[First Catch]

I've really wanted to try some Bonita. What is the best way to bleed them and is there anything that needs to be cut out after you bleed them?

 

[Capt. AHO]

I always use them as bait but I have had more than one Susi cheif tell me they are great. Just don't know if I can try it yet. But who knows. :letsdrink

 

[true-king]

maby this site will help...

 

[Downtime2]

Preparation? Either bridle rigged or stripped and brined...

 

[Travis Gill]

I agree with Wade.

 

[bonita dan]

Yep,strip bait or chunks for grouper and big snapper,brined of course. I don't own a 130 class outfit so bridling a bobo is out of the equasion(sp.)

 

[FenderBender]

Ok, I admit to having tried it raw and it wasn't bad. Call me nasty, whatever, but a couple of years ago I was deckhanding and a medical doctor was on board and we caught a bobo. I was about to throw him in the cooler to use as shark bait later when the doc stopped me and said NOOOO there is a thin strip of meat on them that is tasty, tastes just like YFT sushi. I don't remember exactly where it was and haven't tried since, but he cut out a light pink strip of meat from around all that blood and I tried a bite and it tasted pretty good. Like I said, I haven't fileted one for that purpose since, but i swear I am telling the truth here!

 

[Private Pilot]

Lets just use them for bait

 

[Pier#r]

I'm with fenderbender, "it ain't bad."

After 35 years I FINALLY tried some this year. An asianguy at the pier last month was asking for anywe didn't want. Another angler asked him what he was going todo with them, eat em? and he replied "They aren't bad."

So I just iced one down real good and fileted it when I got to the house.

Then I trimmed all the 'pinkish' red meat out of the middle of each filet and cut the meat from the skin.

Left with 4 strips of very 'tuna-like' meat.I tried a bit raw and it was "not bad".

Isliced one of the strips into 'medalions' and marinated some in soy sauce.

Sauted them in olive oil. The rest I just seasoned with a little salt & pepper. Again I tasted it and it was "Not bad." (especially the ones with just salt & pepper, on the right)In fact it tasted like a cross between blackfin tuna and king mackerel.

WE made some 'tunny salad' with the rest, and my wife (who is a very picky fish eater eater) said "It's better than any tuna from a can."

That's not bad ;-)

 

[FenderBender]

Thanks for the pics Pier#r, thats the pink meat I was referring to. Thanks for backing me up, I knew I wasn't the only one!

 

[BigFishKB]

I am not going to call it nasty cause I have never tried it. I have eaten Jack Crevalle before and it wasnt bad. I think the bloodiness of the Bonito scares people but I heard if you soak it in milk for a few hours it helps.

 

[Fido]

As soon as you get one on board cut it's tail off a few inces forward of the fork so You're into the meat and then toss it back over (with a line attached of course). The fish will pump blood right out of itself and leave a much lighter colored meat. Prepare next to a Black Fin tuna and I'll bet you and your guests can't tell the difference.

 

[bwhite55]

i'm curious about what this will do to sharks nearby.

 

[First Catch]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to try one this weekend and let you know how it tastes.

 

[true-king]

once you've had YFT there is no other :hungry:hungry:hungry:hungry:hungry

 

[wirenut]

Ive tried it :sick. Never again. Makes great bait and chum.

 

[reelthrill]

In the 70's we used to sell all our bonita caught off Navarre pier to the pier restaurant. Tony would take the darker strip of meat out and boil the rest and make bonita burgers for 75 cents. We lived off of them. When you cook the meat it actually turns a whitish color. I have cooked them since then and they are really good but I prefer yellowfin tuna!