Squawfish (aka the "northern pikeminnow" if you want to be politically-correct) is a predacious river fish notorious for eating baby salmon ("smolts"). It is common in the northwestern US, and is usually regarded as a "trash" fish - ie, one that is not desirable as food.
Oregon and Washington both pay money to fisherman who catch squawfish. But even with that incentive, squawfish remain a problem for salmon runs.
I'd like to go against the common wisdom - squawfish are not only edible, but are actually tasty if cooked fresh and with a method like frying which allows the fish to boil, partly, in its own natural oils.
There's no reason to fear the squawfish or consign it purely to bait - you can eat them, too. And should.
nice blogpost
I've always heard they only way to really make them edible is by smoking them. I tried cooking one over an open fire once and the results were not good.
>>8492809
So, it's an oily fish. As another anon said, that lends itself to smoking like mackeral or salmon, not frying. Perhaps grilling also.
Murricans don't care for strong-tasting fish. Give the fish a new name, can 'em and sell them to China and Japan.
>aka the "northern pikeminnow" if you want to be politically-correct
What the fuck?
>>8493132
Native groups got upset because of the word "squaw." So it got changed to pikeminnow in government regulations, even though everyone still calls it squawfish.
It's kind of a silly name, since "pike"minnows aren't even related at all to pike. It's a different genus entirely.
They are indeed minnows, however.
>>8493156
>It's kind of a silly name, since "pike"minnows aren't even related at all to pike. It's a different genus entirely.
I figured it was a "whale shark" or "spider crab" kind of thing. You know, a minnow that sort of resembles a pike.
>>8493042
Why don't you call them a fuck you?
They're like nothing you've ever tasted.
They're extremely oily and very hard to cook. You've never seen this species of fish you fuck.
We figured out how but it's not easy. They're very easy to catch but not easy to cook.
You think you're so much better by rights of being some place else. That's nonsense.
>>8494103
I don't know who you are, but you're either drunk or retarded.
But since i can assume there's some Oregonfags here, would anyone like to go crabbing with me? Fishing too, but I really want to cornhole some crab.
I'm not pad to fish them,not by any means.
I fish, and I walk the river where I was born.
It is, by rights everything I mean to do. I fucking love this place.
>>8494108
Immensely drunk but no I wouldn't go with you.
I would however go on a late Elk hunt. Totally sober we could go into the field.
Or you could take me clammming, you guys have some pretty great places there.
>>8494116
Oregon and Montana but it's sort of like, I'm not down with being fed raw seafood and your not down with seeing an elk gutted. Same of the Same.
>>8494116
I'll hunt and go clamming, but not completely sober.
>>8494120
I understand "you're" irony.
>>8494121
I saw a pig screaming not to die in the south, and thought "that's not right" as a Montanan, They're dead before we take what's due.
Fuck these freaky southern fucks.
The thing is, they were originally called "squawfish" BECAUSE natives ate them. They are perfectly edible. But there are two issues:
-They generally have a bit of a stronger/oilier flavor than more desirable fish
-They can turn rubbery fairly easily if overcooked
Overcooking is more likely if they are roasted at high heat or boiled. Frying is generally better, because the frying oil seems to keep the flesh a bit more tender.
But the flavor has never been a problem for me personally. It's no "stronger" than mackerel or something, which people around the world eat with enthusiasm.
>>8493156
Squaw was a derogatory term used by Native males to describe their wives. It roughly translates as "cunt".
>>8494527
No. It translates as 'woman', as negro does 'black'. The word eventually started carrying the negative connotations associated with native americans and negroes themselves, respectively. Educate yourself.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squaw