# Toadfish?



## FishFace

Curious -- are toadfish useful at all? Can they be used as bait or something? Not that I'd want to try, but are they edible? 

They seem very similar to monkfish for some reason, maybe ugliness...


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## bassnut

I've never caught one big enough to try but I was told they are good to eat. All they eat are shell fish and small crabs. I'd be willing to try one.


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## Out Sick

I've never had one but you would take out the back filts like on a puffer fish. Good Luck with it, I hear there good. I'd like to you know your opinion if you try it. 

Ben


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## ncnat

They are ugly and alright on the table best that I can remember. I havn't caught one in 15+ years.


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## eric

really really good eating.
get a chinese friend to steam it chinese style for you.


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## Flip

If your talking about a blow toad they are delicious, chicken of the sea


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## kyoung490

FishFace said:


> Curious -- are toadfish useful at all?


they're fun to throw at your friends...


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## bassnut

Flip said:


> If your talking about a blow toad they are delicious, chicken of the sea


No, not the puffers. Oyster toads. The blow fish (blow toads) are delicious.


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## rocket

The northern puffer is also known as Blow Toad and Toadfish.... and they are delicious. If you are talking about oyster toadfish, I've never tried 'em.


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## bassnut

I remember when I was little. Me and my family would go fishing at the JRB. Every so often you would hear a loud smack or thud. It was the oyster toads being caught and the people would sling thier poles smacking the toads on the pier. They used to have port-a-johns along the pier and the trucks would ride up the pier sucking the crap out of them. A lady had caught an oyster toad, smacked it on the pier, and one of the crap trucks ran over it as they came by. The fish's guts squirted all over my dad. 
Oh... the memories of fishing.


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## FishFace

*Lmao*



kyoung490 said:


> they're fun to throw at your friends...


LMAO, I've actually done that with a puffer...


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## Al Kai

kyoung490 said:


> they're fun to throw at your friends...


I just spat coffee all over my keyboard, thank you very much


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## pierfisher9678

have not tried the oyster toad blow toads are good. funniest thing ive ever seen is a pelican try to eat a blow toad everytime he would pick it up it would blow up.pelican was mad as hell.someone on kure beach fishing pier taped it


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## SnookMook

Here ya go. My buddy Tom was hankering for some sushi after catching numerous oyster/toad fish and other assorted Florida "Trash Can Slam" fish one day while fishing off the Gandy Bridge over Tampa Bay. I caught all the mangrove snapper and sheepies while he dislodged the bottom dwellers of the bay that day. LOL










Needless to say. We actually did hit up one of the best sushi joints in Tampa right after this trip. 

The Matoi. This is from their website.










Believe it or not it was part of an ongoing column I wrote. 

It started out as "Attack of the Lizard Fish." You gotta love trash fish.


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## Fishman

The swell toadfish are good to eat also known as chicken of the sea. Theses are the toadfish that swell up when you touch them or tickle the bellies. The oyster toad on the other hand is not a pretty fish it's ugly and slimy some people eat them but I don’t think Ill try one.


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## tomfromfl

bassnut said:


> I've never caught one big enough to try but I was told they are good to eat. All they eat are shell fish and small crabs. I'd be willing to try one.


I have eaten blow toadfish at a great place on Maryland's eastern shore called Old Salty's. It is a firm white fish that is sweet, almost like chicken. If I could buy it here in Florida, I would in a minute...


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## Stoneda70

Tasty fish nugget..cut straight across back of head, peel off skin, tear the nugget off..presto! Ready for the skillet


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## jjirons69

I've watched video of people preparing them to eat. I'd have to pass. Caught some big ones but have never kept one.


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## Gorge

Excellent table fare, but all the meat is in the tail. Just like sea robin.


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## CoolDude

bassnut said:


> I've never caught one big enough to try but I was told they are good to eat. All they eat are shell fish and small crabs. I'd be willing to try one.





FishFace said:


> Curious -- are toadfish useful at all? Can they be used as bait or something? Not that I'd want to try, but are they edible?
> 
> They seem very similar to monkfish for some reason, maybe ugliness...


I


FishFace said:


> Curious -- are toadfish useful at all? Can they be used as bait or something? Not that I'd want to try, but are they edible?
> 
> They seem very similar to monkfish for some reason, maybe ugliness...


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## CoolDude

I caught one this year....was huge compared to the ones normally harrasing hooks near pilons  I was at the concrete ships, hoping I'd get a big drum or flounder when he hit. I had a smile bigger than a kid on Christmas as I struggled to get him to the surface. All I could do was crack up when he broke the surface. The circumference of his head had to be over 16 inches and he was easily that long....some pretty big teeth too! Must have weighed over 2lbs. I got a pic of him on my phone (fuzzy)...I'll try to post it later. My bud chows down on them...swears they are the lobster of the sea - LOL.


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## Gorge

If it had big teeth it might have been a stargazer.


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