Catch & Cook: Wyld Caught Fish Tacos
By Margie Nelson, the Wyld Gourmet
I'm leaving home at 3 am, watching the sun rise over Montana in my rearview mirror, and I know I will be at the ocean and on the beach in Westport, Washington, by noon. Some might wonder why I'd leave Montana with some of the best blue-ribbon fishing in our great rivers and lakes, but let's face it, there is no comparison when it comes to ocean fishing. The best part is that I only live about 10 hours away from my favorite ocean and deep-sea fishing destination, Westport, Washington.
I choose to fish out of Westport because I love its authenticity, affordability, and community, and I know I'll leave with enough seafood to last the year. It's a genuine fishing town with a rich maritime history and fishing culture. The local charter boats are run by some of the most knowledgeable and experienced captain and crew teams I have ever been around. Going out to fish early in the morning and watching the sunrise is one of the best ways to start the day, and it doesn't take long to reach the offshore fishing destination, where "Fish on" will be heard before you know it.
Westport offers fishing charters for salmon, lingcod and rockfish, albacore tuna, halibut, and Dungeness crab. I love cooking with salmon, lingcod, and rockfish, so I typically target these species on my trips to Westport. However, I'd also love to fish for and cook tuna and halibut (hint hint). A good day of fishing will bring in a great bounty of fish, and I love marching up the dock with the fish I caught while tourists giggle as I proudly carry my massive bag of fish to Merino's to be fillet, vacuum-sealed, labeled, and flash froze.
Eating all of your freshly caught fish during your stay would be impossible, so I like to freeze most of the seafood and keep out what I plan to eat while spending some days exploring Westport and enjoying some beach therapy. (There's no better place for a reset.) When the weather permits, cooking on the beach is one of my absolute favorite things. Some of my best memories have been cooking with friends and family on the shore.
I'm happy to share my Wyld-Caught Westport Fish Taco recipe with you. I hope it inspires you to go fishing in Westport and cook with the fish you catch.
Lingcod Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
Step 1: Choose your favorite Westport Fishing Charter and spend an amazing day on the water, catching a boatload of lingcod and rockfish.
Step 2: Select some filets for your fish tacos. You can use lingcod or rockfish for this recipe.
Step 3: Prepare the Mango Salsa and Slaw. You can do this ahead of time so it has some time to let all of the flavors come to life. I picked up all the ingredients I needed for the salsa and slaw at Westport's local grocery store, Shop'n Kart. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Step 4: Find a beautiful spot in Westport to cook your catch. In perfect conditions, I love cooking on the beach, and my condo also had BBQs available for us to use, with a great outdoor area for cooking. If you are more of an inside type of chef, you can also pan-fry or bake your lingcod.
Step 5: Heat up your grill or BBQ, and lightly oil before placing your lingcod on.
Step 6: Lightly dredge your lingcod in a bit of flour with some of your favorite Cajun seasoning and grill, preferably with an ocean view, until done. I grill the lingcod for about 3 minutes a side for thinner pieces or 6-8 minutes a side for thicker pieces. Keep an eye on the fish as you don’t want to overcook it. When it’s done, slice it into perfect taco sized strips.
Quickly grill the tortillas before assembling your tacos. Line your tortillas with the cilantro lime slaw, lingcod, and top with mango salsa, and enjoy the fruits (or I should say fish) of your labor. Delicious!
Fresh Caught Lingcod
Dredge fish with a mix of ~1/2 cup flour with 1 - 3+ tsp Cajun Seasoning and Salt and Pepper to taste.
Corn or Flour Tortillas
Mango salsa
2 whole ripe mangos peeled and diced
1/2 red bell pepper diced
1/2 small diced sweet onion
1/2 jalapeno finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 limes juiced, about 1 tablespoon
2 green onions chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro Lime Slaw
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
14 oz Shredded coleslaw mix
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
Margie Nelson
Margie is everyone's favorite wild game chef, creating delicious and beautiful recipes with wild-sourced food she has caught or harvested. She is a Montana native with a lifetime of experience hunting, fishing, and cooking outdoors over a fire or a wood stove. Margie is a renowned backcountry chef and teaches wild game processing and wild game cooking through her company, Wyld Gourmet.