Shooting Triggers?

MrBill_FTL · Jul 24, 2009

Hi there, I don't visit too often, but was looking over the site and saw a video of spearing in WPB, and saw some trigger fish and what I think are jacks (yellow?)

I see triggers all the time, but never though about eating one.

how is it? and is there a size limit?

I'm thinking they need to be pretty big to get a deicent fillet liike hog fish, no?

school me on triggers and maybe the jacks...

thanks.

going out sat to check my spots... praying weather holds up few more days!

MrBill_FTL · Jul 24, 2009

here's the thread...

steve from st lucie..

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/un...-spearfishing-video-palm-beach-6-27-09-a.html

djtimmy77 · Jul 24, 2009

While I don't spearfish I do go fishing from time to time. When we catch a legal triggerfish we usually keep them, as they are pretty good.

Many people don't like to keep triggerfish because their skin is tough and that makes them more difficult to clean. Some people use special techniques that make them easy to clean but whenever I catch one of legal size I just use a sharp knife.

MrBill_FTL · Jul 24, 2009

looks like 14" min. (fork)

FWC Saltwater Fishing Regulations - Amberjack and Triggerfish

small filets ? any cleaning tricks?

I was diving some towers once and my buddy took a tile fish, good size. said they were delicious, like a hogfish... never looked at them twice either.. maybe I've been missing out all these years...

are they good eating?

Hank49 · Jul 24, 2009

I eat yellow and horse eye jacks. I honestly don't think there is a bad tasting fish (some sharks maybe). The key is gutting and getting them packed in ice as soon as you land them.

Hetland · Jul 25, 2009

Triggerfish taste terrible and can't be cleaned. Stay far, far away from triggers

I make my incision along the thin edge of the underside of the fish, and follow the bones/spine. This way, I'm only going against the skin once. The rest of the cuts are from the inside of the skin, out.

I always leave the skin on, and grill, skin-side down for a few minutes, then flip, to finish. The meat then slides right off the skin, like it's a plate.

Triggerfish is very mild, so go very light on the seasoning. I usually use olive oil, lemon juice, maybe some minced garlic, and that's it.

You certainly won't get tons of meat from a trigger, but the meat you get is high quality.

As for jacks, I'm not a big fan of the oilier, buttery fish, so I only shoot jacks if someone on the boat wants to trade me for snapper or triggers

marinediva · Jul 25, 2009

Have to agree, Triggerfish are tough, oily, muddy flavour fish.
I could think of no good reason to eat them, or kill them for that matter, unless you were being attacked. There are plenty of other fish that would rate a better meal than triggers.

As a chef, I would rate them on a scale of eatability hhhmmmm a 1 out of 5.
Jeezzz I would prefer to eat Barracudda and deal with all the bones, at least the flesh is sweet.

cldomson1 · Jul 26, 2009

Triggerfish in the gulf taste awesome, a very firm white filet. Its tough finding them over 14" now with the new regs. They also make great ceviche.

Just make sure you string them through the mouth or they'll bite you badly. :crafty:

Charlie

Hetland · Jul 26, 2009

cldomson1:
Just make sure you string them through the mouth or they'll bite you badly.

Ohhh forgot to mention that. Very good advice!

OtterMN · Jul 26, 2009

Hetland:
Triggerfish taste terrible and can't be cleaned. Stay far, far away from triggers

Shooting Triggers?

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