- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Saltwater catfish in Louisiana
Posted on 5/16/26 at 4:23 pm
Posted on 5/16/26 at 4:23 pm
Are any edible and if so which ones. Mainly inland bay marsh fishing. Any tips on cooking them besides throw them back and eat your bait? Are the blue and channel cats you catch in brackish water as good as the fresh water ones?
14
Posted on 5/16/26 at 4:30 pm to Royalfishing
Yes the brackish blues and channels are the same.
Posted on 5/16/26 at 5:18 pm to Royalfishing
Man, when my kids were little I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell them people throw them back.
Know what? They clean and fry up just fine.
I appreciate Chedballz for teaching me this.
Once I saw some jackass at Bridgeside throwing back, like dead whole fish, sheepshead at the cleaning station. I thought, “bruh. WTF? GW Fins would hit you for $40 a plate for that- learn to clean them”
Know what? They clean and fry up just fine.
I appreciate Chedballz for teaching me this.
Once I saw some jackass at Bridgeside throwing back, like dead whole fish, sheepshead at the cleaning station. I thought, “bruh. WTF? GW Fins would hit you for $40 a plate for that- learn to clean them”
Posted on 5/16/26 at 5:21 pm to Royalfishing
if you get into gafftops they are fine eating. They’ll make a mess in your fish box though so throw them in a bucket or a trash bag first
Posted on 5/16/26 at 7:31 pm to Royalfishing
Gafftop, yes.
Hard head, no, but I have seen videos of people cooking them saying they are misunderstood.
That’s cool, I’m not eating them.
Hard head, no, but I have seen videos of people cooking them saying they are misunderstood.
That’s cool, I’m not eating them.
Posted on 5/16/26 at 7:37 pm to cgrand
quote:
if you get into gafftops
Yall spec fish without getting into gaftops?
Posted on 5/16/26 at 8:05 pm to Royalfishing
Don't bring them in the boat.
Posted on 5/16/26 at 8:33 pm to Royalfishing
Pay attention
Posted on 5/16/26 at 10:59 pm to Royalfishing
frick saltwater catfish. There are so many better fish out there that you can catch to eat in saltwater.
Posted on 5/16/26 at 11:07 pm to Royalfishing
My grandaddy always made us throw brackish water cats and ladyfish back. When I got my 1st boat after graduating from LSU I decided to keep them and a couple of Ladyfish too.
Grandaddy was right; Ladyfish are 90% tiny bones that'll choke you and Hardheads are greasy n nasty with bad flavor.
BUTT, sailfin/gafftop cats are awesome filets. Just be prepared for the slime.
Grandaddy was right; Ladyfish are 90% tiny bones that'll choke you and Hardheads are greasy n nasty with bad flavor.
BUTT, sailfin/gafftop cats are awesome filets. Just be prepared for the slime.
Posted on 5/17/26 at 6:58 am to dat yat
Im starting a crusade to convince everyone that gaftops are game fish and delicious and in lots of ways, much better target species than specs.
Itll be great when everybody starts targeting the gaftops and leaves me the specs. It could happen. Happened with amberjacks.
Itll be great when everybody starts targeting the gaftops and leaves me the specs. It could happen. Happened with amberjacks.
Posted on 5/18/26 at 3:35 pm to Royalfishing
I fished with Buckskin Bill one time. I caught a big gafftop. He went absolutely crazy. That was his favorite fish to eat. He fried it up right away and it was really delicious.
So, gafftop if you can handle the slime. Blue and channel.
Sheepshead was mentioned in this thread. That's my favorite fish right there.
So, gafftop if you can handle the slime. Blue and channel.
Sheepshead was mentioned in this thread. That's my favorite fish right there.
Posted on 5/19/26 at 4:21 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
You got a good idea. Worked great for nutria control.
Posted on 5/20/26 at 8:48 pm to WAR TIGER
As a catfish farmer nothing pisses me off more than when I go to the coast to fish and the first thing I catch is a saltwater catfish and it happens every damn time
I go there to get away from catfish
I go there to get away from catfish
Posted on 5/20/26 at 8:53 pm to Royalfishing
Ain't nothing wrong with a gafftop. If its a slow day Ill keep them. I didnt grow up very rich and in the 80s when the oil field went to shite and my dad was laid off we ate a few hardheads too. They not terrible but you dont get much meat off of them.
Posted on 5/20/26 at 9:59 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
to convince everyone that gaftops are game fish and delicious and in lots of ways, much better target species than specs.
That’s quite the crusade. I’m not taking sail cats in the boat.
Posted on 5/21/26 at 1:15 pm to SloaneRanger
The video of the guy cleaning saltwater catfish is wrong. You take the sharp knife and stab them in the gut and then throw them overboard.
And for the softies that say that is wrong, get stung by one and then come back and let's discuss it further.
And for the softies that say that is wrong, get stung by one and then come back and let's discuss it further.
Posted on 5/21/26 at 1:36 pm to Royalfishing
Sail cats are as good as freshwater catfish. Never tried hardheads but small ones fried they're probably fine. Hardheads are a rarity in a fish I haven't tried to eat....my try some next time I am unfortunate enough to catch a few, which will be just about anytime one is driving near any part of the coast in most of the south....
Posted on 5/21/26 at 1:51 pm to TIGERSby10
quote:wanton waste is wanton waste despite your badassery. Everyone who has ever wet a line in saltwater has either been spined or will be spined. Cost of doing business. Killing the animal won’t change that.
And for the softies that say that is wrong, get stung by one and then come back and let's discuss it further.
Didn’t your daddy teach you “if you kill it you eat it”
Posted on 5/21/26 at 2:49 pm to Lakefront-Tiger
quote:
Hard head, no, but I have seen videos of people cooking them saying they are misunderstood.
That’s cool, I’m not eating them.
They're not poisonous or anything just not worth the trouble.
Sail cats (gafftop) are the better option though.
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News