sailcats

[chickory]

Admittedly not an expert as many on this forum, but I have fished this area( cape San Blas to Bald Point) about 2-3x each year for nearly 20yrs. Usually we fish the bays from yak or a dock.
Are others noticing a sizable increase in the number of sailcats? Their population appears to be exploding and, more worrisome, do they eat the fry of more desirable fish?
Regardless of bait type or cut fish, on the bottom or under a cork, they are a constant, sometimes exceeding all other species caught.
Is my observation incorrect, or am I off my rocker......

[chris.harris388]

This is why I quit using live or cut bait most of the time.

[SS-342]

[quote="chris.harris388"]This is why I quit using live or cut bait most of the time.

Chris got that right!

Plus location: If they are there….I'm gone!

[RCS]

Can't speak from experience because I've yet to eat a snot cat, but I've been told by several folks that they're great eating.

[cotton]

Do your part and fry up a few. I use to eat them when I fished out of a boat. Fried there better than many things I've eaten. I can't think of a way to safely and without the slime to harvest them in the yak.

[bbb]

The Saltwater Classic use to do their part thinning them out when Sailcat was one if the categories.

I fried up sailcat, redfish and trout from a fishing trip on that same day and placed them on 3 separate serving plates. Only I knew what fish was on each plate. My buddy, his wife and my wife all preferred the plate of sailcat. They couldn't believe it when I told them. Just make sure you cut out the blood line.

[bayrunner22]

Went a couple of weeks ago caught about 20 trout and kept 3 nice size sail cats came home cleaned and fried up and only told my wife witch plate was sail cat since that is what she likes the most. There wasn't one piece of cat left and about a half a plate of trout so if you go and can't catch anything but sail cats keep some they are as good as any freshwater cats and as the other member said just cut out blood line

[kgarner1]

Where are you guys catching them as my son thinks they are a blast and they do put up a fight, havent caught the first one this spring! Hardheads but no Sails.

Thanks

[FUTCHCAIRO]

SAILCATS ARE REALLY GOOD FRIED, I TRIED THEM SEVERAL TIMES WHEN WE DID NOT CATCH ANYTHING ELSE. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS GETTING THE SLIME OFF OF THE COOLER BOX, IT TOOK ABOUT 5-6 CLEANINGS BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO USE THE COOLER AGAIN. I JUST SKINNED THEM AND DIPPED THEM IN A FLOUR MILK BATTER AND COOKED THEM IN THE DEEP FAT COOKER.
PA
SEMPER FI

[red_yakker]

Sailcat tastes just like most freshwater catfish. But be careful, I have a buddy who is allergic to their slime. He breaks out in a nasty rash if he looks at one the wrong way. I've never tried a hardtail cat, but I hear they are pretty much inedible.
I catch significantly more hardtails than I catch sails, but I always hear about people catching sailcat after sailcat during the summer. Makes me wonder if they know the difference between the two. I think some folks call all saltwater catfish sailcats.

[SHOWBOAT]

I can't believe ya'll go through that effort to eat a sail cat. They are nasty! Just go catch another fish and spare your cooler, towels and pants.

While avoiding bait is preferred, for may reasons, I catch as many sail cats on top as I do any other method of fishing.

Samuel L Jackson aka Jules said it best, "sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy mother &$@%*#"

Benji-I catch a lot more sails out of Franklin County than I do Taylor. I do catch them to the east sometimes though.

Hoezle-where are you? Don't you hold the BBSC record for sailcats

[RCS]

If you really want to catch a sailcat, fish mud cover off alligator point. The area straight out from St. Teresa...between the point and Turkey flats...is another great place to try for them. Make sure you use the highest quality Fluorocarbon and hooks you can find, and the best baits. In fact, just fish for tarpon and you'll catch enough to fill the boat.

[MudDucker]

Vinegar will cut the catfish slime. Back when I used cut bait, I carried a spray bottle full of vinegar and it would amazingly well. I also use it when cleaning any fish to cut the fish slime and slime taste from my cleaned fish, both fresh and salt water.

[niceShoot]

Haven't noticed an "explosion" of sailcat numbers myself, they seem about as equally annoying as they've ever been the 15 years I've fished the area.