Black cod !!

[jackmaster]

How many of you guys caught and ate one of these fine fish? I ain't talking, lingcod, or true cod !! I have eaten a lot of fish in my life and always thought that ling, seabass, halibut were the best tasting when it came to salt water fish, then a couple weekends or so ago on that halibut day, I caught a big black cod in 800 ft of water, I lucked into him I guess because I was told that you generally won't catch them until you reach the 1,000ft depth !! Any of you fellas have any knowledge on these fish ? I can tell with absolute certainty that it's the BEST damn fish I have EVER eaten !!

[h20hunter]

Pics please.

[Gobble Doc]

 

Pics please.

[Mfowl]

I have caught them at Swiftsure in far less than 800'. It is true that they are a deepwater fish though. It was many years ago and I don't recall them being significantly better than lings or 'buts. They are a oily fish compared to others. They are also known as sablefish. Congrats! Glad you enjoyed it.

[jackmaster]

I wish I would have got a few pics , it was a great day for fishing but crap seas out there, rough and windy and a 49 Mile ride out!! Still a great day with a few buddies !!

[JDHasty]

My buddy used to bring burlap bags full of black cod down from Alaska.  We smoked it and there is nothing better. 

[jackmaster]

I have caught them at Swiftsure in far less than 800'. It is true that they are a deepwater fish though. It was many years ago and I don't recall them being significantly better than lings or 'buts. They are a oily fish compared to others. They are also known as sablefish. Congrats! Glad you enjoyed it.

you I thought it would be the same thing as halibut and ling and seabass but to me it wasn't and your right about it being oily and I ain't sure but I was thinking it gave it a different taste, I cooked up all the different ones and that black cod sure tasted different to me!! Enough so that I would like to fish for just those.

[jackmaster]

I have caught them at Swiftsure in far less than 800'. It is true that they are a deepwater fish though. It was many years ago and I don't recall them being significantly better than lings or 'buts. They are a oily fish compared to others. They are also known as sablefish. Congrats! Glad you enjoyed it.

i am sure I am wrong here and I ain't saying your mixing them up but are you sure you weren't mistaking true cod for black cod ? Just a question

[Wetwoodshunter]

Right on, blackcod is also known as sablefish. Its a huge commercial fishery in the US Pacific Ocean. I have had quite a bit of it and get sent every year to cook it at National Oceans Week in WA, DC every year.

If you have any left. Try pre-smoking it with a dry brine of salt and brown sugar for a short duration, then smoke for 45 mins with low heat high smoke. Then cooking it over briquettes with a light sprinkling of pepper and lightly coat the grill with peanut oil so the fish doesn't stick.

[Mfowl]

I have caught them at Swiftsure in far less than 800'. It is true that they are a deepwater fish though. It was many years ago and I don't recall them being significantly better than lings or 'buts. They are a oily fish compared to others. They are also known as sablefish. Congrats! Glad you enjoyed it.

i am sure I am wrong here and I ain't saying your mixing them up but are you sure you weren't mistaking true cod for black cod ? Just a question

I'm sure, I've caught true cod as well in both Sekiu and Neah Bay. Could be that when I ate it it just wasn't cooked the best way  . I just don't specifically remember it being that much better. Again it was many years ago and perhaps if I tried it again I might have a different take?

[Skillet]

He's definitely talking black cod, not true cod-



The 7#+ carcasses are getting more at the dock per # than 20-40 halibut right now, over $7/#.  Got a buddy fishing the Clarence Strait opener as I type.

I've actually run into a few schools of 1-ish #'ers while trolling, have caught them on coho spoons as shallow as 35 fa last summer. 

[jackmaster]

Right on, blackcod is also known as sablefish. Its a huge commercial fishery in the US Pacific Ocean. I have had quite a bit of it and get sent every year to cook it at National Oceans Week in WA, DC every year.

If you have any left. Try pre-smoking it with a dry brine of salt and brown sugar for a short duration, then smoke for 45 mins with low heat high smoke. Then cooking it over briquettes with a light sprinkling of pepper and lightly coat the grill with peanut oil so the fish doesn't stick.

definetly gonna try it this way, thank you

[jackmaster]

Damn skillet those are some fine looking fish there, I also heard that I think it's the humpback whales up in Alaska actually target the long liners that fish for black cod and have got so good at it that they can strip a whole string without touching a hook, I am guessing they are looking for that oily content 

[Skillet]

Oh, those aren't mine. I don't have any quota...

It's actually orcas and sperm whales that are hammering the black cod fleet.  Last year there was actually a sperm whale that was stripping the longliners up in lower Chatham Strait. They are trying to encourage a pot fishery for them to minimize predation, but initial findings are that the average size is significantly lower than longlining.

[DOUBLELUNG]

AKA butterfish, which is what they taste like to me - almost too rich for my liking straight up broiled, baked or grilled - the thought of deep frying it makes me a little queasy.  Best smoked fish I've ever had (from a commercial house in Nanaimo BC), when I cook it again I'll use a savory or spicy sauce to cut some of that buttery richness.  You can sometimes find it reasonably priced at Costco, last time I got it I think it was $7.99/lb for fresh whole gutted, head off.

Phenomenal as nigiri or sashimi too.