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Horned
pout are easy to catch and tasty to eat
DAYMOND
STEER
Contributing Writer
Horned
pout aren’t the best looking fish in the world, but that
doesn’t mean they don’t taste good. Let this be your guide
to filling your stringer with these ugly — yet tasty —
critters.
Horned
pout — or bullhead, as they are sometimes called — are one
of the easiest fish in the state to catch. Avid fisherman
Bryan Connelly of Northwood boasts that he once caught 15
in one night.
A catch
like that is perfectly legal because bullheads are among
the least restricted freshwater fish. According to the New
Hampshire’s Fishing Digest, a publication distributed by
the N.H. Fish & Game Department, there are no size limits
or limits on how many can be caught — year-round.
And what
makes that better, according to Connelly: “Horned pout is
really good, it’s right up there with trout. There is just
so much meat,” he said.
Gabe
Gries of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
describes bullhead as more of a “prize eating fish than a
game fish, but if you get a monster, then you get a good
fight.”
Bullhead
fishing is often done at night, but it pays to attract
them to a fishing site during the evening by “chumming,”
throwing out bait or something bait-like before fishing.
One
chumming technique is to place dry dog food and a baseball
sized stone in a burlap bag. Tie the bag with a long rope
and toss the bag as far as possible into the water letting
the rope follow the bag. Later on, pull the bag out of the
water using the rope. The scent of the dog food will get
the attention of the fish.
According
to John F. Scarola, author of “Freshwater Fishes of New
Hampshire,” the brown bull head is a “notorious scavenger
and will eat anything edible including dead fish and
garbage.” However, it eats many live foods as well, such
as earthworms and crayfish.
For
tackle, a light rod and reel is best and a hook,
preferably size 1. Some people like long shank hooks
because they make hook removal easier. For line, a
monofilament, 6-8 pound test is more than enough.
Also,
bring along:
• A bag
of splitshots (weights).
• Bait:
worms, bacon, crayfish, chicken, practically anything.
• A
flashlight or lantern for night fishing.
When
Connelly fishes, he uses only a line, bait, weights and a
hook. This method is called using a “drop line.” Drop
lines can be used from a boat or a dock by simply dropping
a baited hook into the water.
After
chumming, take the rod and reel out to the chosen spot,
tie the hook to the line and pinch a weight or two about
two-feet above the hook. Add the bait and cast out toward
the chum bag.
Then
wait; the name of the game is patience.
The
bullheads tend to bite very gently. When you first detect
a bite, hold the line between your thumb and your index
finger. Gently pull the line until it is taut. When the
fish begins to pull steadily, raise your rod tip in a
sudden motion — this is called setting the hook.
If you
are lucky enough (or skilled enough) to catch a bunch,
cleaning them can be tricky. The fish are prickly because
the spine is located on the dorsal and pectoral fins — on
the outside of the fish. The spine is sharp and can
deliver a nasty cut, which can lead to an equally nasty
infection.
Horned
pout is a tender, mild fish, and there are many cooking
options: sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and fry it
in a cast iron skillet, grill it, coat it in flour and
cornmeal and cook it in a frying pan in bacon drippings.
Most fish cookbooks can provide recipes.
New
Hampshire Fishing Licenses costs $31 for residents and $47
for non-residents. A $2.50 habitat fee is also tacked on
to both types of license.
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