Fishing – Tastiest fish in the ocean?

Over the years I have regularly been asked, ‘What is your preferred table fish?’ and I don’t have to stop and think – john dory!

While their flesh is a finer version than flounder (another of my Top Five) they are unique in other ways. Their shape alone makes them unique with their flared dorsal fin, slim body, extendable jaw and unmistakeable thumbprint amidships which is sometimes referred to as the mark of St Peter, one of Christ’s disciples.

JDs are great hunters. They are one of a small number of fish that can fin in reverse thanks to their anal and secondary dorsal fins, their ‘thumbprint’ confusing their prey as to which way they are facing.

As a diver with crayfish my main target I have witnessed numerous JD attacks. They have a great deal of patience, blending into the background well, shooting their extendable jaw to suck in their prey.

Recreationally, they are a prized capture, caught on livebaits and lures – anything moving. I have yet to see one caught on bait. For land-based anglers, the local wharf is a great place to deliberately target JD, but there is a bit to the process. First catch your livebait – herrings, sprats, butterfish, piper and the like – then return them as livebait. As ambush hunters, john dory like the wharf structure to provide suitable cover to hide around. At night, illuminated wharves and jetties make great fishing grounds – the smaller fish are attracted to the light and subsequently the attention of predators, among them JDs.

Fishing from a boat weed lines, foul ground and rocky shorelines are good places to start looking for JDs. Anchored up at night, with the underwater bait lights on, works very much like a wharf – the small fish attracted to the light are a dinner gong for the bigger predators. Start with a sabiki, catch the jack mackerel and you are in the game. Make sure you use sturdy tackle to deploy your livebait as kingfish are often in the mix. Always use a landing net as JDs have soft mouths.

This season we have caught our fair share of JDs, fishing lures around the bait schools. Like all table fish, how you look after them on the boat reflects in the eating quality. Iki them, then straight into the ice slurry.

When filleting, a sharp knife with a bit of blend to the blade, is ideal for the job. I like to run around the edges of the body to start with, and then proceed the same as you would with snapper – filleting over the rib cage to maximise the flesh. The fillet has three distinct muscle groups which you can mostly separate by hand before running the knife through the skin. My preference is to leave the skin on for cooking, but make several cuts through it (the skin) to ensure it doesn’t curl up in the pan.