I went to the "Florida Fishing College" this past Saturday at the civic center in Palmetto. It was put on by the Bradenton Herald, and boy, did it suck compared to previous years! But while I was there, I stopped by the Florida Wildlife Commission table to get a new set of hunting and fishing regs. I overhead one of the FWC officers telling this old Yankee snowbird that lots of people were keping and eating ladyfish, that they were supposedly very good!
Now I didn't want to contradict the guy, but I've always ben told that they were bony, bloody and not too good. But I got to thinking about it, and I have never actually filleted one out or even thought about trying it. I just went by what everyone else told me, that they make good tarpon bait, or cut bait for grouper, but weren't worth human consumption.
So, anyone know for sure whether or not the ladyfish are worth eating? If they are, me and bodysnatcher threw back a lot of good eating a few weeks ago!
They say years ago, back in the 40s or 50s, people called snook "soapfish" and considered them trash. Seems if you cook them with the skin on it ruins the meat. But fillet them out and remove the skin, and you couldn't find much better fish to eat. Maybe the ladyfish has gotten a bad rap. I just don't feel like experimenting, so that's why I'm hoping somebody here has actually tried them out.
That is true about snok. If you fry a filet w/ skin on it will taste like soap. Yall might think I am crazy, but I don't really care for snook. Sure they are good, but there are better fish IMHO
As for ladyfish, I keep everyone I catch. They make great cutbait for my offshore trips, but have never tried to eat one. I cant eat something that craps its bodyweight all over the boat
people just dont like them because of the bones but they are edible some mexican guys i used to work with made tacos out of them
