The best and worst eating game, as I see it

I don’t hunt and fish for food. There are simply a lot easier and cheaper ways to fill my freezer.

I hunt and fish for the love of the sport. The steaks and fillets that result from my efforts are nothing more than unexpected bonuses that are greatly appreciated by me and my family.

Well, most of them, anyway.

Because I’ve sampled so many different fish, birds and animals around North America, I’m often asked to list my favorite game meats. That’s easy enough.

On occasion, I’m also asked what type of wild fare I don’t like. That‘s even easier since I always take it into consideration when planning my trips.

Though taste is a very personal thing, here is the first part of my personal picks for best and worst tasting North American wild fish and game. This week covers things that live under water. In my next column, I will cover stuff that walks on land. Each list counts down to either the best or worst in its category.

Don Mulligan holds one of his favorite eating fish: The walleye.  They're best when they're under 3 pounds.

 
The worst tasting fish

6. Squid

When my Greek mother used to cook squid, my brothers and I always waited outside until she was done. The only thing that stinks more than a fresh squid is one being cooked.

And they don’t taste much better. I apologize to anyone trying to keep the Greek culinary tradition alive, but when I catch squid these days, I throw them back and don’t tell my mom.

5. Any catfish over 10 pounds.

I can, and have eaten 2-pound channel catfish until I was stuffed. They’re great. Once they get beyond 10 pounds, however, all catfish start to taste “mediciney” to me. I suppose it depends on where they live, but a couple bad ones was all it took for me to stop trying to eat big catfish.

Don Mulligan holds what he considers the best-tasting creature to live under water: Halibut.

4. Striped bass, wipers and white bass

I have removed the red, fatty blood vein on these fish as instructed, but still think they taste like dirt. Deep frying helps, but there are just too many good tasting fish to bother with any of these.

3. Any Great Lakes salmon or trout

I could live on king salmon, Coho salmon and lake trout in Alaska. The same species in the Great Lakes, however, taste like completely different fish. Our fish are smellier and a lot more “fishy” tasting. Though that might sound a bit redundant, anyone who eats salmon knows what I mean.

2. Buffalo and carp

I caught them, so I tried them. Bad idea. The flesh is not firm, especially on big fish, and it has a distinct muddy taste.

1. Oversized goldfish

Technically, these are carp, but please believe me, they taste much worse. Sort of a mushy, polluted mud taste.

The best tasting fish

7. Any fish when you’re starving

One year in Alaska I ran out of food and my plane was three days late. I survived on berries and lots of grayling fillets. I was later told that natives won’t eat the things because they are mushy and bad tasting. They tasted great to me at the time.

6. Ling Cod

Perhaps the ugliest ocean fish, but really great to eat. The fillets are tender and have a mild taste that is unique to them.

5. Bluegill

If the fish is 8 inches or more, their fillets are second to none. I like them breaded and deep fried. Smaller fish are great when fried in a little oil right on the bone.

4. Dorado

Fancy restaurants call the meat from these warm water ocean fish Mahi Mahi. It’s white, tender, very mild and has a hint of a butter flavor built in.

3. Northern pike

Get past the bones and slimy exterior, and northern pike are spectacular eating fish. Boil chunks of the flaky white meat in a crab boil and dip in butter. Cooked this way, northern is difficult to distinguish from a good lobster tail.

2. Small walleye and big perch

These are the perfect filleting fish, especially when they‘re between one and two pounds. They are mild, flaky and are good enough to eat for breakfast even after sitting out overnight in a pan.

1. Halibut

There’s a reason these are called the chickens of the sea. These deep, cold water ocean fish have a mild taste of their own. They are flaky and still good even when they reach sizes over 200 pounds. Fry chunks dipped in beer batter and you’ll be hooked.

Best- and worst-tasting game, Part 2