# Yellowfin pike - love or loathe?



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

I have a workmate ("the manchild") who often buys mullet fillets at the market, and doesn't mind a strong-tasting fish. I always seem to get a few yellowfin pike as bycatch when I'm chasing snapper, but rarely keep them (the smell puts me right off), so last weekend I kept 2 fish and gave him the fillets. Today the manchild came in raving about them. I personally am not a big fan and would much prefer other fish as table fare (snapper, morwong, red rock cod etc).

What say you?


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

Never kept one, but (as with most fish) I bet the smell is in the slimecoat. Next decent one I get will be sacrificed in the name of kitchen science. I released one two weeks ago that would have been over the kilo mark.

Who's free for dinner? What's on? Mmmm, stinky pike sashimi.


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

I don't even touch them to get them off the hook, so preparing them could be an issue.


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## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Tried em once - fresh skinless fillets - BBQed - was pleasantly surprised. Softish though.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

Stinky stinky pike need I say more ;-)


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Gotta try that soup recipe Leigh, looks the goods ;-)

And congrats Ant on hitting 5000 posts!


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## proangler (Nov 27, 2008)

Only thing they're worth using for is bait ;-)


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

As promised above I kept the first decent sized pike I got on Sunday (out of about 10).

First impressions (just out of the water) - stinky, soft, stinky, shedding stinky scales, stinky.

Second impression (cleaning on the beach) - ugh

Third impression (out of the fridge, cleaned & scaled) - stinky.

Fourth impression (filleted, skinned, dodgy bits cut out) - actually not that bad. Smell's gone, just smells of the sea. Nice clean white fillets, not very large (I was pretty diligent in chucking icky bits), probably edible.

Fifth impression (sashimi) - rated by the 9yo as delicious, can I have more? Rated by me as perfectly acceptable, a little soft, no strong taste, texture better as sashimi than drummer, not as good as hairtail.

Sixth impression (floured, seasoned, panfried in butter, finished with lemon) - really pretty OK. Still soft, not at all stinky, pleasant subtle flavour, pretty good really. Not as succulent as the drummer I cooked it with, nowhere near as firm, but served by itself, most people wouldn't complain.


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

kraley said:


> Yuck.


You free for dinner Sat'dy night Ken?


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## garyp (May 30, 2008)

stink like a year old egg sanga


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## solatree (May 30, 2008)

proangler said:


> floured, seasoned, panfried in butter, finished with lemon) - really pretty OK. Still soft, not at all stinky, pleasant subtle flavour, pretty good really. ........served by itself, most people wouldn't complain.


Yep - very similar to my experience. A lot of fish that get a bad a wrap are ok if treated properly after being caught - I take out a Techniice sheet and kill and chill any fish I'm going to keep to eat. Makes a big diference to some fish that otherwise wouldn't taste that great.


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Fine work Detective SBD  I must admit to being amazed at your rating of pike as a decent sashimi candidate - I must give them more of a go in the future ;-)


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## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Bertros said:


> where can you pick these bad boys up?


I ordered a pretty good value 60l Techniice Ice Box off the web around 3 years ago and got my first 6 sheets of techniice (which I'm still using) thrown in free - http://www.techniice.com/english/iceboxes.asp

They really do last a long time - I've was really impressed - so got a second set of 6 sheets from Rays Outdoors when I saw them on sale there - not sure if they still stock them. Be warned though, they do absorb "fishy" liquid - so best to keep them in a separate bag to the fish.


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

proangler said:


> Only thing they're worth using for is bait ;-)


Big fat one trolled whole 

Cheers andybear


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## RackRaider (Nov 10, 2010)

if pike are ok, how do Longtom taste?


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

RackRaider said:


> if pike are ok, how do Longtom taste?


OK apparently (not from personal experience), but they have green bones (blech).


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

RackRaider said:


> if pike are ok, how do Longtom taste?


Bony.


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## Lachy (Nov 22, 2010)

i love catrching them, the bigger ones go alright on light gear, and i find that marinated and fryed they're not too bad on a plate either, but i'd rather a tailor or flatty anyday! 
not too mention they're GREAT bait, in moreton bay the yellowtail kingies munch em' up live


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## cobeking (Mar 29, 2010)

Pike are absoulutly beatiful.and so is silver drummer believe it or not


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## roller (Jun 18, 2009)

I've caught a few great bait, but I never considered eating them


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