Caring For Your Catch
There are lots of good reasons to fish for walleye, but what could be a better one than a meal of golden-brown fillets, sizzlin' and spittin' in a hot frying pan. Most anglers agree that when it comes to table fare, walleye ranks at the head of the class.
To insure that every walleye you catch becomes a gourmet's delight, the professionals on the Lindy Little Joe Fishing Team offer the following tips on caring for your catch:
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ON THE WATER
So you've caught a mess of walleyes. Now what? Lindy's pros suggest that you:
a) keep the fish alive in an aerated live well or,
b) place them in a cooler on ice.
DO NOT put them on a stringer on a warm day. As fish die, a lot of things happen internally, and all of them disflavor the meat. You wouldn't let a sirloin steak bake in the hot sun all afternoon would you? You shouldn't do it with fish either. If your boat isn't equipped with a livewell, place the fish on ice, which will keep the meat fresh until you clean it.
When you come off the water, take the fish to the cleaning table as soon as possible. Don't let them lay on the bottom of the boat or on the dock while you have a sandwich. The faster they're cleaned, the better they will taste.
AT THE CLEANING TABLE
Fillet the fish with a clean knife on a clean table. Rinse the fillets thoroughly with cold water, removing any excess blood. Place them in sealed bags and put them in a cooler on top of the ice. Never store fish in water. Soaking the fillets will result in mushy meat.
Always cut away the lateral line, that dark-colored section of meat down the middle of the fillet. This is especially important with larger fish that have big lateral lines. The lateral line in a 6 pound fish will have a foul taste.
And when dealing with big fish, it's a good idea to cut the thick fillets crossways, creating two thin fillets. One of the reasons people complain about the eating quality of big fish is that the fillets are often so thick they don't get done in the middle. One six-pound walleye should yield six fillets the size of two fillets from a two-pound fish. And they'll taste every bit as good as the meat from a two-pounder.
FREEZING YOUR WALLEYE
Fish tastes best when it's fresh. The Lindy pros encourage anglers to keep just enough for a meal and release the rest.
However, if you do plan to freeze some fish, here's a great tip, courtesy of the Food Science Department of North Carolina State University.
Stir one envelope of unflavored gelatin into a mixture of one-quarter cup of lemon juice and 1-1/2 cups of cold water. Place the mixture on a low heat, stirring until the gelatin is dissolved. Dip the fillets in the mixture, shake off the excess and place in plastic freezer bags.
The protective dip provides an air-tight glaze that prevents freezer burn. According to the experts at North Carolina State, fish can be frozen for six months to a year when protected by this dip.
WALLEYE RECIPES
There are lots of wonderful recipes for walleyes. Here's two old standbys that are favorites with the Lindy Fishing Team.
For pan-fried walleyes, you can't beat cracker crumbs. Using a rolling pin, grind crackers to a fine powder. Cover the crumbs with a seasoning salt (like Lawry's), then cover the seasoning salt with garlic. Sprinkle on some black pepper.
In a separate dish mix one egg and a cup of milk. Wash the fillets in cold water and pat dry on paper towels. Dip the fillets first in the egg-milk mixture, let the excess drip off and roll them in the cracker crumbs until thoroughly breaded.
In a frying pan (preferably cast iron) melt butter and butter-flavored shortening. The shortening keeps the butter from burning. Place on a medium-low heat until golden-brown.
Another of our favorites is grilled walleye. Melt a quarter pound of butter and season (garlic salt, pepper, lemon-pepper are good) to taste. Roll a fillet in the mixture until soaked, sprinkle on some dill, then place in tin foil. Seal the foil and place on a hot grill for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the fillets. Grilling works especially well with bigger (five-pound fish or larger) fillets. |
