calico

[efrain]

Are calico good eating fish if so how do you eat them, i found a spot holding plenty of good size just dont feel comfortable taking a sport fish, is it ok to take them opinions please.

[cjmedina]

i pretty much just grill them and eat then in tacos, little rice beans and some mango hot sauce

[smokehound]

They are delicious, firm flesh, nice clean mild taste, very little fat.

Great for beer-battering, or making tacos.


Barred Sandbass, Spotted bay bass, and calico are all tasty!


Remember though, the legal size limit is 12 inches. And since fish shrink after death, you will need to catch a 13-14 incher.

For some reason i get the feeling your spot is in laguna beach. :)

[ldsaylor]

These guys hit in on the head. Calico are good eating. They do take a long time to grow so it is encouraged to let the bigger model calicos go (5 plus pounders). Other than that enjoy them. (definately like them for tacos).

[bonitoboy]

On occassion I will keep a calico to take to my parents. I have noticed through their reports to me that the darker colored calico's meat is tough. I usually catch the darker calicos inside the harbor while the lighter colored ones are caught usually outside the harbor. Also, my dad says the bigger the calico the tougher the meat goes as well. Not sure myself as I have only tried calico once and did not like it because it tasted really fishy.

[smokehound]

I have yet to see a calico that had tough meat. Firm, yes, but not tough.. thats just due to overcooking.


Of course, fish also go into rigormortis and become stiff, in that case, let it sit in the fridge for a day, and the rigormortis will wear off, making the flesh softer.

[Cangler]

I always take calico and give cuda away

[fisherman from long beach]

calico is pretty good,if you have tough meat,you might be cooking it too long,it doesnt take fish long to cook.maybe 5min on each side.

[Fire Ball]

I have caught a few calico bass, sand bass, and chocolate bass and they all taste great! All of mine were decent size and they all were mixed together, because they filleted them on the party boat, so I didn't know which one I was eating when I got home, lol.

[ghetto dad]

They are delicious, firm flesh, nice clean mild taste, very little fat.

Great for beer-battering, or making tacos.


Barred Sandbass, Spotted bay bass, and calico are all tasty!


Remember though, the legal size limit is 12 inches. And since fish shrink after death, you will need to catch a 13-14 incher.

For some reason i get the feeling your spot is in laguna beach. :)

:ROFL::ROFL:

they do NOT shrink that much man....they lose a bit of weight..not length...if any...its very slight...

GD

[ghetto dad]

I have caught a few calico bass, sand bass, and chocolate bass and they all taste great! All of mine were decent size and they all were mixed together, because they filleted them on the party boat, so I didn't know which one I was eating when I got home, lol.

chocolate bass are actually rockfish....really good eating...

didnt they leave the skin patch on????

GD

[ghetto dad]

These guys hit in on the head. Calico are good eating. They do take a long time to grow so it is encouraged to let the bigger model calicos go (5 plus pounders). Other than that enjoy them. (definately like them for tacos).

YES...please release the larger ones ( I usually release anything over 3)

GD

[jerryG]

YES...please release the larger ones ( I usually release anything over 3)

GD

Ditto what Ghetto Dad said... I fish the calicos pretty hard and have not kept one in years but if you choose to keep some calicos I would recommend keeping the 12 to 15" fish and releasing the bigger fish (breeders)..Limit your take don't take your limit...
JerryG

[LBC]

I find the Calico's more fun to catch than eat but thats just me.I keep just enough for a taco feast and definitely release the breeders.