Offshore overnighter trip Report 9/13-14

[Fillet1]

I went on an overnighter to the Spencer Canyon thursday to friday on a friend's boat. Final tally was 3 yellowfin, 5 longfin and three mahi. Beautiful weather and nice trip. Here are some pics:

Flat conditions for the 70 mile run:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1091.jpg

Still running at sunset:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1092.jpg

After dropping a big fish at 9:00pm and only getting 3 chicken dolphin throughout the night, the yellows started coming at 4:15 am:
2 at a time:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1097.jpg

another:(we dropped 2 at the back of the boat and missed/loss a few more)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1096.jpg

The sunrise:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1101.jpg

On the troll we got some longfin:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1107.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1109.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1104.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1103.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1108.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1102.jpg

The fish box at the end of the day:(some fish already cleaned)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1110.jpg


Steaks anyone? ;D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/IMGP1119.jpg

[Harry]

Damn I'm getting the itch BAD !!! My buddy got his 45' Ocean the other day so I hope we get out soon

What did you say the name of your buddies boat is? I know you told me before.


Did you guys take any ice with you? I guess with all the meat and blood it melted...... ;D

Nice job man, Them long fins are some good eatin !!!

[Fillet1]

Harry - The "Guacomole Rocket" is the boat. Now would be a good time to go. 8)

As for the Ice - we pulled it out of the box before the pic. We scavenged it for the coolers I was putting the sides of the tuna into at the dock.

I'm eating good tonight!

[bushwacker]

YELLOWFIN THATS MY FAVORITE. LOOKS LIKE YOU HAD A GREAT TIME. IF YOU NOTICE YOUR MEAT IS A LITTLE WHITE. YOU SHOULDN'T WASH IT. KEEP YOUR CLEANING AREA CLEAN AND JUST PUT IT IN THE BAGS BLOODY. WHEN YOU COOK IT IT WILL TASTE LIKE A STEAK. IF YOU WASH IT BEFORE YOU COOK IT , IT TASTE LIKE TUNA. I DO MARINATE IT IN WORSTERSHIRE , SALT, AND PEPPER. ONLY COOK IT ABOUT 3MIN LEAVING IT A LITTLE PINK IN MIDDLE. MMMMMMMMMMMMUH :P

[Fillet1]

The lighter steaks are Longfin albacore. Thats most of what you see in the pic. Its lighter than yellowfin.

About the blood-- I dont like no bloody tuna!! Although you have me thinking.. ;D

I bleed all of our tuna as soon as caught - one cut on each side at the artery near the pectoral. No baseball bats to the head either - I want them alive and pumping when bled. The better they are bled and iced the better the meat IMO. I used to cut the fish right behind the head after bleeding it and run a piece of 400lb mono down the spinal canal to kill the nerves. That what japanese do with bluefin. I couldnt tell the difference personally.

I take it home in quarters and steak it up for friends. I rinse the scales, blood and bs off the quarters, pat them dry with paper towels, trim any dark meat/bones then steak them and bag them. The bags go in a sink filled with water to get most of the air out.

For myself I keep whole chunks of loin in the refrigerator in bags. You will notice that the bag will have a bunch of fish juice in the bottom the next day. Each day I take the loin out, rinse it, pat it dry and re-bag it. As I eat it I cut steaks off the loin.

[Dave]

Fillet1, you definitely got the drill down and take uncommon care in preserving your catch. Like wild game, I'm a firm believer that many a folks have been spoiled to liking fish and game because of a poor first experience.

I too, like to bleed all “oily” fish as well, soon as they come on board, and ice them heavily, keeping them ice cold until they eventually go to the freezer - I keep the ice drained as much as possible to keep the fish from floating. I'll pull only one fish at a time out of the (iced) box and clean it, leaving the rest in the box to stay chilled. As I prepare to fillet the fish, (no bones - no complaints) I'll quickly hose it off to remove the slime and blood - I do this as quickly and as lightly as possible in order to keep the fish cold as possible. I keep my hands relatively clean of blood and slime with a nearby hose as I proceed with the cleaning and rarely is there any blood or scales on the fillet as it separates from the carcass. If it's warm outside, I like to place the fillets on a bed of ice as I continue cleaning the remaining fish. I don't like to have to rinse the fish but usually do (mostly to satisfy my wife, who is often in the kitchen helping me bag up the fillets) but only very lightly in order to pass the boss’s visual scrutiny. I also will be one who will prepare the fish for the table and being the detail oriented fellow that I am, I’m observant of the effects of the cleaning/storage process and how it effects preparation and presentation and ultimately, flavor and taste.

Here’s a quick and favorite recipe for fresh tuna - don't try it with canned tuna - it ain't even close... I learned this one from a charter boat chef (well, “chef” might be an exaggeration, but he was a damn fine cook IMO) on a tuna fishing charter out of Point Loma in San Diego, (circa 1978). When I watched him putting these ingredients together on the galley grill, I thought he was nuts – but brother was it good! I’ve been pleasantly surprising houseguests with this breakfast for decades. The tuna was of the Albacore variety (choicest of them all) but in NC, I have to settle for Yellowfin, which is damn near as good. Here goes – don’t think about it just try it and I’ll bet you’ll like it.

My family calls this simple recipe "Pop's Seafarer's Breakfast".

¼ stick of (real) Butter
1 Cup (or more) fresh tuna fillet, cut into bite sized chunks
6 Eggs, lightly beaten
Garlic Powder (go easy if you don’t absolutely love garlic – this stuff is concentrated)
Salt
Black Pepper (fresh ground preferred)

READ THIS COMPLETELY BEFORE BEGINNING TO COOK – it goes very fast and you need to be prepared to work fast!

If you have time, let the tuna rest (outside the refrigerator) until it reaches room temperature.

Heat up a griddle or large frying pan to medium/high hot. Add butter to melt it, keep it moving in the pan, being careful to NOT burn the butter – remove the pan from the fire if it begins to turn brown – BE QUICK – butter burns very easily. The idea here is to get the pan as hot as possible without burning the butter – you want the tuna to hit the pan with a sizzle.

Pat the tuna dry if it has any residual moisture on it. Add the tuna and start stirring it immediately, in order to coat it fairly evenly with the butter and lightly brown it evenly as possible. The tuna should turn opaque almost immediately and start turning (very) light brown within a very few minutes – don’t over cook the tuna. You may have to crank up the heat immediately upon dumping in the tuna, especially if the tuna was cold from the refrigerator. You don’t want the tuna to “steam” in the pan – you want to sauté it.

Cut down the fire some and add the eggs, stirring the tuna and eggs together, sprinkle on some Garlic Powder, salt and pepper (or salt and pepper immediately after removing from pan) and continue to stir until the eggs are soft scrambled. Remove to serving plate and serve HOT. It helps here to have the toast done, drinks pored, and the table set with folks bellied up, ready to chow down.

Regards,
Dave

[Fillet1]

Dave,

That sounds great. I'll have to give it a shot. We may have one more offshore trip left this year. Otherwise I'll take all the striper recipies you got!

[Dave]

Ya GOTTA get out again - QUICK - while the weather, water temp, and sea conditions are holding. I hope the temps stay right for a long inshore season here in the Carolina's. I told myself I'd design and rig this boat for inshore fishing but I'm really getting the fever to venture out this fall - I'm cleaning up and taking inventory of all my off-shore gear this week ;D I'll let you know about the stripers when and if I ever catch one - supposed to be some in this area - anyone itchin' to teach an old salt where and how it's done, give me a shout.