Hi all!

I finally caught something this morning and it was a very long snook. yah! However, it didn't really fit in my cooler and thus has sort of got a bend in it.
How do I get this bend out to fillet it?

I caught a gummy last year,and did the same thing,a banana ,i was unable to straighten it,so i did not post a pix.

Fillet the inside of the bend first, then the outside should straighten up.

I find with whiting that are a bit bent in the esky they tend to straighten up once I've scaled and gutted them so maybe that will help with your pike.

Thanks! I ended up sort of pushing it down until it straightened out and it was fine.

How was it on the plate?

Generally at least one of every species landed makes it onto my dinner plat but Snook perfume is their savior.

It was fine on the plate. Some salt, pepper and garlic salt in the fry pan. We had them in tacos.
It's rather a bit plain on the tasting side by itself but with some spices and other flavours, it was good.
I wouldn't mind trying to smoke it in the weber.

I didn't notice a smell.

The difference between good fish and bad fish is usually the recipe.
Some people don't take to the stronger flavour of oily fish. I don't mind it at all. People tell me oily fish generally smokes well. I tried some smoked Aussie Salmon once. Once was enough. Some say Salmon is only good for fish cakes. I was unimpressed. I went back to frying small Salmon or cooking in foil with different extras. Some examples
- slices of lemon or lime
- sweet chilli sauce
- herbs
In particular I liked a couple of the Disaster Bay Chilli sauce range. If ever you get to weekend markets around Merimbula. The owners are nice people and will explain the different uses and let you taste the range from mild to very hot. The mild range is suitable for fish Lemon Stinger Marmalade goes really well. Also Chilli Wine Jelly. If that sounds like a plug, it is but I have no association with them. Its a great product.
Large Aussie Salmon I generally release. However, sometimes they inhale the lure too far and gill themselves, leaving no choice. I use those in curry and share them.

Maybe take the above recommendation for Disaster Bay Chillis a little tentatively. The owners had the place on the market for ages. It appears they sold last August. I cannot find a website. If you buy any, check the 'use-by' date first.

Steve_R wrote:The difference between good fish and bad fish is usually the recipe.
Some people don't take to the stronger flavour of oily fish. I don't mind it at all. People tell me oily fish generally smokes well. I tried some smoked Aussie Salmon once. Once was enough. Some say Salmon is only good for fish cakes. I was unimpressed. I went back to frying small Salmon or cooking in foil with different extras. Some examples
- slices of lemon or lime
- sweet chilli sauce
- herbs

steve salmon - silver trevs and even yakkas pickle really well to - viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15004&hilit=salmon

make great topping pieces for dry bickies and well worth a try

cheaterparts wrote:
steve salmon - silver trevs and even yakkas pickle really well to - viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15004&hilit=salmon

make great topping pieces for dry bickies and well worth a try

Thanks. A hangover from childhood is I like almost anything pickled. I'll give your pickling blend a try.

Boiling Salmon in brine then using flesh in other recipes is another way to use it. I tend to experiment rather than precisely follow recipes and forget exactly what I did with the Salmon after boiling (maybe tossed in with fried veges and favorite Asian sauce???). Anyway, taste test it cold. If it appeals, salad with vinegar, lemon, lime. Next step away would be stir fry. Otherwise, fish stew, curry, etc would mellow the taste further.