Bullhead fish are a type of catfish native to the United States.
Bullhead fish are a common find in most local lakes and rivers.
Despite their name, bullhead fish are not closely related to the true head of a bull.
Bullhead, mud pout, pollywogs, or mud cats, horned pout, river cats, and other names can be used interchangeably.
They are one the same fish that can be found on sources of water that is muddy.
Many people are wondering if you can eat a bullhead fish.
Some people believe that bullhead fish can be eaten, but there is no scientific evidence to support this claim.
Some people who eat bullhead fish believe that the fish has a strong flavor and is relatively healthy.
Others believe that bullhead fish should not be eaten because they contain high levels of mercury.
Well, to answer your questions about this type of fish, this article is just for you.
Continue reading below to identify if bullhead fishes are edible and you can find other information about it.
Can you eat bullhead fish?
Bullhead fish is one of the large compositions of the catfish family. According to many reviews, bullhead fish is very delicious. Its meat is flavorful even with or without seasoning. Most bullhead fish is cooked by frying.
Sometimes, bullhead fish may taste muddy because it is commonly found in rivers. That is why to remove the nasty or muddy flavor, it is recommended to soak this kind of fish in clear water for about a day or two before cooking it. Soaking helps remove muds and cleanse the meat.
What is a bullhead fish?
Bullhead, mud pout, pollywogs, or mud cat terms are the same. They are part of an Ictaluridae which is a family of catfish. This catfish species is widely found in North America. Their habitat is commonly located in lakes, ponds, streams, and muddy water sources.
Bullhead fish are also unique for they can breathe under a low oxygen level of water and high level of water pollution. They can also survive for several hours on land without water. The only danger for this fish is its sting that will make you suffer for a few hours. Their spines are sharp and needed precaution when catching.
These bullhead fishes are often hooked at night because that is the time where they search for their food and swim on higher water surfaces which can be easily seen by the naked eye. Typically, they are smaller than other catfish, and it is best to fry a whole bullhead fish.
How to catch a bullhead fish?
When you are in search of a bullhead fish, always learn first how to catch it. Most bullhead fish sense their food by smell. This is why fishermen are fond of using bait as an effective technique in catching a lot of bullhead fish.
Since this kind of fish is found on lakes, rivers, or muddy water sources, they will eat anything to survive. Many of the fishermen use some nasty or smelly baits to attract the bullhead fishes. The common baits that they use are live minnows, leeches, waxworms, nightcrawlers, worms, chicken liver, small bluegills, grains, bacon, and other unusual baits.
Although worms are the most recommended bait because it is easy to find and easy to store. Most bullhead fish are also attracted to this kind of bait. But, in the end, it is up to you to create your preferred bait to catch more bullhead fish.
How do you deal with a bullhead fish?
Bullhead fish are delicious when cooked, but they are quite tricky to catch. Fishermen usually harvest or catch bullhead fish at the dusk time because they come out of their habitat to swim upwards the water level to look for food. With that opportunity, it is easier to locate and catch them swimming particularly that they live in muddy areas such as ponds and rivers.
The only danger with this fish is their spines are so sharp that it also extends especially when they feel danger around them. Which makes it more common for fishermen to be pricked or pierced by its sharp spines. It is advisable to use strength and hands to wrap it around the fish’s top dorsal spine. Thus, using fingers also to grip at the back of its gills and fins on each side of the body.
How do you fry bullhead fish?
Frying bullhead fish is super easy, and it will only take almost 30 minutes of your time from the preparation up to the serving time. There are a lot of procedures online and here is one of them. For the ingredients, of course, you are going to need bullhead fish, all-purpose flour, pepper, cooking oil, and fresh lemons.
The first thing to do is to clean and wash the bullhead fish. Remove intestines, gills, fins, and skin. Then, mix flour and spices such as salt, pepper, and other seasonings that are desired. Dredge the fish into the flour, shake to accumulate all space of the fish. Shake excess flour and set it aside on a plate.
Preheat the pan on medium-high heat then add cooking oil. Place coated bullhead fish into the frying pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until it turns golden brown. Flip on the other side every minute to ensure that it is evenly cooked. Drop a half-size lemon juice on each fish and serve. You can also add your favorite sauce when serving.
Conclusion
There are many names for bullhead fishes, but one thing for sure is these fish are also called survivors for they can live in muddy and dirty places such as rivers, streams, and muddy water.
They are commonly found in North America and are part of the catfish family. They are edible and have tasty meat when cleaned properly. There are many recipes for cooking bullhead fish. The easiest, delicious, and recommended style is frying. All in all, we hope this article answered your questions about can you eat a bullhead fish.
