Here in Hawai'i the Jack family is considered a delicacy. We have over a dozen varieties all considered great eating. Hearing of the terrible reputation the Jack Crevalle as far as eating quality I was thinking maybe it was a matter of taste- what you grew up with and used to. A few years ago my kid sis moved from Hawai'i to Fort Myers, Florida, and she and her then (now ex) husband were avid fishers so when they caught a Jack Crevalle which looked allot like our delicious "papio" they took it home and gave it a try. They said it tasted terrible and they couldn't finish it. C&R for all jacks ever since for her. I agree that bleeding it out, and removing the dark meat makes a world of difference, and worth the effort. All the jacks and trevallys are terrific fighters worth pursuing.
Thank you for writing, Ahnko Chee. I have a lot of respect for the trevallys :) One will star in the video I am editing now. A large 28 incher that fought very hard! They are high on the list of my favorite fish! Same can be said for the islands. They too hold a special place in my heart.
Thanks for that insight Ahnko! My wife and I were on the north side of Maui and there were people there fishing with 10' and 12' rods for what I have to assume are Papio. They looked like Jack but the guy I was talking to said they were outstanding eating. They were not the friendliest guys in the world but one finally and gruntingly talked to me lol
I've enjoyed all of your videos that I have watched and have learned much from them (as well as your approach to problem solving), Thank you for both! I'm an 86 year-old guy who began kayaking in 1995 and fishing from an OK Scupper Pro in 1996 while on vacation off the Point of Rocks (Siesta Key, FL). Kayak fishing was very new at that time and learning was by trial and error. I used nothing but artificials, trolling the reefs most of the time and eventually caught quite a few excellent meals - mostly Pompano. The best fight by far was a Jack Cravelle - with an ultralight rig and 6# line. (It was about the same size of the first one you cooked on your video.) Even though I had been warned by the local "experts" that Jacks were an inedible trash fish I decided to try it separately from the rest of the catch. The fillets was firm and relatively odorless, but the texture looked "stringy" and I thought it might be on the "tough" side. In Wisconsin we boiled anything on the tough wide, and I decided to boil the Jack with shrimp spice - exactly as I prepare shrimp. Before serving the refrigerated fillets we cut them into small chunks and served them with shrimp sauce. Every guest who tried them wanted details of the 'gourmet' treat. I would rate the Jack edibility as very good. Kayak fishing for Jacks is great sport and great sport followed by good eating is a double whammy in this codger's book.
Meh for my mileage most fish taste pretty good. I think some people are just real picky, and then once word spreads people get it in their heads it is so.
Lobsters were considered garbage and used for fertilizer, pollock were considered garbage, most fish are edible and delicious. You just have to know how to cook them.
heeki yeah well things change. People often eat shit and think it's o.k, as I have but only once at a Holiday Inn restaurant, though the menu clearly said it was a burger lol
Heck NO I LOVE lobster, I'm saying that some fish like Snook and others that people never ate before are now considered high end. However, I have eaten shit once at a Holiday Inn restaurant, though it was disguised as a burger (that was a joke making fun of an over priced terrible hotel meal)
+PTBCANADIAN I guarantee you the hojo burger had feces from dozens if not a hundred cows. Eating any caught fish is infinitely better food and better for you
Oh definitely, out here in Hawaii that's one of the main fish we love to catch and eat. Smaller ones, just clean and pan fry, or throw it straight on the grill, and also sashimi style, sliced up raw. Definitely a good fish, and awesome fight while catching. Our clean ocean waters may have a little to do with taste compared to other places in the mainland, but I'm glad you gave it a shot, and glad you enjoyed that papio. Aloha.
In Trinidad and Tobago the Jack Crevalle is prized by the locals, they usually make it in a sauce with curry and green mangoes with habanero pepper over rice. its pretty expensive too, especially around Easter time.
I grew up in South Padre Island Texas I come from a fishing family we have our own shrimp boats and fishing guide services also restaurants none the less every weekend I would go fishing I still do and I would always listen to the old timers one because of the respect I have for elders too because I've never heard of anyone eating Jack however after reviewing several videos and yours and seeing that you're an honest guy I really want to try it by the way I really love your videos keep up the awesome work and thank you for sharing what you do
Nice video! Jacks are fun to catch. It is interesting that they are in the same family as pompano but have a completely different reputation when it comes to the table.
Got a 4 pound 10 ounce jack crevalle last night on a live pilchard. I've got to say my favorite method for cooking these bad boys is to cut the fillets into strips, squeeze some lemon over them, and then cook in an iron skillet. That's it. If you want to go a step further get some tortillas, mango salsa, lettuce, sour cream, and the cooked strips from above and you will be on your way to some damn tasty fish tacos. Great video! Thanks for posting.
Thank you for sharing! I enjoy your channel, and this is the honest assessment I was looking for. We threw back 3 nice n meaty jacks today, and I regret not trying them yet again. Pompano aren't going to bite every day!
Joshua Quackenbush also snook used to be considered a trash fish. people used to called them soap fish because when you leave the skin on the fillet they taste like soap.
Joshua Quackenbush They said that about Snook years ago as well, called it "Soapfish" because of it's skin. They still don't consume it in the Caribbean islands because they mostly cook their fish whole. One day someone thought to fillet a Snook and voila! Amazing white fillets, no more soapy taste.
I love videos like this when you cook them at the end! Please keep doing more this one in the future it's really cool to see how people cook the fish after they catch em
in Hawaii, we have a cousin called Blue Trevally. its a prized fish here for gamefishing n table fare. the smaller ones about 1 - 3 lbs are perfect for sashimi or frying.
Another great video! I too love the jacks of Maui, Hawaii. Excellent fighters and excellent table fare. Must be different than the ones you get down there in FLA. Be well and fish on! Mark in Oregon
I live in Juno Beach and enjoy fishing at the pier. I can't count the times I've caught Crevalle Jacks & Blue Runners ... back in the water they go or I use them as bait. I noticed Asians keep them and also ribbonfish. I next Jack I catch I'm going to keep and eat it. If it's bad I'll let you know. Thanks for the video.
i speak from experience on blue runners, you HAVE TO cut out the vein on the skin side of the fillet along with the bones that run the entire length of the fillet. once that is done, they are not bad, but only cook enough to eat for one meal or they will get some off flavors the next day. havent tried bleeding them out before filleting though. if you do leave the red vein on the fillets, it is much worse than raw anchovies
I eat and enjoy jack crevalle. I eat the red meat and all. I think the secret is l putting them on ice right away. I ate some last night prepared by a blackened tuna recipe and it was quite good almost sushi-grade
I was relieved to hear that you liked the Jack. I'm from The Bahamas and Jacks remain a prized catch. Fishing (and eating the catch) is a lot about perception. It's great that you had the guts to admit to something many might criticize you for. (Many of which probably never tried it). I'm old enough to remember when chicken wings were 'trash.' Now, there are entire restaurant chains sustained by them. Great video.
+Kent Whylly AND I'm not even a good cook! Yet, I was able to make a decent meal out of this fish. That says something for Mr. Jack. If I had to cook chicken wings, they'd probably be inedible! LoL
You did a hero's job in filleting that Jack. I've found that the best way to clean them is to follow the center line from gill to tail, then take the top portion of the fish. While it can be done, as you proved, it's just too much work for that little bit of meat with all the bones and such. And it eliminates having to carve out the vein. Oven cooking is good, but I prefer pan frying. Either way, you've got to watch it and not overcook the meat. I usually go for them using ultra lite tackle with 4lb test line. That's some fun fishing! Almost as good as catching blues in the surf. From the scenery it looks like St. Augustine. Love that area. IMHO
I’ve heard the same thing, apparently people aren’t bleeding these things before the blood begins to clot up. Most who say something is “junk fish” have never tried for themselves, or it wasn’t properly prepared. So many fish are underrated, but the key is to bleed the fish out ASAP then trim out the blood line before cooking.
Been fishing for many years in the Indian river lagoon ft pierce, jacks are always there to rip a few yards from your reel. Old timers taught me to soak the filets in milk, beautiful texture comes out wether your grilling or frying. Try it out, you'll love the "garbage fish" even more!!
I made some into ceviche last year out of them on a trip to Florida. I too removed the dark flesh. It was excellent! A lot of fish are underrated as table fair
I used to get blues out of Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. We'd eat em without soaking them in milk. Perhaps I just don't have a discriminating palate. But I still might give it a shot with the jacks if it'll make em taste better.
Thanks for the info on these fish. I just baked whole barracuda and it's delicious. I will definitely try jack next time I catch one. I kayak fish south Florida. I love it. I never caught a redfish. I hear those fish taste great.
I think I'll go for some Jack!! Anything that gives you a valuable day of fishing, carries its value all the way to the plate when it's decided. Looks like a worthy day on the water everytime
I got a spot out there at Apollo beach where you can catch snook, redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead all in the same little bay . My flavorte spot out there by far. I also noticed another video of yours out at Williams Park. Fishing eadys for sheepshead. Dude great videos! Im a local and know all your spots . Great spots
That Redfish looked really tasty. Probably my favorite fish to eat. One day try a Jack; when I am camping and that is the only thing to eat. Good video.
As long as you remove the vein, most fish are good to eat. Even gamier fish can be tamed with a buttermilk soak. We ate a lot of bullhead, carp and shepshead growing up and buttermilk with a cornmeal breading were our best friend.
Great video. I'm also a yaker out of Tampa, FL. Crevalle has always been an acquired taste of mine. I hit Cochroach Bay and Lover's Cove on the weekends. Usually targeting Reds/Trout. Subscribed
Out here in hawaii we call then papio amd if over 10 lbs they are ulua. They are prized fish and everyone fishing from shore always wants to land those. They are delicious, even ate when sashimi with soy sauce and wasabi.
Another great video. Thanks for keeping them coming. I know you did a tackle box video a while ago. But was wondering if you would share how you rig your lures and live bait. Stuff like line and leader type, hardware, knots, that sort of thing. Unless I just missed it? Thanks again!
Hi Marty. Yes they are similar to Pompano. You'll have to try them smoked sometime. I agree with you that it's not a redfish (my favorite too) but there are so many species in our bays that are surprizingly good eating when Mr. Red won't come for dinner. btw... I also set a crab trap out while I'm fishing to hedge my bet when Mr. Red isn't interested. Another Great video Marty!
You do some great videos. Will keep watching, if you keep shooting the good stuff. Two days ago, fishing from a boat, had big jacks own me and my friends, Four or Five times. I lost several rigs and one complete spool of line, 30# braid and 40# leader broke off three times. I felt abused.
Loving your vids man, been watching em alot. My cousin taught me the bleed out trick and we tried it on some big Jack's awhile back, worked out nicely. Not gonna lie, my mouth watered a bit when you were loading up your plate lol
Its all in the prepping. I've gone as far as BBQing & smoking mackerel and it taste great with the right seasoning. Great video I'll be watching for more...
I have always heard about the fight of these fish and wanted to catch one. Maybe this coming weekend will be my chance and I will fillet it on your recommendation. Thanks for the video!
Around here(Hawaii) jacks are prized fish, in general we call under 10lb papio and over 10lb ulua and all the varitys have there own names. I would gusse that the large estuarys of the mainland could cause a muddy flavor but if the fish have good salty water and eat lots of shrimp and lobsters thay are realey good. I am sure your cleaning method cleaned up the flavor but I like to fry them so I can pick the ribs and head good.Realey well done video It was realey nice seeing someone enjoy themselves so much.
Hey I got a KILLER recipe for jack k made up myself. Now if you don't have a grill, I'm sure the oven would be just the same. Take the jack, filet it like you did in the video, add some fresh lemon and lime to really get that tropical taste in there, take some sea salt and black pepper and add some of that on there. Take some Rosemary like you did, (fresh works best) but here's where it sounds a little weird. Take a pinch of garlic salt and chili powder, and throw that in the oven till its white and flaky. Tastes amazing, and I'd recommend your try it
Brave eatin'! Never tried a small one, but once had a bud catch a 27lb and he was determined to find a way to cook it. We bleed it immediately and filleted it up. The next day I stopped by to check on his culinary testing. The house stunk, and he was carrying the leftovers fillets and his experiments to the trash. I always thought the small ones might be good if brined right and cold smoked. Great vids as always!
these fish look much like what we in australia call trevally but there's many different types of trevally here. On the south coast where I live our main species of trevally is the skippy or skipjack trevally. The head on your jacks looks different to our southern fish but it looks a lot closer to our northern trevally. Either way if they are bled correctly as you said, kept on ice and eaten fresh they are a pretty good chew if there's nothing else biting and you need a feed. I particularly like soaking a fresh skippy fillet in a brine and throwing it on the smoker.... very good.
+ED BONA I have used jack for shark bait be for, never thought of eating one.But back in the 70"s mullet was a bait fish in Texas and smoked mullet was good eating in Florida, so I may try it some time.
OUTSTANDING!!! Just like you, I've always trash talked this fish as far as food value. I do enjoy fighting them though. In that regard I think they are very UNDERRATED. I caught two five pounders today and released them. Next time I'm gonna take the plunge and cooked one up. Thanks for a GREAT video!
Would have loved to see a step by step of how to fillet this fish. I really do love your videos. Please keep them coming. Also, please if possible, can you make a step by step video on how to fillet fish. Thanks.
We have the same fish over here but we call them Trevally and every one over here in Australia says they are crap to eat but i took one home and roasted it whole with some herbs, sundried toms, Aussie olive oil and garlic and boy did it come up a treat tasted really nice and hardly any bones i will be keeping them for sure in the future for dinner.
Andrew Zimmer the guy from Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel told his guide while he was down in the keys that they are a delicious fish to eat and the fishing guide had always thought of them as a trash fish also Andrew put it on the BBQ Grill and now the fishing guide isn't throwing them back any longer hope to get down to that area next summer and so I can catch a Jack
+zoffinger amber are good buddy I'm from South texas an gar is also considered a trash fish but I eat the crop outta them lol...u might consider the asparagus being alot worse after u urinate awful smell buddy lol....
it's funny that in Belize, we think of the sheepshead as more trash fish. we still eat them, but there's a stigma attached to sheepshead and catfish because they are known to hang around outhouses that go over the water. Jack are great gamefish too.
Although not my preferred fish, they are decent if properly prepared. My experience has shown me the fastest way to do it is to fillet like normal, then cut a triangle down the length, removing both the pin bones and the blood line.
Fillets almost looked like blue fish. Same deal, cut tail, bleed, the only difference is we would soak the fillets in ginger ale for a while then bake with the usual seasoning. Ginger ale helped remove the oil from the fish, very good!
The smaller ones are probably better than the larger ones. I kept a small one once about the same size as yours and it was just as good as the flounder and trout I was catching.
I love the video...and I love catching jacks...especially the way they bulldog when they strike..and when I cook jack I also cut away the dark red part because it is very strong icky tasting..I generally use fresh dill and lemon and bake it then hit the broil the last 2-3 minutes....I think its pretty good as long as you remove most that dark red flesh. Great Video as always.
just caught my personal best jack today 17 inches caught him at weedon island today so awesome we need to fish i live in the bay area n would love the opportunity to fish with you maybe i could catch my first red
Hey Marty, try fresh asparagus next time. Hah! Super easy way to prepare is to cut off about an inch of the stem end just to remove the tough part, drizzle a bit of olive oil over them, a dash of seasalt, fresh black pepper. Then put them in a med size saute pan on med heat. Move them around a little bit so they don't burn. Cook until just tender, usually 4-5 minutes. Fresh squeezed lemon and some grated parmesan cheese while warm. You will love them! Guaranteed. Great vid! Keep them coming.
Paul Ocompo said it best, " it depends who cook them!" But For sure i am glad Marty made that video because now i also have an acquire taste for them as well! Although my wife thinks its still fishy! Lol.. Its not a bad fish to eat.
I don't know about not good table fare but those fishes are a prize here in the pacific, they are closely related to our skipjacks. If cooked right those fishes are going to be awesome chow.
I came up on a guy who had caught three buffalo carp and he was going to cut them up for bait. I grabbed one to experiment with. It was full of a lot of extra bones. So when you fried it you had to break it open to get any bones out first. So I baked the second batch like you did the jack and that made the bone removal a snap. Awesome tasting white fish.
![[柴犬ASMR]曼玉Manyu&小白Bai 毛发护理Spa asmr](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0TsXQ7z2Dh4/mqdefault.jpg)
Here in Hawai'i the Jack family is considered a delicacy. We have over a dozen varieties all considered great eating. Hearing of the terrible reputation the Jack Crevalle as far as eating quality I was thinking maybe it was a matter of taste- what you grew up with and used to. A few years ago my kid sis moved from Hawai'i to Fort Myers, Florida, and she and her then (now ex) husband were avid fishers so when they caught a Jack Crevalle which looked allot like our delicious "papio" they took it home and gave it a try. They said it tasted terrible and they couldn't finish it. C&R for all jacks ever since for her. I agree that bleeding it out, and removing the dark meat makes a world of difference, and worth the effort. All the jacks and trevallys are terrific fighters worth pursuing.
Thank you for writing, Ahnko Chee. I have a lot of respect for the trevallys :) One will star in the video I am editing now. A large 28 incher that fought very hard! They are high on the list of my favorite fish! Same can be said for the islands. They too hold a special place in my heart.
Thanks for that insight Ahnko! My wife and I were on the north side of Maui and there were people there fishing with 10' and 12' rods for what I have to assume are Papio. They looked like Jack but the guy I was talking to said they were outstanding eating. They were not the friendliest guys in the world but one finally and gruntingly talked to me lol
zoffinger Thanx 4 da video.....Cant believe wut people say...Gotta try it out like u did...I knew it was edible....Cant wait 2 test myself....
Gary Poyssick POMPANO...
I've enjoyed all of your videos that I have watched and have learned much from them (as well as your approach to problem solving), Thank you for both! I'm an 86 year-old guy who began kayaking in 1995 and fishing from an OK Scupper Pro in 1996 while on vacation off the Point of Rocks (Siesta Key, FL). Kayak fishing was very new at that time and learning was by trial and error. I used nothing but artificials, trolling the reefs most of the time and eventually caught quite a few excellent meals - mostly Pompano. The best fight by far was a Jack Cravelle - with an ultralight rig and 6# line. (It was about the same size of the first one you cooked on your video.) Even though I had been warned by the local "experts" that Jacks were an inedible trash fish I decided to try it separately from the rest of the catch. The fillets was firm and relatively odorless, but the texture looked "stringy" and I thought it might be on the "tough" side. In Wisconsin we boiled anything on the tough wide, and I decided to boil the Jack with shrimp spice - exactly as I prepare shrimp. Before serving the refrigerated fillets we cut them into small chunks and served them with shrimp sauce. Every guest who tried them wanted details of the 'gourmet' treat. I would rate the Jack edibility as very good. Kayak fishing for Jacks is great sport and great sport followed by good eating is a double whammy in this codger's book.
Meh for my mileage most fish taste pretty good. I think some people are just real picky, and then once word spreads people get it in their heads it is so.
Lobsters were considered garbage and used for fertilizer, pollock were considered garbage, most fish are edible and delicious. You just have to know how to cook them.
heeki yeah well things change. People often eat shit and think it's o.k, as I have but only once at a Holiday Inn restaurant, though the menu clearly said it was a burger lol
So your saying lobster is shit?
Heck NO I LOVE lobster, I'm saying that some fish like Snook and others that people never ate before are now considered high end. However, I have eaten shit once at a Holiday Inn restaurant, though it was disguised as a burger (that was a joke making fun of an over priced terrible hotel meal)
+PTBCANADIAN I guarantee you the hojo burger had feces from dozens if not a hundred cows. Eating any caught fish is infinitely better food and better for you
Oh definitely, out here in Hawaii that's one of the main fish we love to catch and eat. Smaller ones, just clean and pan fry, or throw it straight on the grill, and also sashimi style, sliced up raw. Definitely a good fish, and awesome fight while catching. Our clean ocean waters may have a little to do with taste compared to other places in the mainland, but I'm glad you gave it a shot, and glad you enjoyed that papio. Aloha.
After your videos it would be cool to watch you fillet the Reds and stuff?
I have been doing larger ones on the smoker for years. They are awesome smoked.
After so many years, I am still returning to this video ... it makes me go out and do some fishing.
In Trinidad and Tobago the Jack Crevalle is prized by the locals, they usually make it in a sauce with curry and green mangoes with habanero pepper over rice. its pretty expensive too, especially around Easter time.
I grew up in South Padre Island Texas I come from a fishing family we have our own shrimp boats and fishing guide services also restaurants none the less every weekend I would go fishing I still do and I would always listen to the old timers one because of the respect I have for elders too because I've never heard of anyone eating Jack however after reviewing several videos and yours and seeing that you're an honest guy I really want to try it by the way I really love your videos keep up the awesome work and thank you for sharing what you do
Your videos give me great pleasure. Thank you Marty
I've watched every one
Nice video! Jacks are fun to catch. It is interesting that they are in the same family as pompano but have a completely different reputation when it comes to the table.
I enjoy every single one of your videos, including this one! You seem like an amazing chef! Keep it up!
I enjoy all your videos, including this one! You seem like an amazing chef! Keep it up!
Got a 4 pound 10 ounce jack crevalle last night on a live pilchard. I've got to say my favorite method for cooking these bad boys is to cut the fillets into strips, squeeze some lemon over them, and then cook in an iron skillet.
That's it. If you want to go a step further get some tortillas, mango salsa, lettuce, sour cream, and the cooked strips from above and you will be on your way to some damn tasty fish tacos.
Great video! Thanks for posting.
Thank you for sharing! I enjoy your channel, and this is the honest assessment I was looking for. We threw back 3 nice n meaty jacks today, and I regret not trying them yet again. Pompano aren't going to bite every day!
Everyone said that Cobia was not a good tasting fish either (10-15 years ago). Now it is considered a very tasty fish.
Joshua Quackenbush Who said that? Ever? Lol. Never heard anyone say Cobia wasn't good.
Joshua Quackenbush cobia is my favorite fish to eat
You must have been in a weird place 10-15 years ago.
Joshua Quackenbush also snook used to be considered a trash fish. people used to called them soap fish because when you leave the skin on the fillet they taste like soap.
Joshua Quackenbush They said that about Snook years ago as well, called it "Soapfish" because of it's skin. They still don't consume it in the Caribbean islands because they mostly cook their fish whole. One day someone thought to fillet a Snook and voila! Amazing white fillets, no more soapy taste.
I love videos like this when you cook them at the end! Please keep doing more this one in the future it's really cool to see how people cook the fish after they catch em
Looking forward to trying this. Thnx for being open minded. Can't always take people's word for it.
In Hawaii we have a version/family member of the jacks (papio/ulua/omilu). Its the major shoreline game fish in hawaii and everyone eats them
We saw your bud light lol great video man keep it up you've have me so may ideas for my kayak and cooking and fishing. Keep it up
in Hawaii, we have a cousin called Blue Trevally. its a prized fish here for gamefishing n table fare. the smaller ones about 1 - 3 lbs are perfect for sashimi or frying.
he gotta fry um up
Another great video! I too love the jacks of Maui, Hawaii. Excellent fighters and excellent table fare. Must be different than the ones you get down there in FLA. Be well and fish on! Mark in Oregon
Great video and info! Thanks for sharing.
I live in Juno Beach and enjoy fishing at the pier. I can't count the times I've caught Crevalle Jacks & Blue Runners ... back in the water they go or I use them as bait. I noticed Asians keep them and also ribbonfish. I next Jack I catch I'm going to keep and eat it. If it's bad I'll let you know. Thanks for the video.
i speak from experience on blue runners, you HAVE TO cut out the vein on the skin side of the fillet along with the bones that run the entire length of the fillet. once that is done, they are not bad, but only cook enough to eat for one meal or they will get some off flavors the next day. havent tried bleeding them out before filleting though.
if you do leave the red vein on the fillets, it is much worse than raw anchovies
Another pleasant, relaxing easy watch of a video typical to your channel. One of my favorite internet stops, easily in my top 3 favorites.
I eat and enjoy jack crevalle. I eat the red meat and all. I think the secret is l putting them on ice right away. I ate some last night prepared by a blackened tuna recipe and it was quite good almost sushi-grade
Edible, yes. Flounder, grouper, snook? not even close.
I was relieved to hear that you liked the Jack. I'm from The Bahamas and Jacks remain a prized catch. Fishing (and eating the catch) is a lot about perception. It's great that you had the guts to admit to something many might criticize you for. (Many of which probably never tried it). I'm old enough to remember when chicken wings were 'trash.' Now, there are entire restaurant chains sustained by them. Great video.
+Kent Whylly AND I'm not even a good cook! Yet, I was able to make a decent meal out of this fish. That says something for Mr. Jack. If I had to cook chicken wings, they'd probably be inedible! LoL
Awesome video and thanks for letting us into your kitchen! :)
You did a hero's job in filleting that Jack. I've found that the best way to clean them is to follow the center line from gill to tail, then take the top portion of the fish. While it can be done, as you proved, it's just too much work for that little bit of meat with all the bones and such. And it eliminates having to carve out the vein. Oven cooking is good, but I prefer pan frying. Either way, you've got to watch it and not overcook the meat. I usually go for them using ultra lite tackle with 4lb test line. That's some fun fishing! Almost as good as catching blues in the surf. From the scenery it looks like St. Augustine. Love that area. IMHO
Those Jacks taste great! We love them here in P.R.! 👌
I’ve heard the same thing, apparently people aren’t bleeding these things before the blood begins to clot up. Most who say something is “junk fish” have never tried for themselves, or it wasn’t properly prepared. So many fish are underrated, but the key is to bleed the fish out ASAP then trim out the blood line before cooking.
Been fishing for many years in the Indian river lagoon ft pierce, jacks are always there to rip a few yards from your reel. Old timers taught me to soak the filets in milk, beautiful texture comes out wether your grilling or frying. Try it out, you'll love the "garbage fish" even more!!
I made some into ceviche last year out of them on a trip to Florida. I too removed the dark flesh. It was excellent! A lot of fish are underrated as table fair
Thanks for sharing I'll have to try it them one day!!!
I used to get blues out of Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. We'd eat em without soaking them in milk. Perhaps I just don't have a discriminating palate. But I still might give it a shot with the jacks if it'll make em taste better.
Thanks for the info on these fish. I just baked whole barracuda and it's delicious. I will definitely try jack next time I catch one. I kayak fish south Florida. I love it. I never caught a redfish. I hear those fish taste great.
I think I'll go for some Jack!! Anything that gives you a valuable day of fishing, carries its value all the way to the plate when it's decided. Looks like a worthy day on the water everytime
I got a spot out there at Apollo beach where you can catch snook, redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead all in the same little bay . My flavorte spot out there by far. I also noticed another video of yours out at Williams Park. Fishing eadys for sheepshead. Dude great videos! Im a local and know all your spots . Great spots
Really cool vid man, it was cool to see the whole process!
I eat them sometimes too. They're like mini tuna! If we could get them to jump like ladyfish they'd be the ultimate fighting fish.
That Redfish looked really tasty. Probably my favorite fish to eat. One day try a Jack; when I am camping and that is the only thing to eat. Good video.
As long as you remove the vein, most fish are good to eat. Even gamier fish can be tamed with a buttermilk soak. We ate a lot of bullhead, carp and shepshead growing up and buttermilk with a cornmeal breading were our best friend.
I agree. I don't know why so many people say carp is trash fish. The only bad thing is all the bones it has.
Great video. I'm also a yaker out of Tampa, FL. Crevalle has always been an acquired taste of mine. I hit Cochroach Bay and Lover's Cove on the weekends. Usually targeting Reds/Trout. Subscribed
Out here in hawaii we call then papio amd if over 10 lbs they are ulua. They are prized fish and everyone fishing from shore always wants to land those. They are delicious, even ate when sashimi with soy sauce and wasabi.
Another great video. Thanks for keeping them coming. I know you did a tackle box video a while ago. But was wondering if you would share how you rig your lures and live bait. Stuff like line and leader type, hardware, knots, that sort of thing. Unless I just missed it? Thanks again!
Hi Marty. Yes they are similar to Pompano. You'll have to try them smoked sometime. I agree with you that it's not a redfish (my favorite too) but there are so many species in our bays that are surprizingly good eating when Mr. Red won't come for dinner. btw... I also set a crab trap out while I'm fishing to hedge my bet when Mr. Red isn't interested. Another Great video Marty!
You do some great videos. Will keep watching, if you keep shooting the good stuff. Two days ago, fishing from a boat, had big jacks own me and my friends, Four or Five times. I lost several rigs and one complete spool of line, 30# braid and 40# leader broke off three times. I felt abused.
Great video as always keepem coming
These videos are great
I'm new here ... 1 time watching your videos ... I just want to say they are great ... thanks for the information .
Loving your vids man, been watching em alot. My cousin taught me the bleed out trick and we tried it on some big Jack's awhile back, worked out nicely. Not gonna lie, my mouth watered a bit when you were loading up your plate lol
Its all in the prepping. I've gone as far as BBQing & smoking mackerel and it taste great with the right seasoning. Great video I'll be watching for more...
I have always heard about the fight of these fish and wanted to catch one. Maybe this coming weekend will be my chance and I will fillet it on your recommendation. Thanks for the video!
Great video. Loved the red fish at the end
Around here(Hawaii) jacks are prized fish, in general we call under 10lb papio and over 10lb ulua and all the varitys have there own names. I would gusse that the large estuarys of the mainland could cause a muddy flavor but if the fish have good salty water and eat lots of shrimp and lobsters thay are realey good. I am sure your cleaning method cleaned up the flavor but I like to fry them so I can pick the ribs and head good.Realey well done video It was realey nice seeing someone enjoy themselves so much.
Never tried a Papio or Ulua yet. Can you compare the flavor to another fish?
+antoeknee wongjoy they're jacks, they just have different names based on size.
Hey I got a KILLER recipe for jack k made up myself. Now if you don't have a grill, I'm sure the oven would be just the same. Take the jack, filet it like you did in the video, add some fresh lemon and lime to really get that tropical taste in there, take some sea salt and black pepper and add some of that on there. Take some Rosemary like you did, (fresh works best) but here's where it sounds a little weird. Take a pinch of garlic salt and chili powder, and throw that in the oven till its white and flaky. Tastes amazing, and I'd recommend your try it
You`ve convinced me next time I make it down there I`m going to give it a shot !
Brave eatin'! Never tried a small one, but once had a bud catch a 27lb and he was determined to find a way to cook it. We bleed it immediately and filleted it up. The next day I stopped by to check on his culinary testing. The house stunk, and he was carrying the leftovers fillets and his experiments to the trash. I always thought the small ones might be good if brined right and cold smoked. Great vids as always!
these fish look much like what we in australia call trevally but there's many different types of trevally here. On the south coast where I live our main species of trevally is the skippy or skipjack trevally. The head on your jacks looks different to our southern fish but it looks a lot closer to our northern trevally. Either way if they are bled correctly as you said, kept on ice and eaten fresh they are a pretty good chew if there's nothing else biting and you need a feed. I particularly like soaking a fresh skippy fillet in a brine and throwing it on the smoker.... very good.
yeah i was thinking they looked more like golden trevally, but i live in perth and haven't seen many because they prefer the warmer water up north.
Good eating if you cook them right. Caribbean style.
+ED BONA they are really good, one of my favorites
+ED BONA I have used jack for shark bait be for, never thought of eating one.But back in the 70"s mullet was a bait fish in Texas and smoked mullet was good eating in Florida, so I may try it some time.
+bill smith bleed it and cut into steaks. lots of receipes on YT.
+bill smith smoke mullet is very good ! as good as snook
Cajun style is better
Awesome video, I've always wondered if all the bad press is valid. Maybe the next one I catch will have to go in the oven. Thanks
Interesting video. May try a jack one day based on your review. Catch a big one!
Love your videos
OUTSTANDING!!! Just like you, I've always trash talked this fish as far as food value. I do enjoy fighting them though. In that regard I think they are very UNDERRATED. I caught two five pounders today and released them. Next time I'm gonna take the plunge and cooked one up. Thanks for a GREAT video!
Would have loved to see a step by step of how to fillet this fish. I really do love your videos. Please keep them coming. Also, please if possible, can you make a step by step video on how to fillet fish. Thanks.
We have the same fish over here but we call them Trevally and every one over here in Australia says they are crap to eat but i took one home and roasted it whole with some herbs, sundried toms, Aussie olive oil and garlic and boy did it come up a treat tasted really nice and hardly any bones i will be keeping them for sure in the future for dinner.
+Adam Crane those are trevally jack, they're different. there are several species of jack
Wow thanks for the video, I was always told that they were bad but the next Jack I catch i will give it a try, heck it might be great grilled.
caught some jack by big bend the other weekend and it was alot of fun
im digging the white russian ingredients in the background
Exactly lol! And my Dad's brand too!! 👍🏽
Here in Hawaii we consider jacks one of the best eating fish glad you think so too
I tried jack for the first time last week. I seasoned it up with everglades seasoning and then fried it and it was delicious.
Andrew Zimmer the guy from Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel told his guide while he was down in the keys that they are a delicious fish to eat and the fishing guide had always thought of them as a trash fish also Andrew put it on the BBQ Grill and now the fishing guide isn't throwing them back any longer hope to get down to that area next summer and so I can catch a Jack
kewl.
+zoffinger amber are good buddy I'm from South texas an gar is also considered a trash fish but I eat the crop outta them lol...u might consider the asparagus being alot worse after u urinate awful smell buddy lol....
+zoffinger kool videos there relaxing lol
+zoffinger u pretty good with arts an crafts an fishing awesome do a video on catching grouper....
Yeah, but that guy shoots his wad when someone feeds him a turd. Not sure I trust his opinion.
Out here in hawaii we have omilu (blue fun trevally). Pound for pound they fight super hard. Just like the ones you catch. Thanks for the videos.
Fin***
+Matthew Murray Oh yes, the papio are delicious I live on Oahu what island do you live in
it's funny that in Belize, we think of the sheepshead as more trash fish. we still eat them, but there's a stigma attached to sheepshead and catfish because they are known to hang around outhouses that go over the water. Jack are great gamefish too.
Those Jacks can get huge! That would be a trip from a small kayak, Skip!
I recently found your channel and I can say that I am a fan sir! Keep doing what you do and I'll keep watching.
Aaron
Although not my preferred fish, they are decent if properly prepared.
My experience has shown me the fastest way to do it is to fillet like normal, then cut a triangle down the length, removing both the pin bones and the blood line.
I have never caught a Jack but I always have wanted to. I've heard the fight is awsome. Thanks for the video.
Fillets almost looked like blue fish. Same deal, cut tail, bleed, the only difference is we would soak the fillets in ginger ale for a while then bake with the usual seasoning. Ginger ale helped remove the oil from the fish, very good!
The "Bob Ross" of fishing!!
The smaller ones are probably better than the larger ones. I kept a small one once about the same size as yours and it was just as good as the flounder and trout I was catching.
nice video my friend!!! Keep posting more videos fishing and cooking!!!
I love the video...and I love catching jacks...especially the way they bulldog when they strike..and when I cook jack I also cut away the dark red part because it is very strong icky tasting..I generally use fresh dill and lemon and bake it then hit the broil the last 2-3 minutes....I think its pretty good as long as you remove most that dark red flesh. Great Video as always.
just caught my personal best jack today 17 inches caught him at weedon island today so awesome we need to fish i live in the bay area n would love the opportunity to fish with you maybe i could catch my first red
Hey Marty, try fresh asparagus next time. Hah! Super easy way to prepare is to cut off about an inch of the stem end just to remove the tough part, drizzle a bit of olive oil over them, a dash of seasalt, fresh black pepper. Then put them in a med size saute pan on med heat. Move them around a little bit so they don't burn. Cook until just tender, usually 4-5 minutes. Fresh squeezed lemon and some grated parmesan cheese while warm. You will love them! Guaranteed. Great vid! Keep them coming.
Thanks, redfish1286. Interesting idea about the crab traps.
I swear I am craving fish so much right now.
I'm tempted to try it.
Caught a 40lb Jack Crevalle in Puerta Vallarta. Much darker meat. Maybe the best fish I've ever eaten.
they're actually really really good tasting yum yum😝
In Hawaii we no fillet we fry the whole thing salt and peppah then make the Filipino Salsa with chopped sweet onion, tomatoes, and Fish Sauce (Patis)
Paul Ocompo said it best, " it depends who cook them!" But For sure i am glad Marty made that video because now i also have an acquire taste for them as well! Although my wife thinks its still fishy! Lol.. Its not a bad fish to eat.
Thanks for the awesome vid man! I usually use them for Shark bait... Now they will also be used as table fair!
I don't know about not good table fare but those fishes are a prize here in the pacific, they are closely related to our skipjacks. If cooked right those fishes are going to be awesome chow.
yeah, great fish in guam!
You should try ceviche JT great video I wish I was back home fishing or in FL
a good fish to eat..we always used to fish some jacks in the river and bring them home for food..
Great video as usual btw!
I came up on a guy who had caught three buffalo carp and he was going to cut them up for bait. I grabbed one to experiment with. It was full of a lot of extra bones. So when you fried it you had to break it open to get any bones out first. So I baked the second batch like you did the jack and that made the bone removal a snap. Awesome tasting white fish.
They are GOOD, I no longer toss them back! Nice video Marty.
Thanks buddy!
*****
***** it's called mercury. Don't eat fish every day and u r fine to eat watever fish u want. Yes I've even eaten sculpin