storyline said:
On the subject of the freshness of fish I once bought some plaice off some fishermen that came into the pub in the early hours. They told me not to eat them straight away but to leave them for a day or so to as if too fresh the flesh was watery. Not sure if it is true.
Click to expand...

This is the problem I have with my shop customers, they will go for the same day's catch every time, I don't argue but if I get the chance tell them it's not fit to eat. (Mackerel, bass, pilchard all need to be fresh as possible) To tell the truth the brits don't actually like fish so fresh = tasteless = good for them. That's why monkfish is so popular, no bones and doesn't taste of fish. My friend the ex fishmonger would not eat turbot until it is nearly rotten. One of my regulars had a plaice from me that was ten days old, (in a 0-1 deg fish fridge) best she ever tasted, she said.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top