On a recent fishing trip, the first three casts of the morning produced three fish. That’s pretty outstanding. Under normal circumstances, I would be gleeful and possibly even do a little bragging, but those three fish were all gafftopsail cats. It just so happened I wasn’t fishing for saltwater catfish. Instead, I was targeting speckled trout. But for the first couple hours that morning, all I seemed to catch were what many people call trash fish: sail cats, ladyfish, lizardfish, stingrays, toadfish and a sea robin. I think I caught every one of them.
Now, I don’t know exactly who came up with the moniker “trash fish” for these species. Probably someone who didn’t appreciate the tarpon-like jumps of a ladyfish for the drag-screaming runs of a big sail cat or stingray or the uniquely interesting leg-like pectoral fins of a sea robin. Actually, I’d put a couple of those in the “most-valuable” category. A lizardfish is probably one of the best baits you can use to catch monster gag grouper. Ladyfish are a preferred bait for catching tarpon, spinner sharks and bull redfish.
There are some trash fish that inhabit the freshwater environs as well. Ever caught an alligator gar? Most folks put them in the trash category. I don’t. They fight like crazy. They jump, and they look really dangerous when you get them close to the boat. There are hundreds of sharp teeth on that snout that will mess up your day.
A lot of people consider carp to be a trash fish. But if you ever plan to fly fish for bonefish or redfish, carp are one of the best sparring partners you’ll ever find. Carp cruise the flats of our inland rivers and reservoirs and will do just about everything bones and reds will do. It’s great practice. Plus, when you get a carp to take your fly, it’s a fight like you’ve never seen before.
A Real Trash Fish
One fish that probably deserves the status of trash fish is the toadfish. They’re not especially pretty to look at, and their jaws and small teeth can do some real damage to your fingers. They don’t put up much of a fight, and they’re not terribly good on the table. At least that’s what I’ve heard. I can’t remember ever being served toadfish, or being hungry enough to try to cook one. By the way, they also call the toadfish a “mother-in-law fish.” Someone must have been really mad at their mom-in-law to brand the toadfish with that name.
Now that I’ve reflected on the subject, I am considering removing several of the aforementioned species from my own personal trash fish list. For me, any fish that puts up a great fight, offers some aerial acrobatics or drag-screaming runs deserves its rightful place as a sportfish. But I think the toadfish will always remain a little bit on the trashy side.
By Capt. Cefus McRae, Nuts & Bolts of Fishing Series