Scorpion Cod - Tasty or not?

[deathstar 3]

Hi all

I have spoken to 2 people over the last couple of days and they have both told me that Scorpion Cod when poached/boiled tastes like lobster.

Neither had actually tried it but they too have been told this.

Fact or fiction?

We caught a heap of them on the close in reefs off Moololabah on Saturday but threw them all back.

Also is there a legal size limit for them?

Interested to hear if people have tried them or if they have also heard this to

John

[Clint06]

ive eaten them heaps of times, just cooked on the pan plain or crumbed. They are one of my favorite fish to eat, the taste is similar to lobster and ive heard other people call them the poor mans lobster.
I just looked up the legal size, and for most cods it is 38cm, although ive seen very few scorpion cod at that size. I was under the impression that they had no size limit, maybe someone else on here knows?

[samson]

Only the cod that come under coral reef fin fish laws have to be 38cm min the red rock cod or scorpion cod is a rocky reef fish and has no size limit and they are nice eating they have nice plump white fillets although the fillet return is pretty bad barely worth keeping unless they are the bigger ones.

[NCHIPS]

Cardinal Scorpion Cod are a great taste if boiled in salt water with a dash of vinegar. let cool, then press in a bowl and refrigerate. you will then appreciate why they are called poor mans lobster

[No Fear]

These fish are absolutely sensational, , we just bake em in alfoil with some herbs and spices and they're tasty as, never get throw back off my boat!!!

[dfox]

Just dont get spiked by one while filleting, there closely related to the stone fish, ive never been hit, but apparently they pack some punch ...foxy

[QuintrexII]

John,

Have you been on a fishing charter in the last few days ???

I remember going on a "Reel Easy" charter last year and the skipper telling me the same.

can 't say that I've caught one since to give it a try.....

But he swore by it - apparently though, if you are spiked by one of them it hurts like HELL.... and takes away the "feeling" sensations in your hand.

He tells the story of catching one and spiking himself. When he cooked it up he stuck his hand right in the boiling water and severely burnt himself wiothout realising..... I bet he felt it when the spiking wore off...LOL........LOL again....

Christian

[deathstar 3]

No fishing charters lately, just the bloke in the next shed from us and another fella I work with both told me about it on the same day.

I don't know whether I would have the guts to try it.

I don't actually touch the bloody things either, pliers hold the mouth and another set to get the hook out. Cant handle queer looking shit like that.

Most of them that we caught were about 25cm.

John

[onerabbit]

I can tell you by experience, don't get hit by a red harry.

Nearly as bad as being hit by a catfish.

However, my dad used to bring them home when I was a kid, mum would boil/poach them & put them in the fridge, ..............beautiful.

If you can get decent ones, they are worth bringing home.

Muzz

[jackson4300]

caught a few, never eatin one myself but a mate who comes out with us eats em whenever he can. Have had someone onboard get spiked by one, now after he got spiked in the morning, he didnt fish the rest of the day. He wanted to cut his finger off at the start but then as the day went on it was the whole hand then the arm. So yea, is it worth the risk?

[Tony_N]

Hot water (but not so hot you get burned) is the way to alleviate the pain. Even heating up the end of a a cigarette lighter by keeping it on for a while and then applying the fairly hot end to the wound will help.

Yeah - good tucker if you can be bothered. My mate keeps the big ones (30cms+). The way things are going we might be grateful in a few years that everybody throws them back at the moment. They may be all we can catch soon - along with grinners and sergeant bakers.

PS - don't mind my grumblings - I just get depressed every year at the time of the Evans Head Classic - it takes forever for the fishing to recover after it.

[stonecold]

Quickly coming around to that time again isnt it Tony.

[onerabbit]

Oh damn, is it that time again already???

Let's hope the recent run of good weather holds then.

Muzz

[Tony_N]

I've gone off a bit early Muzz. It's not until July - but I saw a bloke wearing an old Classic t-shirt the other day and it got me going.

Tony

[JOE BLOW]

I have never eaten one or caught one but every person i have spoken to say they are great to eat, if you get spiked by one then your in alot of pain and that is why everyone i know doesn't bother about them.
cheers
B.kennedy