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Cornwall 2007!
- Thread starterHuw
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
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Lots of people eat cuttles. Any reciepe that says "squid" can use cuttle. Personally I don't spear them but then I am not very fond of eating squid either. However my mate loves them and frequently spears and eats them.
Cuttles mostly only live for one year but do occasionally live for two. They are born in January and die the next January after spawning. Therefore they reach their largest size from now to the end of the year. They can be found mainly on sandy bottoms by day and by night. Maximum size is about 5 lbs but 2lbs is a good one.
Squid on the other hand are only seen commonly at night. They are almost entirely an "annual" species but in their one year lifespan can reach 8lbs. I have seen some in December at night that were over 2 foot long and 4 inch diameter. I don't spear them but love to see them. Their colours are spectacular. Some spearo's take them and they must make a lot of tasty meals (if you like that sort of thing).
Dave
Cuttles mostly only live for one year but do occasionally live for two. They are born in January and die the next January after spawning. Therefore they reach their largest size from now to the end of the year. They can be found mainly on sandy bottoms by day and by night. Maximum size is about 5 lbs but 2lbs is a good one.
Squid on the other hand are only seen commonly at night. They are almost entirely an "annual" species but in their one year lifespan can reach 8lbs. I have seen some in December at night that were over 2 foot long and 4 inch diameter. I don't spear them but love to see them. Their colours are spectacular. Some spearo's take them and they must make a lot of tasty meals (if you like that sort of thing).
Dave
If you are gonna eat cuttlefish you got a few choices, for a firm but tender fish fry it bbq it or grill it with lots of heat, baste with some garlic and chillis mashed in olive oil for that or for a stew cook uncovered until soft and tender for about 1 1/2 hours for a kilo of meat. If you wanna be brave prepare it for sushi gotta be brave though:yack.
Oh and the ink stains for years either clean it outside or under a running tap.
Oh and the ink stains for years either clean it outside or under a running tap.
Hi guys, not posted in a while due to not much diving being done unfortunately. However Petey H and myself are off to Tsilivi in Zante off Greece in the morning for the week and the water there is meant to be very nice!
Looked at the spearing laws and a licence is needed which takes a week to come through apparently which means that no spearing will be done
but we are intending on snorkling each day with the camera.
Happy hunting to everyone, and i look forward to tales of nice fish when i return!
Huw.
Looked at the spearing laws and a licence is needed which takes a week to come through apparently which means that no spearing will be done
but we are intending on snorkling each day with the camera.Happy hunting to everyone, and i look forward to tales of nice fish when i return!
Huw.
Amazed there hasn't been a few reports ;>)
Last 2 weeks has really made up for a poor summer.
Have had a few better Bass, a load of Mullet and have managaed 2 new fish!
First Garfish and first Mackeral! I know they aren't a popular target but were a challenge to hit. Nice to bring home a mixed stringer.
Last 2 weeks has really made up for a poor summer.
Have had a few better Bass, a load of Mullet and have managaed 2 new fish!
First Garfish and first Mackeral! I know they aren't a popular target but were a challenge to hit. Nice to bring home a mixed stringer.
First Catch.
I bought some spearfishing gear last year and a new set of fins and mask this year. Last year I made numerous trips to try and get some fish and never came across anything with fins, often I'd pick a murky place which didn't help (in North Devon so there's quite a lot of silt about).
This summer I've only made two trips, the first one was clear water but lots of plankton and jelly fish and a few little wrasse. Over the summer due to crap weather and a pregnant wife I didn't get out but I finally went again today (on my last day of paternity leave). I got to a beach and found it was a bit choppier than I'd hoped but after the drive I thought I may as well go in, so in I went and swam around in the murk for a good half an hour before I finally saw a flash of silver and there was a shoal of mullet, I fired at one and hit.
As this was my first hit it took me ages to deal with the fish and get it on my stringer as I got dragged by the current. I swam around for a while longer but found no more fish.
It's taken a while but I'm pleased to have finally speared (and seen) a fish, a very satisfying feeling.
here's a photo of my mullet, just over 2lb
Stu
I bought some spearfishing gear last year and a new set of fins and mask this year. Last year I made numerous trips to try and get some fish and never came across anything with fins, often I'd pick a murky place which didn't help (in North Devon so there's quite a lot of silt about).
This summer I've only made two trips, the first one was clear water but lots of plankton and jelly fish and a few little wrasse. Over the summer due to crap weather and a pregnant wife I didn't get out but I finally went again today (on my last day of paternity leave). I got to a beach and found it was a bit choppier than I'd hoped but after the drive I thought I may as well go in, so in I went and swam around in the murk for a good half an hour before I finally saw a flash of silver and there was a shoal of mullet, I fired at one and hit.
As this was my first hit it took me ages to deal with the fish and get it on my stringer as I got dragged by the current. I swam around for a while longer but found no more fish.
It's taken a while but I'm pleased to have finally speared (and seen) a fish, a very satisfying feeling.
here's a photo of my mullet, just over 2lb
Stu
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well done Stu
Hopefully the first of many!
cheers
dave
Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment
Hopefully the first of many!
cheers
dave
Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment
Nice fish Stu. Mullet really don't like being speared. Weather this year was really poor until the second half of August. I usually look for low wind speeds and/or shelter from the wind -- it's not perfect but it's helped a lot.
Had a few nice dives lately with some success and one day with nothing!:rcard
Today was a nice change though. It started off slow with one school around with a good sized bass in there but i couldn't line up a shot. Then nothing for a while. Moved over to the other side of the bay and got 3 nice bass in a fairly short time. A few very big bass around but never where you wanted them. Then just as i was about to call it a day i dived down, hid in the weed and this one appeared out of some kelp just ahead. just shy of 6lb without his guts. 6 Big fillets out of him.
Loads of really big mullet around. I floated around a few times partly hidden behind a rock pointing my gun at different mullet ranging from 5lb to possibly over 7or 8lb. I have decided now to leave the mullet alone now due to the fact that they sometimes taste (to me and my wife) strong! Also we all know where they like to feed! I read somewhere that the bigger ones can build up toxins due to the shite they eat! Now i just aim and use my imagination
Today was a nice change though. It started off slow with one school around with a good sized bass in there but i couldn't line up a shot. Then nothing for a while. Moved over to the other side of the bay and got 3 nice bass in a fairly short time. A few very big bass around but never where you wanted them. Then just as i was about to call it a day i dived down, hid in the weed and this one appeared out of some kelp just ahead. just shy of 6lb without his guts. 6 Big fillets out of him.
Loads of really big mullet around. I floated around a few times partly hidden behind a rock pointing my gun at different mullet ranging from 5lb to possibly over 7or 8lb. I have decided now to leave the mullet alone now due to the fact that they sometimes taste (to me and my wife) strong! Also we all know where they like to feed! I read somewhere that the bigger ones can build up toxins due to the shite they eat! Now i just aim and use my imagination
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Nice bass Gutshot.
Are you cutting out that red lateral meat from between the skin and the flesh from the mullet...I (and I think a few others) seem to think this saves mullet from themselves taste wise. I have plattered bass and mullet fillets in front of people and asked them to identify the bass and they pick mullet just as much as the bass.
Any mullet you don't want, you know the address I'll pick them up soon enough!!rofl
Are you cutting out that red lateral meat from between the skin and the flesh from the mullet...I (and I think a few others) seem to think this saves mullet from themselves taste wise. I have plattered bass and mullet fillets in front of people and asked them to identify the bass and they pick mullet just as much as the bass.
Any mullet you don't want, you know the address
I'll pick them up soon enough!!rofl
I just fillet them as usual! I have had some that tasted great. The best ones were from down around sennen (cooked whole on the bbq). But quite often there is quite a strong taste that comes through. The main reason for me not shooting them now though is the fact that they do tend to like feeding on shite! I know i may sound fussy through this but i would rather kill something and know that it will be fully appreciated (bad spelling?). Every time i had a mullet that tasted not too good, i always felt a little bad.
When are you down again? Our local is good at the moment! Mind you though, it is looking bad for spearing next week!
When are you down again? Our local is good at the moment! Mind you though, it is looking bad for spearing next week!
I'm sure the bio science experts can respond here. I'm not one! , but I imagine the red meat contains nothing more harmful then the white meat?
I try and avoid breaking the gut, filleting and skinning so the gut is never opened.
I must agree, even though I only take mullet from the cleaner waters I wonder if they holiday to the sewer pipes (even the sennen residents ;>) ... plus I recall a pretty toxic ship wreck off sennen a little while ago).
I try and avoid breaking the gut, filleting and skinning so the gut is never opened.
I must agree, even though I only take mullet from the cleaner waters I wonder if they holiday to the sewer pipes (even the sennen residents ;>) ... plus I recall a pretty toxic ship wreck off sennen a little while ago).
I think removing the red flesh helps.
My favorite way to eat mullet is to smoke it.
The smell of a gutted mullet and whats in them can really put you off.
My favorite way to eat mullet is to smoke it.
The smell of a gutted mullet and whats in them can really put you off.
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I always eat the red/brown flesh as well and find it doesn't affect the taste of the fish. All my mullet are open coast fish so the issue might be what they are feeding on with estuary fish being more tainted. Spearheads, why would you want to make a "smock" out of one? (sorry!)
I know there has been a lot written about eating mullet (quite a bit by me) but I will put my opinion forward again.
I think that bass is such a popular fish because it is very consistent in flavour, texture & colour - Mullet is not!
Because bass is so reliable it has been a restaurant favourite for many years (but not always) Mullet on the other hand needs special attention to make the flesh more palatable for some people at least.
The "red meat" is I believe the lateral line, the sense organ that allows the fish to navigate & find its food (smell) I find this meat offensive to eat as from my experience it is very strong (fishy) tasting.
Firstly I remove the head & gut the fish, the sooner this is done after capture the better I then produce two boneless fillets which are then skinned. Finely the fillets have the red meat cut away.
After all this attention you should end up with some nice food but mullet can be very variable from one to another the same as human taste!!
I think that bass is such a popular fish because it is very consistent in flavour, texture & colour - Mullet is not!
Because bass is so reliable it has been a restaurant favourite for many years (but not always) Mullet on the other hand needs special attention to make the flesh more palatable for some people at least.
The "red meat" is I believe the lateral line, the sense organ that allows the fish to navigate & find its food (smell) I find this meat offensive to eat as from my experience it is very strong (fishy) tasting.
Firstly I remove the head & gut the fish, the sooner this is done after capture the better I then produce two boneless fillets which are then skinned. Finely the fillets have the red meat cut away.
After all this attention you should end up with some nice food but mullet can be very variable from one to another the same as human taste!!
Hello everyone
My name is Steve and I am a keen, obsessed, novice Cornish Spearo. Been spearfishing for about a year but still feel I have a lot to learn. I have just registered after reading forums for the past couple of weeks, so I thought maybe, through discussions with fellow spearmen I could pick up a few tips etc.
Regards
Steve.
My name is Steve and I am a keen, obsessed, novice Cornish Spearo. Been spearfishing for about a year but still feel I have a lot to learn. I have just registered after reading forums for the past couple of weeks, so I thought maybe, through discussions with fellow spearmen I could pick up a few tips etc.
Regards
Steve.