yum yum!

catch and release... thru your stomach? ;)

Put up a good fight?? what tackle were you using?

Well, to tell you the truth I think I will be catch and releasing them in future. Tried cooking it 2 ways, one pan fried and another in sauce to mask the flavour - both methods still tasted like soggy mash potatoes and certainly wasn't to my liking. Also cooked the blackass with the same methods and it came out beautiful.

I was using 15kg braid on my overhead setup, so it was pretty overkill, it still managed to take line on heavy drag and took a couple of extra minutes of coaxing when it saw the boat. Would loved to have got him on a free floating bait on the light gear! Oh well, maybe next time - but from my opinion, definately a catch and release specimen.

hehe I didn't think they'd taste very good lol

Ah,

Smoked they come up great mate, on the webber with some hickory it is damn good. Also they are real nice as sashimi to.

Gully

Why bother though, when theres so much better tasting species around.

Ahh good point Jay, the problem being that there where no better tasting species around for the whole day, we were going home rather fishless with 2 blackass. :(

Yeah I guess if it's the only thing you came up with for the day then it's worth a shot.
You said that was your first YTK, I guess they're not that common down there then eh?

There not that uncommon just need the right weather to get the boat to where the fish are , west end of Rotto is a know haunt but fishing close to the reef there takes a brave skipper on anything but a real good day .

Great colour on the tail and that colour change along the lateral line. Why would the colour stop and change to white/grey along the lateral line though. You'd think it would wrap around further down to the underside?? ATB MAXY

!!!!

Mm.. for such a fish, you don't need to cook it.. Thats like making a curry out of Dhuie!

Same for an Amberjack! If it turns out poo, then you know you've prepared it/done something wrong. Neighbours fish, no way.

Guess your not a fan of sashimi? Yellowtail kingfish (Hiramasa) are very $$ high-grade fish. Would trade an amberjack or hiramasa for pinkie ANY day, both in terms of fighting and eating.

Smoked and bbq-ed would be the way to go if you're not a fan of sashimi.

Daiwa Saltiga named a range of rods after them ;)

Don't mind sashimi if its fresh, just needed some soy and wasabi on the boat and we would have been set. Wasn't really sure how to prepare it, as I said, first time species for me. Will definately try it with some other cooking/eating methods in future.

I have always found YTK delicious , however i think you will find that searing it like YFT will achieve much better results that treating it like a demersal species (Blackarse) . it doesn`t like to be overdone .

We allways have some Wasabi and Soy on board , just in case a Tuna or something comes on board , I would say we do a fish every second trip for Sashimi , skippy from out deep is VERY nice indeed , Al does a great Crayfish Sashimi as well ( YUM now I feel like some ) I put the soy and Wasabi in my bag every trip just like the rod , reel and camera there allways there .

Once you start carrying it you just keep doing it , I even take it when fishing Eshed or up Loonies for tailor .