Oven Fried Fish Recipe

Garry has a great recipe for oven fried fish, which we hope is a healthier alternative to the deep-fried version. A few weeks ago he went fishing with his friend and caught their limit of 25 bluegills each. So, after a lot of fish-cleaning (by Garry, not me), we shared some with our family and had a good meal. 

The method is easy. You just need your fish, cleaned and filleted, olive oil in a spray bottle (I use a Misto) and some Bakin' Miracle coating mix. We've also used Fryin' Magic, but it seems too salty for our taste. We like to stop at local grocers when traveling, and our last experiment with "hot Cajun" coating mix resulting in burning mouths. 

1. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees, with your rack or racks close to the center of the oven.
2. Pour some of the coating mix into a shallow pan or bowl. 
3. Spray your baking sheet with olive oil. 
4. Coat each fish filet in the coating mix and place them on the pan. 
5. Then - here's the trick to crispy fish: Take your Misto or spray bottle of oil and hold it about an inch from the fish fillet, and spray a bit on top. It should wet the coating and sort of drip down the sides. 
6. Bake at 500 degrees for 8 minutes. No need to turn the fillets. You can add a little time if they are larger than average. Serve with lemon, tartar sauce, or our favorite, malt vinegar. 

 Bluegill fillets ready for the oven

Baked and ready to serve! 

South Dakota Pheasant Hunting

Pheasant Hunting - October, 2015 Kimball, South Dakota

Pheasants Mounted for Curt's Client

In late October, 2015, Garry and a few friends traveled to Kimball, South Dakota. They spent some time duck hunting and then met up with some more friends from Wisconsin and Illinois who were pheasant hunting with Curt Korzan at his lodge, Grand Slam Pheasant Hunts. Curt offers a first-class hunting experience to groups of up to 20 hunters. They had a great hunt, as usual, with Curt. Garry has mounted a lot of display mounts in the lodge and offers bird mounting taxidermy services for many of Curt's clients.

The grand rustic lodge at Grand Slam Pheasant Hunts, Kimball, SD. 

I've been there with Garry, and it is gorgeous.

 Sunrise while duck hunting near Kimball, SD

 Garry Senk of Garry Senk Taxidermy and Gary Parsons from The Nextbite.tv 

with some pheasants.

 Garry and a drake bufflehead duck.

Bill Brandenburg from Clarkston, MI & Sid Hennekens from Mukwonago, WI 

with some ducks & pheasants

The weather was exceptionally warm for the first week in November.

Giving the dogs some water.

Another Pheasant Mount for a Client from Curt's Hunting Lodge 

Grandpa Garry Fishing With the Grandkids

A post just for fun - While my daughter and I were in California visiting my son for a few days, Grandpa Garry took her husband and their daughters, Lily, age 9 and Sierra, age 5, fishing. He said there was lots of screaming with excitement and at one time Sierra said "fish on the loose!, fish on the loose!" when one came off the hook. 

 Lily's big catch!

Sierra's turn to catch one! 

The snapping turtle is a frequent visitor alongside the boat. Keep hands out of the water!