Thread: Florida's exotic panfish

Originally Posted by john h

most likely tiipia got in the waterways duing a flood, thats how the asian carp got in the waterways up here...its an old wifes tail bout birds carrying the eggs and pooping them elsewhere, thee digestive enzymes automatically kil any eggs they eat

I was told fish eggs can stick to birds legs. Most likely flood water released them. My mother has told of rain storms dropping small fish in fields before too.

How tasty are those Oscars?They are an alien speices of fish in the US. Looks like they would require you to kill them but fishing shows I've watched released them.

Oscars are edible. The fish down in Alligator Alley canals are not usually kept due to high concentrations of mercury in those canals. I have not eaten any so I don't know what they taste like. I don't think I would call the exotics including Oscars "panfish" unless you know of any bream that have teeth. LOL They are just exotics or non-native fish. See link below for info on them:

Florida Non-Native Fish

Oscar

My dad use to take me to the glades to fish. We caught oscar like crazy! It was a really fun! They have some kill bass in there too plus the nature in the glades is amazing! To bad the is so much mercury in there.
Bill

Originally Posted by john h

most likely tiipia got in the waterways duing a flood, thats how the asian carp got in the waterways up here...its an old wifes tail bout birds carrying the eggs and pooping them elsewhere, thee digestive enzymes automatically kil any eggs they eat

I live in SE VA and the last house I lived in wasn't near anything you'd consider a lake or a river. 2-3 miles to a swamp or beaver pond.
After Hurricane Floyd we had a major flood. Water was flowing over the road in front of our house. The kids were out messing in it, as kids will do, and came back and said "There's fish in the road!" I said "Sure there is." all fatherly and knowing. They got my dip net and netted a pickerel about 9-10"
I guess I'm saying, floods definately spread fish. And I agree that no egg will live in a bird's stomach. I'm sceptical of the foot thing too. No offense to anybody. I've heard it my whole life too.

i once had an oscar as a pet, they can be vicious!

I am an aquarist form awaaay back. I was at our church fish fry the other year asking the fella about the fish he was feeding us and he said they were Oscar, Mayan, and Red Devil . i couldn't believe it. They were some of the tastiest freshwater fish I'd ever eaten. They do a yearly trip to Florida just to catch them. No limits sicne they're invasive exotics!

I've been wanting to go down and yak fish for 'em myelf and fill a few coolers to bring back for my freezer.

What locations are you catching them? Only southern Florida? I've been researching the web for it and the Florida pages mainly list Miami area.

Originally Posted by Bowfin

What locations are you catching them? Only southern Florida? I've been researching the web for it and the Florida pages mainly list Miami area.

That is correct. They are only in south Florida. They cannot survive above Lake Okeechobee as the water gets too cold for them to survive especially during the fall and winter months. I have caught both Oscars and Mayans. I can catch some Mayans just above Lake Okeechobee in the river from time to time during hot weather as they venture up the river a little ways but they can't stay there or survive as the cold will eventually kill them off. But there are no exotics usually up here where I live. I usually go down to Alligator Alley in Ft. Lauderdale when I want to specifically fish for the exotics. Peacock Bass may be there but I haven't caught any on Alligator Alley yet. I have heard that the Peacock Bass are more easterly toward Miami Metro Dade.

o0o0o0ohhh! What do they taste like?

Originally Posted by Supracerxtreme

o0o0o0ohhh! What do they taste like?

Chicken? kidding.
They taste real clean and almost sweet. Like a very mild perch. In my opinion, the Red Devils were the best. They have a reddish orange flesh, so you know a Red Devil filet right off.

Good eating for sure.

Anyone for a trip to Florida? i'll have to look at Alligator alley.
Is there a large concentration of Oscar and mayan there?