birdsallpl Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Having been born and brought up in Surrey I have always eaten Dog fish or as it's known in fish & chip shops Rock Salmon. Since moving away from the South I have never been able to buy it in any local chippies. It is a lovely fish to eat and one of my favourites. Whilst down in Surrey last week my wife and I took every opportunity we could to have some. Why is it not popular in other parts of the country? It is a fantastic food not properly harvested and appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 I agree. Was brought up on it in Worthing but never seen it up north. Easy enough to catch though. You will get them off any available place on the beach or harbour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 I think spurdog were the rock salmon of chippie fame , itn a fish I have not seen in a long time. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnphilip Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 I dont think a lot of people like them,because they find it hard to skin them.they make a nice fish cake by adding some coley or other bland fish. Spurdog in little cubes done in a whipped egg and shallow fried very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Think I'm right in saying that 'Rock Salmon' was a wartime 'invention' so that people would not be put off eating it because of its actual name. It consisted of any of the dog fish type species. It is often available under its true name but more commonly only in proper fish markets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 A quick google and there seems to be no end of fish used for Rock Salmon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted July 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 I have caught Dog fish whilst on fishing day trips. None of the other guys on the boats wanted to take any so I always ended up with the lot. Even the skipper was surprised that I wanted them. He said they were almost worthless at market. People don't know what they are missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Rock Salmon was Spurdog. Now thanks to the wonderful shark trust and the MMO, the UK has banned catching them as they are classed as an endangered species despite shoals causing havoc and destroying nets as there are so many of them. Also our partners in the EU can catch them and land them legally in the same waters our fishermen cannot. Total madness and this time not the EUs fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Rock Salmon was Spurdog. Now thanks to the wonderful shark trust and the MMO, the UK has banned catching them as they are classed as an endangered species despite shoals causing havoc and destroying nets as there are so many of them. Also our partners in the EU can catch them and land them legally in the same waters our fishermen cannot. Total madness and this time not the EUs fault. I was wondering about that, can you tell me does the ban extend to lesser spotted and huss ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 (edited) No..all other species of dogfish are allowed.Tope are on the protected list too by the way with no targeted fishery allowed commercially. Edited July 20, 2014 by Sprackles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 No..all other species of dogfish are allowed. Tope are on the protected list too by the way with no targeted fishery allowed commercially. Thanks for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 I used to catch them when we were diving off the South coast, never hurt them but used to grab them and they would curl in to a circle and hand them to the student divers!! I have had Rock Eel and Chips a few times.....but it is all nice when your are hungry... TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon69 Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 if you do catch one and want to eat it, make sure you bleed it and gut it asap. It is a member of shark family and has a high content of urea which can taint the flesh and make it smell/taste of amonia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Matt Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 I saw someone trying to skin one once but they got fed up and gave up half way through. So ive never had the chance to try it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon69 Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 pair of pliers and stand on the tail! The skin used to be used as sand paper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted July 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 Also, did you know Dog fish can live out of water for hours. Once when fishing of Lyme I left the boat with a black sack of Dog. We were staying at a farm a few miles away. When I got back to the farm and after a couple of hours I started to skin and prepare them for the freezer, doing one at a time on the draining board. When I got to about the third one I bunged it in the basin to wash of before skinning, the b***dy thing shot out like a rocket and skidded across the kitchen floor. It **** the life out of me. After a wrestle I ended up chopping its head off. My son couldn't help because he was laughing to much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 Having been born and brought up in Surrey I have always eaten Dog fish or as it's known in fish & chip shops Rock Salmon. Since moving away from the South I have never been able to buy it in any local chippies. It is a lovely fish to eat and one of my favourites. Whilst down in Surrey last week my wife and I took every opportunity we could to have some. Why is it not popular in other parts of the country? It is a fantastic food not properly harvested and appreciated. Could say the same about Saveloy and peas pudding, And Stotties! You can't have it both ways :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 6, 2014 Report Share Posted August 6, 2014 it was served a lot in the 70s here in the NWest and was dog fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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