On Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 6:14:50 PM UTC-10, Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
>
> Aw, cmon. I've caught, skinned and eaten loads of eight to ten inch
> yellow cats and foot to fifteen inch long white cats from Nevada's
> muddy reservoirs. S&P, roll them in cornmeal, and fry them for just a
> few minutes.
> That being said, I quit fishing for them forty years ago. Catfishing
> all night while drinking beer is great exercise for a younger man. You
> sit in a chair with a cooler full of beer and a Coleman lantern,
> watching your pole propped with a forked stick and baited with a large
> hook and a gob of worms. When the pole starts to jiggle, wait. When the
> pole dips half way to the water,set the hook and reel in a catfish. You
> used to be able to catch twenty a night easily.
> Oh, and for Cheri, I've been to Rio Vista. I either rented a houseboat
> there or waved at them while piloting it. Delta tides suck!
> If anyone here wants to know how to skin and gut a catfish up to five
> pounds, I'm the man to tell you how. First, buy pliers.
>
> leo

I've skinned and cut-up big catfish too. Those things produce some beautiful meat with a wonderful texture. Too bad the taste makes me retch. Some people perceive that pond scum taste differently but to me, it brings waves of memory, association, and feeling in my guts.

A lot of people will tell you that tilapia doesn't have that taste but it certainly does. My kids will have no problem with eating tilapia in a restaurant. I take the opportunity to sample the flesh of the fish to see if the flavor has improved but no such luck. You're lucky if you can eat catfish without revulsion. It's like a superpower all y'alls have.