Red fish, which is commonly referred to as red drum, is a well-known game fish that’s endemic to the Gulf of Mexico as well as the Atlantic coast. Although many anglers make it their mission to catch this fish, most don’t have any experience with the red drum fish taste.
We mean, what does redfish taste like? If you’re one of the people who’ve fished for redfish without ever having tasted it, then you’ll want to read the following guide where we’ll share all you need to know about redfish, how to cook it, catch it, and enjoy it.
What Does Redfish Taste?
When it comes to the red drum fish taste, nothing beats smaller redfish. They typically only weigh about 10 or 15 pounds and are absolutely delicious. Redfish have a medium flaky texture with white meat that tastes similar to red snapper.
Overall, redfish taste has a mild flavor which is what makes it so versatile. You can literally use this fish in a wide variety of different dishes and many cooks prefer to use it as an alternative to sea bass, monkfish, and haddock. One of the best ways to enjoy it is by grilling.
Is Redfish Healthy to Eat?
Are redfish good to eat? Yes, definitely. But the caveat here is that this particular fish has to be cooked thoroughly.
In fact, you cannot under any circumstances have it raw which means you can kiss any dreams you had of enjoying redfish sushi goodbye. That’s because redfish is an ocean species which means that it’s exposed to many parasites that can be harmful to the human body.
Otherwise, you can enjoy redfish up to four times a week if you’re over the age of 15 and it’s safe for women that aren’t of childbearing age as well.
Children under the age of 15 should only stick to about two redfish portions a week at best, as should women of childbearing age.
Where to Catch Red Drum
In addition to red drum fish taste, another incredible thing about this fish is the fact that it can be caught in the surf, nearshore and inshore so you’re spoilt for choice once you go angling for it.
However, the largest redfish are typically found on the deeper side of shallow inshore water because that’s where they hunt for most of their prey.
One of the best places to find redfish in the surf includes deeper pools in the break as well as troughs. Larger fish like these types of spots because that’s where baitfish like to come.
If you’re angling from a boat, you’ll want to frequent sand flats and river inlets to find your red drum. They love coming around to the sandy areas because that’s where their food is, including crustaceans and crabs. So, your best bet is to go where they go to feed and cast your bait there. You’re sure to find success that way.
What Gear Do I Need for Redfish?
Now, before you start eating redfish you have to catch one first. The secret to success here is to use the right sized fishing tackle.
Fishing Line
When fishing for redfish, it’s best to work with braided line and monofilament as opposed to fluorocarbon.
When using a braided line, it’s important to grab a 4 feet thick monofilament leader onto the end of the braided line in order to hide the color of the braided line otherwise redfish are super smart and will easily spot your fishing line otherwise.
Rod and Reel
For best results, you should use a medium to large sized saltwater fishing reel in particular, along with a medium to large-sized fishing rod.
If you plan on fishing far from shore, then you’ll want to use surf fishing rods. But, a medium/heavy inshore rod always works like a charm to catch redfish.
Lures
If you’re going to use artificial lures to catch your drum fish, then you’ll want to use something like rapalas, spoons, and jerk baits.
Typically, anglers are only allowed to catch just one redfish per day and you can only keep your catch if it’s 18 to 27 inches long.
Leader and Hooks
The best live bait to use for red drum fish includes sardines and mullet. Just make sure to hook it up onto a 40 lb monofilament leader so that it’s strong enough to handle your catch no matter how big and heavy it is.
How to Cook Redfish
To truly get used to red drum fish taste, you’ll have to make it for yourself and experience the flavor firsthand. By the time you finish reading the next section, you’ll be able to answer anyone who asks you are redfish good eating.
We’re going to share some of the most incredible recipes to enjoy with redfish as well as what you can pair it with.
Fun fact; famous chef Paul Prudhomme caused quite a stir in the 1980s when he created the Cajun-style blackened filet of redfish. For quite some time, redfish was almost angled to extinction due to the popularity of this fascinating dish.
Although there are protection measures in place to avoid overfishing of redfish again, redfish cuisine is still very popular in shouter seafood restaurants.
Next, we’re going to share a quick and easy recipe that you’ll absolutely love. It’s the same recipe that we use for other white meat fish such as Spanish Mackerel and grouper and it works really well for redfish.
First things first though, gut the fish first:
- Guide a sharp knife in between the fish’s pectoral fins and then insert the knife there.
- Run the knife down all the way to the vent.
- Once the body cavity has been opened, you can then remove the guts.
- Get rid of the guts or keep them for use later as chum.
The following are the steps required to fillet your redfish:
- Position the knife perpendicular to the fish so you can cut behind the gill plate and cut straight through until you feel the spine.
- Rotate the knife at 90 degrees so that it’s parallel to the surface that you’re cutting upon. The knife blade itself should be pointed to the fish’s tail so you can cut towards it.
- Cut all along the side of the fish’s spine making sure to cut straight until you reach the tail. Make sure to get as much meat as you can.
- Halt before you actually get to the tail and flip over the fillet so that the meat faces upwards.
- Now, remove the fillet from the tail, especially if you want to cook it on the half shell.
- If you’re going for a traditional fillet, then your next step is to remove the scales and skin next. You can do this by positioning the fillet so that the meat side is facing upwards before it’s removed completely from the tail.
- Make sure that the knife is positioned parallel to the cutting board so that you can slip the blade between the skin and the meat. The most important thing is to keep your blade straight so that the fillets aren’t curvy otherwise the blade might end up cutting straight through your meat.
- Slide the knife from the tail to yourself while keeping it between the skin and the meat.
- Keep cutting across the fish’s meat until you’ve removed all the fish’s skin from the fillet.
That’s it! That’s how you prepare redfish and discover for yourself the answer to, can you eat redfish.
Conclusion
Well, now you’re well on your way to discovering the red drum fish taste for yourself and experience its texture and flavor firsthand.
Just make sure to prepare it properly, fish sustainably, and consume it responsibly so that you get all of its nutritional benefits.
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