Hey Hall of Fame family,
Happy Tuesday, March 12! For this week's blog post, I wanted to share some of my personal favorite meals and dishes I've eaten while on fishing trips throughout my life. Disclaimer: I am hesitant to call these the 'best' fishing trip meals, as taste can be subjective. The following is a list of my favorites, not in any particular order:
The first entry on my list is fish, itself. Kinda obvious, right? One of my all time favorite foods, regardless if I'm on a fishing trip or not, is freshly caught fish, fried to a crispy golden brown. I love eating fresh crappie, bluegill, catfish, trout, or bass that I caught myself. For me, it is so tough to beat fresh caught fish, especially ones that I caught. If you can eat them the same day you caught them, even better! My personal favorite fish to eat is crappie, but I will seldom turn down a filet of any of the aforementioned species. Having a fish fry can be a great way to make memories and eat delicious food, whether it's trout streamside, bluegill in the campsite, or crappie dockside. The worst part of the whole process is cleaning and fileting the fish, which can be a chore if you have a lot to filet (an electric filet knife is worth the investment!). We always use Andy's for the batter; it is so flavorful, cheap, and easily available. Being from the Midwest, I don't have many opportunities to go saltwater fishing, and most saltwater species I have available to me are in the freezer section at the grocery store. One time, Paul and I ate tuna packages while in a canoe while fishing in the boundary waters. The tuna was underwhelming, as we were eating fresh bass and walleye all week.
Another one of my favorite things to do while on fishing trips is check out different small marina restaurants. These places usually don't seem like much, and I think they often get overlooked. I even think a percentage of them are seasonal, and not open during winter months. Make no mistake, though. Small marina restaurants may have some of the best food you'll ever have. Buzzard Rock Cafe on Barkley Lake (Kentucky) has a burger that's to die for. It's simple, but has such an amazing, savory taste. Buzzard Rock Cafe is small, and is part of a larger marina and campground on the lake. It is very close to the Land Between the Lakes and Kentucky Lake. Another awesome small marina bar and grill is in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and for this one, I have an apology to make. For the life of me, I cannot find or remember the name of this restaurant. It's attached to a marina, resort, and general store. But despite my lack of memory, this place has the some of the best (not the best because taste is subjective) walleye fingers on earth. They are fried to perfection, not too fishy, and taste incredible! If anyone reading this is familiar with Sturgeon Bay and Door County, and you know the restaurant I am referring to, please let me know! I remember the restaurant being small, and it had a blue door. I am gravely sorry that I cannot remember the name of the Sturgeon Bay establishment. Both of these places are small, very easy to miss, and could get overlooked. If you're ever in the Land Between the Lakes or Sturgeon Bay, be sure to check them out!
Hotdogs/sausages are another classic meal I like to enjoy while out camping or on a fishing trip. They're so easy and cheap, and we usually just cook them over a fire. Paul and I like to get the Johnsonville Cheddar Bratwurst on our trips. We typically just eat them plain with bread, as they don't make enough buns in a pack to match the amount of hot dogs in a pack (why is this?). Plus, the bread can be used for other easy meals, like PB&J. Hotdogs may not be a 5 star meal, but they definitely hit the spot out in nature. Now, not all hotdogs are created equal, so be sure to pick your favorites for the occasion!
I hope you've enjoyed reading through this blog post! It's a little different than others I have written, but I think it's still relevant to us here at Hall of Fame Outdoors. Eating good food is something I love doing, as is fishing, and it's the best when I get to combine the two. Send us some comments or suggestions of other good campsite/fishing trip food you like to eat on our social media handles!
As always, tight lines!
Erik Hoffman, Hall of Fame Outdoor Co