Eaten Skate

Fishslaya,

I have not personally cooked one, or even tasted one for that matter, but I have heard of restaurants in Florida using the wings as an imitation scallop. Not sure, but I think they skin it and then cut the wings into little balls and fry it, or bake it in a butter mixture with spices.
I bet it is not too bad, please let us know.

Todd

This should help............

http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20&highlight=Skate

This too...

http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=881

off the subject.....

Any 1 ever try the wings off a bull nose ray?Seen one cut and fileted @ the Broad Bay Passage.Heard they taste like scallops?????

Check out the NJ board. davehunt posted what he does no prepare skate for cooking. Says the are wonderful. Guess I'll have to save one next time I'm at the beach and give it a try. Have a great weekend. Heading to N.J. for a little fishing, sun and fun.

It seems every few months, this topic comes up. Here is my two cents. Skate actually taste pretty good. I am referring to the clear nosed skate that are a tan color that rarely go over 10 pounds. Just cut off the wings and take the skin off. You can either fillet off the meat or just leave it on the bone. You can cook it just as you would any other fish. I prefer baking it with season-all and slices of garlic with a little olive oil. The rays, cow nosed rays, are horrible. To gamey for my taste. I tried one a few years ago and regretted it ever since. It's been a long time since I have had skate but it's pretty good and in my opinion worth keeping if other species of fish aren't biting. Hope this helps.
-Anthony

If you look there are some recepies for skate online. My neighbor says she can cook skate ( she is Chinese so she sould know!) but I haven't gotten her to teach me how. Will let you know when I do.

I tried skate earlier in the summer with some I caught on Lynnhaven pier, like they said the tan skates are the only ones to eat, It is easier to clean the bigger ones. The best way to do it (for me anyway) is to cut the wings close to the body, then take a sharp fillet knife and cut away skin in a skinning motion, there is a piece of catilage in between two pieves of meat, the upper meat is going to be alot thicker, I tried dipping them in egg wash and then in (House of Autry) fish breader and fried till golden brown, didn't quite taste like scallops but would return to my table anyday. Believe me if you like a good fishfry, you will keep a few and release a few in the future, The best way to catch them is target any other species but the skate and I will bet you catch one. Ha Ha Good luck on trying them. Tight lines to all.

I'll give it a go

Can someone post a link to a pic of the edible skate that's being referred to?

Thanks

Try this

No color to it but I believe this is what they are talking about

Well

The thorny one is the one I usually catch but here is page with the 7 types on it. skates Maybe firedog can say which one is most edible.

For some reason

They all look alike to me. I saw a few small ones caught but I only got a good look at the underside of them as the hooks were being removed.

Thanks for the response FL FISHERMAN.

Yeah I believe almost everyone I have caught in md and above have been the thorny because when I pull them in they curl their wings up and they look and feel like a rubber ball with grippies on em.

are you saying

that you actually pick them up with your hands?8(---)




The type you usually catch there may just be what is caught from the Va piers. The ones that are easy to reel in are probably the edible types. The ones that have to be pulled in by hand are probably the ones to not eat.

FL Fisherman's link he posted, if you look at the first one The barn door skate looks pretty close, you should be able to tell, the tan colored skate is the one you wqnt, I believe from what I have seen the Bull nose skate is alot darker almost black and the nose is considerably differant than the picture of the barn door skate, Hope this helps, I have never seen a bull nose caught at Lynnhaven or Sandbridge the majority of the ones you catch at these two locations are the ones that go "MMMMM" in ya tummy!!!!

thanks firedog

wish me luck at keeping the right one... Cause I sure don't want to :---> after a meal.

Yup I actually pick them up and until now when I researched I didn't know there was more than one type of skate. I am sure I have caught a few of the others but am also sure most of them were thorny ones

I'll pick up skates and stingrays, and I don't usually remove the barb either. There's a way to do it, if you know what you're doing.

Now as for eating them, I'll wait until winter when they're the only thing biting.

thanks

for the info guys.