Dogtooth Tuna

[RI Popper]

First let me start by saying I'm a big fan of your show Larry. Congrats on a fine show and keep them coming please.

Now I've seen a show where you were catching some dog tooth tuna and I've also seen them targeted on another show. They are a strange looking cousin to what we get here in the North East and they have a heck of a set of choppers on them. Can you tell me if they are eatible and also what the range of them is? I do tons of Bluefin fishing and they look quite different from what I've seen on your show.

Thanks for the feedback and Tight lines.

Armand

[Phil Chavez]

Any fish is edible if you fry it long enough and have enough ketchup and Tabasco!

Dogtooth have a redish and pink flesh. Smaller ones taste better. Taste a lot like Makerel.

The doog tooth is a tropical water fish that hangs out near reef drop offs. They have an initial run like a tuna, while trying to get into the coral or rocks. In Micronesia they take along a small mesh bag filled with tobacco and slide it down the line if the fish is in the coral or cave. This will immobilize the fish, but once you remove the tabacco it comes to life with full strength.

Tight lines....Phil....>)))>

[RI Popper]

That is a very interesting response, Thank you.

Do they have as much fight as the Bluefin do?

Armand

[Bottomfeeder]

they do but theyre not "warm blooded" so they wont fight for hours and hours and hours

[Phil Chavez]

[quote="Bottomfeeder"]they do but theyre not "warm blooded" so they wont fight for hours and hours and hours[/quote]

There have been some questions about if Tuna are warm blooded. I believe the last I read about them is that they are not warm blood. Optimum temp rage for yellowfin is 82 -86 degree surface temp. I mention surface temp because a study was done in hawaii in about 1996 that showed that the tagged yellowfin tuna (Tags lasted about 72 hours) spend 90% of their time from 280 feet below the surface, and 10% of the time above 280 feet and the surface in a twenty four hour period. So, 90% of the time below 280 feet is cold!!!!!!!!!

But I can tell ya, warm or cold blood, just add some lemon, tabasco and some soyu sauce and it great to eat!

Tight lines...Phil............>)))>

[Phil Chavez]

[quote="RI Popper"]That is a very interesting response, Thank you.

Do they have as much fight as the Bluefin do?

Armand[/quote]

The Dogtooth is a territorial fish. Usually they inhabit a cave or ledge off a coral reef. So once it hits it's prey it trys and turns to go back to their area. They fight more like a amberjack or grouper after their initial run.

I have caught approximately 200 Dogtooth in my life. All within a 10 year period. From 20 to 170 lbs. They will slam your lure or bait and then run. That is the greatest. Then it is a test to see who is more stubborn, the fish or you. Lots of fun. I lived in Micronesia for 12 years and caught the most and the biggest off of Ulithi atoll. I also seen some mosters over 250 to 300 pound caught by locals using handlines.

Tight lines....Phil....>)))>

[dahlberg]

hi guys,
They do indeed fight like demons. And although, like all fish, tuna are essentially cold blooded, the scientific type tuna experts I've spoken with tell me they generate so much muscle friction they maintain body temps can be several degrees warmer than the water they are in.
While visiting the Center for Sustainable Fisheries in miami I was privy to some of the overlays of satellite data showing results from the tuna archival tagging data and ocean temps and it was absolutely amazing how they followed temperature edges. They were like beagles on the trail of a rabbit until a storm or other climatic conditions would break up the hard edge they'd break up and wander like a dog who'd lost the scent. It's the kind of info, that in the wrong hands could really cause some damage.
best,
L