Eating Bulleye Gurnard(scorpion fish)

[re-tyred]

For years I have caught Bulleyes Gurnard including thousands of them when I was a commercial fisher. People have said they are ok to eat. I have never tried them till yesterday. Fishing was a bit slow. I went offshore but all the good fishing seems to be further to the west than I am prepared to go in my tinny. My usual Flathead and gummy ground was not producing, so I went out to the rocks. No snapper but lots of Bulleyes. I thought stuff it I must give them a go. So next one I caught I carefully removed all the spikes before bringing it on board. That was pretty easy to do. Just kept it on the hook hanging over the side. With a pair of pliers I grabbed each spike in turn near the base and twisted. They break off very easy. Having made it safe I brought it aboard and put it in the esky. Kept a couple of the bigger ones.
For those that don't know about these things, be careful the spikes have a poisonous slime on them. If spike some people react badly and end up in agony. I have been spiked many times over the years and it produces a throbbing ach in the muscle, pretty nasty and makes you damn careful afterwards.
Anyway once home I found them easy to fillet and skin. They do not produce a very big fillet for the size of the fish. Fillet is white and looks good. I cooked them very simply so as not to disguise the taste. Just a bit of salt and herbs and shallow fried in a non stick pan. Well they are pretty good. Flaky like a flathead and little firmer than flathead but not as firm as a duck fish. Taste was very similar to flathead.
I will be keeping the big ones from now on.

[hornet]

Got a head on it only a mother could love LOL..

[DougieK]

Got a head on it only a mother could love LOL..

Kinda looks like carl

[poodoo]

Its funny how some of the best tasting fish come from some ugly critters.

[Lightningx]

Its funny how some of the best tasting fish come from some ugly critters.

Definitely! I mean flatties are a very ugly looking fish but once gutted and filleted taste amazing. If those blue eyes taste like flatties, definitely worth keeping some from now on :thumbsup:

[Trumpeter]

I hooked a large one around 40cm at night recently and cut him off over the side with my longest knife, didn't want to risk having to fish the rest of the morning with an arm out of action.

[williwonder]

My old man use to hit them with the tiller to get them of the hook when I was young. It stems from His old man getting stung and was in agony apparently.

[4liters]

I'd love to keep them to eat but I really don't want something spiky and angry thrashing around in the yak with me.

[mingle]

Might try one next time I hook one - I had heard that they're good eating and now you've confirmed it!

Will be very careful too, as handling one onboard a kayak is a bit trickier than doing it in a boat!

Cheers,

Mike.

[frozenpod]

Yep taste good.

Pulling out the spikes is a good idea.