One of the common debates I hear regarding coastal fishing along the northeast is whether or not bluefish are a quality eating fish. While I would certainly rather grill up a striper fillet, I am never disappointed coming home with a cooler full of bluefish. They surely deserve better reputations than “only useful for shark and lobster bait.” If you have had unpleasant experiences when eating bluefish in the past or have never tried bluefish, allow this post to be your guide to a properly prepared bluefish dinner that will not disappoint.
Like always, it starts with the catch. Bluefish sizes vary tremendously, from the seven-inch snapper blues all the way to the twenty-plus pound gorillas, and harvesting the correct size is going to make the entire experience much easier and more enjoyable. There are no minimum size limits so harvesting the little snapper blues for cut or live bait is an excellent way to target a variety of other gamefish, yet unless a bluefish is approaching about five pounds there just isn’t an ample amount of usable meat. On the other end of the spectrum, the bluefish that grow over ten pounds are less tasty than their younger, less worn-out, counterparts. Keeping the bluefish that fit into that sweet spot of about five to ten pounds will help ensure you end up with plenty of great tasting meat for your table.
The important piece of what makes a good eating fish that isn’t taste is how abundant and capable of maintaining their population. Bluefish regulations in Massachusetts and Connecticut have set daily bag limits of ten fish, which is a large number compared to the single daily striper limit. Considering this information provided by the state’s DNR, it is clear that harvesting bluefish is much more sustainable and eco-friendly than nearly any other coastal game fish species.
Immediately following your catch, every bluefish you decide to harvest should be thoroughly bled. This is best done by severing the gills with a knife and thoroughly rinsing it in salt water to allow as much blood to flow as possible. The better the bluefish is bled, the better the yield of meat to scraps will be through minimizing the bloodline. Once bled, you will want to put them on ice as soon as possible.
If possible, gut the bluefish and keep them on ice for at least one to two hours. This process will help make the bluefish meat more firm for when you fillet them. Their flesh is softer than many other local species so the more firm you can get the meat, the easier it will be to fillet in a presentable fashion. Other than that, the filleting process is no different from filleting a striped bass. When removing their skin you will have to be more delicate than you would with a striper, for their thin skin coated in tiny scales can easily be punctured by your fillet knife.
Almost all game fish have some sort of bloodline, some of which do not have to be removed. The bluefish is certainly not one of those fish for their bloodline tastes putrid no matter how fresh. Thankfully, once you have your skinless fillet, it takes two simple slices down the center of the fillet to remove the bloodline and pin bones-- leaving behind slabs of fresh white meat. Your fillets, once properly trimmed, should essentially have no red coloration on it whatsoever and entirely boneless.
From there they are ready for nearly any form of preparation there is for fish, whether you prefer it grilled, baked, pan-fried, deep-fried, or even raw. Regardless of what cooking method you use, following these guidelines will help you make your next bluefish dish the best it can possibly be.
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