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Started By
Message
LDWF needs to adopt a program for harvesting gafftop catfish for the needy.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 9:44 am
Posted on 6/29/23 at 9:44 am
An "outpost" needs to be set up for every major dock in South Louisiana, for let's say on Saturdays for about 6 to 8 weeks for example, and everyone who doesn't keep Gafftops, keep them anyway and bring to the "outpost" that would be setup where they clean them and bag them in ice when all anglers come back to their prospective landings. Several thousand pounds of catfish can be given to needy families. The over population of Gafftop Catfish is insane at most any fishing spot. The frequency of catching these gaffs is beyond annoying lol. This happens every year on most trips but we caught last weekend a nice mess of trout but must of caught 25 giant gaffs and its like this every trip just about. Its like this every year. Yeah the meat is slight above average but its not bad and when marinated right, these fillets arent bad. I guarantee you that all six times they would do this, all boats will come back loaded to drop off. Its an infestation of gaffs everywhere. LDWF would be doing something great for the people in need. Just an idea that would really work. Offer a free ticket to the landing incentive for next time on the water for bringing the fish back.
This post was edited on 6/29/23 at 9:53 am
14
Posted on 6/29/23 at 9:47 am to Contrary
Who is "they" that will be cleaning them? I went on a huge hog roundup last year and they were donating the meat. Not many people wanted to clean them. The baw in charge might still be there today cleaning them.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 9:50 am to LEASTBAY
Yeah, it would be a program to set up, there are ways to get people to help. Even if they didnt fully fillet them, just head and guts clean the old way. They always have biologist for LDWF at the docks doing testing and what not on fish. Get college students involved.
My point is to wipe these frickers out and doing it with good reason to help others in need.
My point is to wipe these frickers out and doing it with good reason to help others in need.
This post was edited on 6/29/23 at 1:35 pm
Posted on 6/29/23 at 9:58 am to Contrary
Who wants to put that nasty fish in their ice chest?
Posted on 6/29/23 at 10:00 am to Contrary
My brother caught a gaftop in the spillway last year on top water. Keeps going the way it does and you'll be able to catch them in your bathtub
Posted on 6/29/23 at 10:06 am to Contrary
Fried gafftop is good eating. Most people I know who throw them back do so because they don't want to deal with all the slime. If they wanted to slime up their boat and cooler, then they might as well keep the meat too.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 10:09 am to DownshiftAndFloorIt
They are great fried when fresh. I cut out the two filets then cut out the bloodline leaving a top and bottom piece of each filet. From there I cut them up in bite sized pieces to fry. They don’t freeze as well as trout or freshwater cats. So I usually only keep enough to fry that day or next day. The biggest pain is the slime. Sometimes I bring a separate ice chest just for them. The kids enjoy catching fish, they don’t really care what they are.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 1:36 pm to SloaneRanger
quote:its not freshwater catfish but when marinated correctly and fried or in a red sauce , its actually not bad. Ive done the fried route and its not bad tasting. Keep the fillets thin and your good. Utube good marination for average tasting catfish....
Who wants to put that nasty fish in their ice chest?
Posted on 6/29/23 at 3:40 pm to Contrary
I would personally contribute finances to such a campaign.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 3:53 pm to Contrary
I don’t know if they’re evolving or there’s just more of them than ever but I’ve caught them on everything late spring into the summer. Topwater, plastics and especially corkys/softdines. I like throwing corkys but it gets to a point around May where you can’t keep the damn things off of them. Hard heads too. Worst part is a big gaftop feels like a nice trout or red for the first 5-10 seconds.
I’ve started ripping the gills out of everyone I catch.
I’ve started ripping the gills out of everyone I catch.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 4:10 pm to Contrary
I hate that they bite plastics... When did that start happening?
I keep em sometimes, they are decent eating. I'd rather not get those slimy bastards in the boat, but if its already fricked up the boat might as well eat it.
I keep em sometimes, they are decent eating. I'd rather not get those slimy bastards in the boat, but if its already fricked up the boat might as well eat it.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 6:42 pm to armsdealer
quote:
I hate that they bite plastics... When did that start happening?
always did, they will fight specks and reds to get to artificial baits.
they arent strictly bottom feeders only like hard heads are.
they will even blow up top water baits so you think its a monster trout, and then you see the wiskers
gafftops follow the trout, if you catch gafftops, there are trout around you, but the gafftops get to the bait first, they are very agressive
This post was edited on 6/30/23 at 12:54 pm
Posted on 6/29/23 at 7:50 pm to Contrary
Just make it a contest with the other gulf coast states. 75,000 Jell-O shots prove no one from around here responds to anything quite like “I bet you can’t do ____ better than we can.”
Posted on 6/29/23 at 10:22 pm to Contrary
If I catch a gafftop I bring it home and eat it. Only downfall is they very slimy.
ETA; I heard of some guys on the East Side of the River who trawl for them, clean them and sell them for freshwater catfish.
I actually prefer them to big blue cats. I suppose they would be moat closely related to a flathead, being they both mostly eat live bait.
Flathead
Channels
Small Blues
Gafftop
Big blues
ETA; I heard of some guys on the East Side of the River who trawl for them, clean them and sell them for freshwater catfish.
I actually prefer them to big blue cats. I suppose they would be moat closely related to a flathead, being they both mostly eat live bait.
Flathead
Channels
Small Blues
Gafftop
Big blues
This post was edited on 6/29/23 at 10:28 pm
Posted on 6/30/23 at 7:04 am to Contrary
just start chopping the heads off. and throw them back for the crabs.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 7:06 am to Contrary
"They" don't want gafftops when they can go buy lobster, shrimp, crabs, and crawfish with their EBT Card.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 9:04 am to Contrary
I fished with a great guide a while back in Hopedale/Delacroix area (blanking on the name of his outfit, but last name was Dickson). Anyway, he kept them all and would save them up and every so often he'd fry a bunch, make poboys and drive around and hand them out to homeless folks around New Orleans. He may have even had a deal with a company for the bread and such. He was a real stand up dude.
I need to track down his info again. He was the first charter I ever fished with where I actually had to ask if we could head back to the dock. Limit of specks? Cool, on to the reds. Limit of reds? I know a good sheepshead spot. That guy woulda stayed out there til midnight!
ETA: It was Salty Dog Charters out of Shell Beach.
I need to track down his info again. He was the first charter I ever fished with where I actually had to ask if we could head back to the dock. Limit of specks? Cool, on to the reds. Limit of reds? I know a good sheepshead spot. That guy woulda stayed out there til midnight!
ETA: It was Salty Dog Charters out of Shell Beach.
This post was edited on 6/30/23 at 9:42 am
Posted on 6/30/23 at 7:50 pm to Contrary
Just smack ‘em on the head with a stick and release.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 9:03 pm to Contrary
They can have all the hard heads also. Them bitches are stacked thick
Posted on 6/30/23 at 9:15 pm to Pelican fan99
They are better than hard heads but I can’t count the number of times we would stop to hit what we thought was a big school of trout feeding on way to islands to only discover they were gafftops. And yes they will hit anything.
Great idea for a tournament, gafftop king with prize going to captain who brings in the most with free fish fry that night
Great idea for a tournament, gafftop king with prize going to captain who brings in the most with free fish fry that night
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