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Since all I have been catching has been sharks I thought I would try keeping one and seeing what it tasted like. Any suggestion on species and how to handle it to get best results for dinner table?

I love blacktip - either steaks or just fried filet fingers like grouper. Delicious.

Steaks / fillets great to grill too... meat is tight/firm and won't fall apart like more flaky fish. Definitely worth trying.

What do I need to do to them on the boat. I have heard something about bleeding them???? How do you clean? Just skin and fillet?

Bleed them! While they are still alive, so the heart will pump the blood out-cut the gill or I have heard some slice the fins about 2/3 through. Sharks don't pizz, so the ammonia builds up in the meat if the blood is not let out.

Cleaning? I saved this site over a year ago when I found it goofin around on youtube. This cat does it quick! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdniiLLKHlo

My nephew soaked some overnight in lemon juice and EVO, then set it on the grill and basted it with EVO and lemon juice mix occassionally until done. Light salt and black pepper. It was absolutely awesome.

tabb wrote:What do I need to do to them on the boat. I have heard something about bleeding them???? How do you clean? Just skin and fillet?

Once you have brought the shark to the boat you need to bleed them, gut them, and bury them in ice (check the regs for both state and fed waters, they are getting restrictive on species and sizes). You can't legally cut off the head and tail like we used to do but gutting and ice packing will improve them later, greatly. After getting them to the fish cleaning station fillet and skin just like a bony fish, and trim away any reddish meat and any cartilage. Whats left is pure white fillet that can be steaked if it is a big fillet, grilled(quickly) or fried as fingers. If you grill, make sure it is hot and fast. If cooked too long, shark turns into the consistency of a well done pork chop. Since shark has very mild flavor, you can add some marinade before cooking or put on some mustard before rolling in coating to fry.

In the past, I have done a taste test by guests of various fried fish fingers and the shark usually won top award. Sharp nose, black tips, or bonnetheads eat good, but I usually don't keep them anymore.

EJ

They said it all- Black Tip is great.
I put mine in an ice/Salt Water Slush and clean them as soon as we hit the dock.
Be sure to trim the red meat away from the white.

marinade in Italian or Mojo and grill
Or just fry it up.
Good eats