Saltwater cats

[popriveter]

I am breaking up the winter with a visit to Florida. I've been dock fishing in the gulf for the last 3 days. i haven't caught any gaftopsail cats on this trip, but plenty of hardhead cats. They are a really hated fish down here. I took the time, though, to fillet and cook one and it was excellent. Don't trust the Floridians who look down on this fish!

[tunrevir]

You are right to taste test some of the fish the Floridians call trash fish. The charter captain on a certain boat called Bonitas a trash fish and would keep all the ones that people on the boat would catch for shark chum. They are a really bloody fish. I kept all that we caught as they are like mini tunas and excellent tablefair.

Tunrevir~

[HookEmHard84]

Be careful with those cats down in Florida, my Bro in law got barbed by one and it gave him a nasty allergic reaction! Never bothered to eat one, but they are good for a fight!

[CarpinMNRiver]

That would be fun. You should slap a picture up.

[tunrevir]

Hookemhard, funny you mention that. I got smacked by one of those from a little tyke as I was removing it and it was intensely painful! I iced it right away and then took some ibuprofen and overnight the hand was swollen so much my fingers looked like suasages and I couldn't make a fist. Raised a little heck with my golf game but then at least I had a good excuse I use a pliers and DO NOT handle them bad boys at anytime anymore. Once was enough for me!

Tunrevir~

[Scott M]

yeah, I got a dirty look from the captain when I grabbed a gafftopsail, but I knew about the venomous spines. Didn't catch any real monsters, but it was still fun.

[HookEmHard84]

Just got back from a trip down to Florida and thought I would share a few pics. Was actually fishing for sand sharks, but the setup proved to be very effective on the sea cats. No monsters, but i did catch about 50 of these little guys, they put up a heck of a fight for how small they are.

Couple pics of the sharks I was after.

Mini Jaws

[mainbutter]

Ditto on the hardheads being tasty. Here's one from a few years ago that went to our dinner table:

I can agree though they are a bit annoying, they can take HUGE bait despite only weighing a couple of pounds, and even though they are a good fight I still prefer sharks and snook

[DTro]

That would be so much fun catching sharks while walking in the sand.

Nice!

[nsnutter]

I agree, I'd love to pull some salty kitties or sharks out of the surf. The only times I have fished from shore in FL I have caught some very nice speckled sea trout and a big ray. Talk about a workout pulling that ray up!

Nice pics guys! Makes me wish I woulda brought my rod and reel down to mexico on my honeymoon