Walleye are the most popular catch from Lake Erie. Few will dispute yellow perch are the most flavorful.
Walleye are the most popular catch from Lake Erie. Few will dispute yellow perch are the most flavorful.
The green-and-gold perch have been a favorite of fish fries all along the Ohio coast for generations, and 2,900 pounds of fillets will be consumed today through Sunday at the Lake County PerchFest at Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park. The flaky, white fillets are easy to fry to perfection if you follow the lead of chef Chris Bennett, the cooking star of the PerchFest.
Fried perch are breaded, dunked in hot oil for a few minutes and ready to eat. How can you mess that up? Bennett knows why some home-cooked perch fillets don't taste quite as good as his fillets.
"You have to bread the perch fillets 20 minutes before cooking," said Bennett. "That allows the perch to set up and the breading to adhere better, not fall off in the fryer. You'll also get a nicely cooked perch that is like a plank, instead of curled up."
Perch breaded hours or even a day before cooking allows the breading to wick away moisture from the fillet. The result is wet breading that fries too quickly and becomes hard, and a dry perch fillet underneath. The oil should be quality peanut or canola oil heated to 350 degrees.
Bennett, 42, owns Bennett Fish Company in Lorain, and cooks perch for area festivals. He doesn't fear rain, only hot weather.
"It's amazing how many people own umbrellas," he said. "But if the weather is oppressively hot, people aren't interest in a hot meal. The evenings will be cool this weekend, perfect for a cup of our clam chowder or lobster bisque, or an order of steamed clams."
Perch Derby on tap: Lake Erie is finally starting to settle down, and local perch anglers are hoping the yellow perch will start to bite again this weekend. The PerchFest's Perch Derby is Saturday and Sunday, with a minimal entry fee of $5, $1 for kids. The hot spot in the Fairport Harbor area is a hump northwest of the Grand River. It was attracting schools of perch before the big winds arrived early this week. Anglers can enter at local bait and tackle shops.
Making music: Joe and Kathy Sofchek of Mosquito Lake Marina, Bait & Tackle host fishing tournaments throughout the summer, and Sept. 18 they'll have their big concert of the season at Mosquito Lake State Park. Featured are the Legendary Drifters. The gates open at 2 p.m. For tickets call 330-637-2075.
Boat Show in Sandusky: The 38th annual North American In-Water Boat Show had more than 150 boats in the water on Thursday morning as it readied to show off new and used watercraft Wednesday through Sept. 19 at Cedar Point Marina in Sandusky. Show official Mike DiLorenzo said about half of this year's boats will be of the used variety, joined by a handful of 2011 models and some new boats remaining from 2010.
"We have more boats on trailers this year, and fewer big boats," said DiLorenza. "South Shore Marine has the biggest fleet, with most boats in the 20- to 30-foot range."
The show is open noon-7 p.m. on Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $9, with kids 12 and under free.
Lead ban considered: The Environmental Protection Agency has been trying to take the lead out of hunting and fishing. The EPA failed on the hunting side, backing off because of vigorous opposition from the National Rifle Association and other sportsmen's groups. Fishermen might not be so lucky. The EPA is still considering banning lead sinkers, lead-head jigs and other lures containing lead under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
The cost would be high, with non-lead fishing gear six to 15 times more expensive than lead. The American Sportfishing Association says data does not support a federal ban on sinkers, and would stop many anglers from going fishing because of the high cost and unavailability of non-lead sinkers, jigs and other fishing tackle.
Anglers can comment on the proposed ban at www.regulations.gov through Sept. 15.
Shut out again: After years of trying, our household was blanked again in the lottery for controlled waterfowl and deer hunts. If you tossed your hat in the Ohio Division of Wildlife lottery, the lucky hunters to get permits have been posted at www.wildohio.com.
Women's retreat: The Stark County Park District hosts a WOW Retreat for Women on Sept. 24-25 at Deer Creek Reservoir in Alliance. The wide range of workshops and classes range from canoeing and kayaking to fishing, archery and survival skills. The event kicks off Friday at 5 p.m. and runs through Saturday evening with a $20 fee. Meals are provided. Call 330-409-8096.
Straight shooting: Bowhunters kick off their deer season on Sept. 25, and need to get in a lot of shooting before it begins. Public areas with free archery ranges in the Cleveland area include Berlin Lake Wildlife Area (Portage County), Geneva State Park (Ashtabula), Punderson State Park (Geauga), and Spencer Wildlife Area (Medina).