A catfish story........

[Bob Wright]

Years ago I had a neighbor, long since dead now, who was a WW II veteran and a "good ol' boy" from Alabama. His wife from Wisconsin.

Now Herman was a fisherman, cane pole, rod and reel, or trot lines; it didn't matter as long (dynamite? never was sure.) as it put fish on the table. Catfish or crappie.

Visiting his wife's family, he was introduced to ice fishing in Wisconsin. I don't know what kind of fish they caught through those ice holes, but smoking them was a popular way to serve them.

So, Herman got a brilliant idea, take some catfish up north and smoke them. So he did this, taking frozen catfish along for the trip. Sure enough, they smoked a bunch for a family meal.

They all agreed it was good. But nobody asked for seconds.

Bob Wright

 

[Acorn]

Reminds me of the only time I tried to cook catfish on my charcoal grill. I couldn’t get it cooked in the middle. I’d eat some and the get to a cold mushy spot an have to grow it back on to cook some more. My wife hates fish and was getting more than a little pleasure at my difficulties. Finally, I just gave up and put down for the dog. The walked to the dish, sniffed, looked at me as if to say “What am I supposed to do with this mess?” And walked away.

 

[jimbo1096]

Being from the South, Catfish just has to be fried. Ain't no other respectable way to serve it, and bring on the green onion hush puppies and sweet 'tater fries!

 

[pisgah]

Being from the South, Catfish just has to be fried. Ain't no other respectable way to serve it, and bring on the green onion hush puppies and sweet 'tater fries!

I beg to disagree. Although fried is certainly the most popular way to serve catfish, a catfish stew done right is darned hard to resist.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Being from the South, Catfish just has to be fried. Ain't no other respectable way to serve it, and bring on the green onion hush puppies and sweet 'tater fries!

Let's Hear an :

AMEN, AMEN AMEN !!

 

[SAJohn]

Acorn, if your dog will not eat it, you know it is really bad.

I am not a great fan of most fish but deep fried fresh halibut, tuna, salmon patties, and fried catfish are all favorites. The ocean also provides me with cracked steamed crab and boiled lobster, for which I am deeply grateful.

 

[Kevin]

I’ve never had catfish until I moved to Texas. Man is it good. Fried with hush puppies and coleslaw!

In Dallas there is a place close to downtown, Flying Fish. If you are close, look it up. Very tasty!

We were at another place outside of town. I was with my daughter and my parents. When my mom asked if they have fish and chips. The woman told her, oh no, we serve French fries with our fish. We all smiled at each other, but didn’t correct the waitress.

But oh yeah! I’ve really started to like catfish.

 

[Bob Wright]

If I have been correctly informed, catfish is the number one crop with Mississippi farmers. Second is the corn raised to feed that crop.

Of course here in Tennessee corn is used for other products.

Bob Wright

 

[Gator89]

Visiting his wife's family, he was introduced to ice fishing in Wisconsin. I don't know what kind of fish they caught through those ice holes, but smoking them was a popular way to serve them.

Bob Wright

I would wager it was sturgeon being smoked.

And a blackened catfish fee-lay smothered in crawfish étouffée is mighty tasty.

 

[coach]

Old Wiskers. A tale of a catfish and a man that wanted to catch him.
https://youtu.be/nkESMI5axZA

 

[Bob Wright]

Old Wiskers. A tale of a catfish and a man that wanted to catch him.
https://youtu.be/nkESMI5axZA

I recall a movie long time back (maybe "the Southerner?") about a poor farmer and a catfish called "Old Lead Pencil" with whisker the size of lead pencils and the attempts to catch that fish.

'Way back in my memory banks.


Bob Wright

 

[bogus bill]

I was raised in Wisconsin and done a six month job in 1962 for the fishery division with the DNR. They laid the seasonal guys off or had to make us "permanent" if they kept you on longer than the six months. It was a very interesting job. I worked mainly with state biologist`s tagging sturgeon, checking fishermen`s catches, rough fish removal etc. My dad was well known locally for being about the best at smoking fish. He smoked a sturgeon once but mainly smoked carp that we speared in the spring. I swear the carp tasted as good as the sturgeon, or even lobster!
Christmas day of 1960 I and another went on lake Poygan ice fishing. My folks decided to drive out on the ice and see how we were doing. They dropped their VW through the ice in 14 feet deep water! They got out okay but did get soaked and it was very dramatic. New years day we got the car out. The way they did it, they shoveled the snow off and that would freeze the ice fast and deep. Then we sawed the ice over the car and remove it. Set up a block and tackle, used timbers set at a angle and winch the car out. In the process I sipped on the ice and got cold cocked. Someone said my feet looked like they were seven or eight feet in the air! I was wearing one of those fur Russian looking Trooper type caps and that may have saved me. I was out like a light for all of twenty minuets or more. Dad said he couldn't get a pulse. The folks held prayer over me and rushed me to the hospital and I finally came to when we got there. A week or two later I was getting a haircut and the guys were talking about ice fishing. One said to the other, did ja hear about that guy that got killed on Poygan last week getting a VW out?

 

[Mike Armstrong]

I love catfish--to eat, to catch, and to study. They are the survivors of the fish world; some don't even need to be in water for a fairly long time. Found on every continent (not sure about Australia) but Antarctica, and in the oceans. Run from less than two inches full-grown up to over 6' long. And they'll literally eat anything, even us.

Catfish are probably the most-farmed fish and farmed for the longest time (nobody really knows how long). The most commonly farmed are domestic US "Channel Cats" and an Asian catfish called "Swai." Since they live very nicely on the by-products of slaughter houses, they make a nice cleaner upper and secondary source of protein. Win-win.

And they fight like crazy when hooked and keep fightin' for long after they are in the boat! Heck, I even admire bullheads--especially fried!

 

[bogus bill]

Sturgeon live a very long time. They can live well over a hundred years! They taste something like catfish. Some of the most fun I ever had was netting them on the fox river spring of 1962 to tag for research. Some ran about 6 feet long! I made the Milwaukee Journal in a feature article that showed me in waders wrestling one to shore. They are a sort of evil looking fish that are seldom seen.