Great Bay To Little Egg Reef Fishing Reports

[seanr8w]

What did it taste like chicken?...

 



  .... It stabbed me when I was trying to unhook it, and I got a little bitter and showed it who the boss was with my fillet knife. One of the guys on the pier had a hibachi grill and was doing burgers and dogs, so I got creative. I think it tasted kinda like Blue Claw Crab and a bit like Flounder. It was kinda tricky to skin, but I got the hang of it. It was nice white meat that flaked easily off of the cartilage. All I had to season it with was an Orange that I had brought along for a snack, so I sliced it thin and laid it on top. Wrapped it in tin foil and threw it on the grill for about fifteen minutes. I have two nice size wings in the freezer that I am gonna spice up a bit and have on Memorial Day for any family and friends who are not afraid to try it. Two of the other guys on the pier that day gave it a try and they both are hooked as well. (no pun intended) Anyway, I am kicking myself for all of the skates I have thrown back over the years, and to think that I thought I was getting skunked on all of these trips !!!     

[IrishAyes]

Don't get too creative with the skate. If the regulators find out they are good to eat there will be a limit on them within a year. 

Good job on trying it out. I have never had any but do know people who like them.

[seanr8w]

LOL...isn't that the truth!   

[Whiskers]

I am gonna have to find out how to skin em. I catch so many skates I could fill the freezer. Surf n turf, venison and skate....hmmm.

[seanr8w]

I am gonna have to find out how to skin em. I catch so many skates I could fill the freezer. Surf n turf, venison and skate....hmmm.

You need to knock em out and wing them right away. Get the wings on Ice. I take them home and hose them down right away, cause they slime up reel good as they sit. Skinning them is pretty easy once you get started. I usually use some STRONG kitchen shears and cut they outside edge off up to where the meat is about a half inch thick. This gets rid of those nasty little spikes for the most part. The skin is tough, but once you get it started enough that you can get a hold of the skin with your non-knife holding hand, it is easy to take the skin off of that beautiful white meat. A couple of tips-
1. Use a VERY SHARP fillet knife
2. Don't overcook them unless you like seafood flavored chewing gum.

Google recipes using "Skate wing recipes" as your search words and you will be suprised as to how many recipes you will find. I have been playing with them using everything from Old Bay and Cayenne to Roasted Garlic Butter to BBQ sauce. the recipes you fing on google will help you with cooking time depending on how you choose to go with it. (grill, pan fry, etc.) Let me know if you decide to give it a try, it is truly delicious!!! 

[Great Bay Junky]

Team Basket Case fished the JCAA Fluke Tournament yesterday. We got an early start at 5 AM. We must have caught 65 to 70 fluke with only 7 keepers in 11 hours. Our biggest was 4.81 lbs that was good enough for 7th in the Great Bay port. No one place place was better then the 20 spots we tried. They all produced fish. If the limit was 17 inches we would have limited out by noon time.

[Bucktail]

  Congratulations on your 7th place finish GBJ!  

[fishon42]

I am gonna have to find out how to skin em. I catch so many skates I could fill the freezer. Surf n turf, venison and skate....hmmm.

You need to knock em out and wing them right away. Get the wings on Ice. I take them home and hose them down right away, cause they slime up reel good as they sit. Skinning them is pretty easy once you get started. I usually use some STRONG kitchen shears and cut they outside edge off up to where the meat is about a half inch thick. This gets rid of those nasty little spikes for the most part. The skin is tough, but once you get it started enough that you can get a hold of the skin with your non-knife holding hand, it is easy to take the skin off of that beautiful white meat. A couple of tips-
1. Use a VERY SHARP fillet knife
2. Don't overcook them unless you like seafood flavored chewing gum.

Google recipes using "Skate wing recipes" as your search words and you will be suprised as to how many recipes you will find. I have been playing with them using everything from Old Bay and Cayenne to Roasted Garlic Butter to BBQ sauce. the recipes you fing on google will help you with cooking time depending on how you choose to go with it. (grill, pan fry, etc.) Let me know if you decide to give it a try, it is truly delicious!!! 

sounds like alot of work... it is worth it?  i definitly do want to try it one day ... 

[seanr8w]

I am gonna have to find out how to skin em. I catch so many skates I could fill the freezer. Surf n turf, venison and skate....hmmm.

You need to knock em out and wing them right away. Get the wings on Ice. I take them home and hose them down right away, cause they slime up reel good as they sit. Skinning them is pretty easy once you get started. I usually use some STRONG kitchen shears and cut they outside edge off up to where the meat is about a half inch thick. This gets rid of those nasty little spikes for the most part. The skin is tough, but once you get it started enough that you can get a hold of the skin with your non-knife holding hand, it is easy to take the skin off of that beautiful white meat. A couple of tips-
1. Use a VERY SHARP fillet knife
2. Don't overcook them unless you like seafood flavored chewing gum.

Google recipes using "Skate wing recipes" as your search words and you will be suprised as to how many recipes you will find. I have been playing with them using everything from Old Bay and Cayenne to Roasted Garlic Butter to BBQ sauce. the recipes you fing on google will help you with cooking time depending on how you choose to go with it. (grill, pan fry, etc.) Let me know if you decide to give it a try, it is truly delicious!!! 

sounds like alot of work... it is worth it?  i definitly do want to try it one day ... 

I think so, and I am sure that just like Flounder or any other fish, Once you do it a few times and get the hang of it, it will be easy. The meat is FANTASTIC when cooked for the right time/temp, but I still need to try some more recipes and methods before I zone in on a favorite. It is at least worth a try ! They might be Ugly, but so are flounder ! Tell me your thoughts when you try it, or make some fishing plans with me someday and I will cook it up for you. I have 9 wings left in the freezer right now! 

[Hotrod]

Team Basket Case fished the JCAA Fluke Tournament yesterday. We got an early start at 5 AM. We must have caught 65 to 70 fluke with only 7 keepers in 11 hours. Our biggest was 4.81 lbs that was good enough for 7th in the Great Bay port. No one place place was better then the 20 spots we tried. They all produced fish. If the limit was 17 inches we would have limited out by noon time.

Nice Job

[IrishAyes]

Our biggest was 4.81 lbs that was good enough for 7th in the Great Bay port.

Nice job GBJ. I placed 7th in my port. We will be standing on the side stage together to collect our custom made rod. I will be sure to say hi.

[Whiskers]

Congratulations guys, I will be standing in the audience watching you collect your prize. We caught one keeper, 20+ shorts, and probably place about 15th a Great Bay. Our biggest downfall was the Brigantine run, we left fish, to find fish. Not a good idea.

[Great Bay Junky]

Congratulations guys, I will be standing in the audience watching you collect your prize. We caught one keeper, 20+ shorts, and probably place about 15th a Great Bay. Our biggest downfall was the Brigantine run, we left fish, to find fish. Not a good idea.

Hey Skip I talked to you right after I weighed my fish in. I asked you how the bucket was doing.

[Great Bay Junky]

Our biggest was 4.81 lbs that was good enough for 7th in the Great Bay port.

Nice job GBJ. I placed 7th in my port. We will be standing on the side stage together to collect our custom made rod. I will be sure to say hi.

Which one are you? What did you think of your new rod? I did not like the advertisement attached to it. Real rods made for real women.

[IrishAyes]

I am the one on the right kneeling in front. First thing I did was rip the advertisement off. Would have been ok, except for the real woman part, as you said.

I have used the rod on two trips now, not bad at all for a freebie. 

[Great Bay Junky]

I am standing in the back in far left. I ripped the tag off as soon as I sat down. I plan to give mine a try as soon as get the 100 gallons of bad gas pumped out of my tank.

[Bucktail]

GBJ,

Sorry I missed you there, I would have liked to meet you.  Hope you like your lady rod! Here's the post I made that night.   http://njsaltwaterfisherman.com/forums/index.php?topic=6966.0

-Bob

[IrishAyes]

As you can see by Bucktail's post. I didn't get to the ad quick enough. 

[Great Bay Junky]

That is to funny.

[relentless J]

i'm looking for reports from the wrecks around the little egg area, the LE, GS north and south, AC, any of the smaller ones, etc. due to the gas prices i know trips out to the wrecks are becoming a bit more scarce along with reports for them, so any info would be great. thanks guys.