Rubbery Blackfish

[Ryder]

I had a session yesterday off Kurnell, not much to write about, but took home a feed.

When I filleted 3 fish, the flesh on 1 seemed much softer than the other 2. Dusted in flour and fried in the pan, the soft fillets curled up and over on themselves and the flesh was rubbery, I didn’t eat them but the other fillets were fine. 
 

Any thoughts?

[Green Hornet]

I used to catch the odd fish like that as well. @wazatherfisherman put me onto gutting and gilling the fish, then leaving them in the fridge overnight before filleting and skinning the next day and I haven’t had a rubbery fish since.

Funny thing is, I used to cook a lot of my blackfish whole and never had this problem.

[Little_Flatty]

I had exactly the same thing a few months ago, no idea why. Though it tasted ok and was mostly edible, my family was unimpressed.

I noticed the fish was very hard to scale (I was cooking it whole), almost tough like a redfin’s skin.

[XD351]

Might be something to do with spawning ? I know the trout in eucumbene are near impossible to scale and the flesh goes very greasy during the spawn run 

[faker]

2 hours ago, Ryder said:

I had a session yesterday off Kurnell, not much to write about, but took home a feed.

When I filleted 3 fish, the flesh on 1 seemed much softer than the other 2. Dusted in flour and fried in the pan, the soft fillets curled up and over on themselves and the flesh was rubbery, I didn’t eat them but the other fillets were fine. 
 

Any thoughts?

I had one do the same several months back not sure why

[Steve0]

I've experienced luderick like that a long time ago. From memory, also other white fleshed species, as well. Possibly, my most recent was a leatherjacket around the time I decided 'never another leatherjacket'. 

Viral?  

[Burger]

I’ve only had 1 rubbery fish. On holidays with tennis mates and that day I got 2 within 10mins of each other. They were very similar size, both boys and treated exactly the same.

Both got baked whole and 1 was delicious, the other tough and rubbery.

I’ve no idea why.

[Ryder]

Thanks for the replies, I will try leaving them in the fridge overnight.

I’ve done a bit of research and came across a report for Tough Fish Syndrome and a bad Dad joke.

We kept the fish in a swim net in a rockpool that got refreshed regularly. When I went to put in another fish the bag it was in the shallows and 2 fish were missing eyes. Local Ravens at work. Those ones were fine on the plate.

[Peter K]

On Saturday I pan fried 3 luderick worth of fillets I had caught 30 mins prior. They did curl up similar to yours but didn’t go rubbery and tasted fine, it was super flaky and fell apart, mouth watering when cooked in butter.

Perhaps the fish was too fresh? And should be in the fridge for a bit?