Crystal River Grouper

[fishmanjj]

Fished Friday and yesterday at Crystal River….despite the rain and some wind, we managed to limit out is less than two hours each day.

[Moderator]

Well done JJ ..

That is as pretty as you can make that cleaning table look !

Mod Marc

[fishmanjj]

On 9/16/2024 at 8:09 AM, Moderator said:

Well done JJ ..

That is as pretty as you can make that cleaning table look !

Mod Marc

Thanks. 👍🎣

[Moderator]

I have been offshore all my life, Diving and fishing. I have eaten most everything, and lots of some fish.. 

I will say that the most delicious fish meals I have ever had were Grouper. 
#1 was a 15lb Gag Grouper in Islamorada. Lor E Lai fried one whole slab in corn flake crumbs. No way to describe the flavor.. 
#2 was a piece of Gag Grouper at Papas in Tarpon Springs. they sautéed it in butter with a bunch of jumbo shrimp for me. OMG !

#3 was all you can eat chicken and fish at Chicken King in Inverness. 1993ish. We were deer hunting and it was 30*. This was the only place open on Sunday night. The cook was cutting fingers off Grouper slabs and frying them when ordered. It was a dump, but delicious fish and chicken. 

I ate some deep fried snappers in the Bahamas we caught in 600’. Very ugly little fish.  They were incredible.  Not a repeatable meal tho. 
So when I see a cleaning table with an array of gags like that, I go back to these meals.. 

Hogfish are my favorite as a rule.. I don’t see that many tripletail on this side so I am virgin on that fare.. 

I am sitting here in a terrible thunderstorm waiting for the power to go back on, wishing for supper.. Sorry for the rant.. Hahahahhahahah

Marc