Kelly's Low Country Catfish Stew
1/8th tsp. cayenne pepper
1 ?pounds catfish filets, cut in 1 inch pieces
3 to 5 slices chopped bacon
1 cup chopped onion
?cup chopped green bell pepper
1 28-ounce can tomatoes.
1 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. salt
?tsp. black pepper
?tsp. thyme
Wash catfish filets and cut in 1 inch pieces. Set aside. Fry bacon in a large heavy pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook until tender. (Do not add the Cayenne Pepper until you add the fish. If it cooks the entire time, it may be too spicy and hot.) Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the fish and cayenne pepper and cook for another 20 minutes. Add water if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve hot with crackers or cornbread.
A Florida gulf coast charter boat captain offers this fried striper recipe. Try it; you'll like it!
Capt. Rick's Spanish Style Striper
1/8 cup olive oil
1 diced (or sliced) white onion
fresh garlic to taste
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper or paprika
salt to taste
1 cup white wine
Heat olive oil to medium high. Add onion, fresh minced garlic and red bell pepper. Saut?until tender. Place fish filets directly on top of the simmering mixture. Allow fish to cook approximately 7 minutes. Turn filet over. Add 1 cup of white wine and allow to evaporate. Add salt and cayenne to taste, and add more bell pepper if desired. Cover for 10 minutes with heat on very low. If fish portions are large, cook a little longer.
The Hot Spot of the week is the mouth of Mountain Creek. Stripers are hitting deep diving lures on down riggers or while trolling with lead core line. White perch fishing is excellent for anglers fishing near bottom with minnows and pieces of cut bait. Cat fishing and bass fishing is very good. The lake's water temperature is in the mid eighties and the lake level is 97.3 or down 3.7 feet' from full pond.
Tips from Gus! Bait tanks warm quickly in the summer sun, and baits will die. Shade tank and add bottles of frozen water to lower tank water temperature. Blue back herring, shiners, black salty's and goldfish are hardy warm weather live baits.
BY GUS GUSTAFSON
Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and a full time Professional Fishing Guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his web site, Fishin' With Gus! call 704 617 6812. For additional information, e-mail him at
[email protected]
