It's that time again😎

[Twizted1]

Very cool. Some folks pay big bucks to put one of those in a marine aquarium and you're putting them on a plate! Of course, the folks who'd pay the big bucks are also the ones that were not-so-smart enough to introduce them into native waters. I've heard the taste is mild; something like a fresh water perch. Is that so? I've not been silly enough to ever have been stung, but I've witnessed it (young fish) and it looked like a painful ordeal, but no one went to the hospital. I'm assuming a big one would kick one's butt. You need to come to one of the rides with a cooler full of fillets!

Ouch. I actually have a lionfish tank. But I wouldn't put them in the wild.

[Rock Doctor]

Very cool. Some folks pay big bucks to put one of those in a marine aquarium and you're putting them on a plate! Of course, the folks who'd pay the big bucks are also the ones that were not-so-smart enough to introduce them into native waters. I've heard the taste is mild; something like a fresh water perch. Is that so? I've not been silly enough to ever have been stung, but I've witnessed it (young fish) and it looked like a painful ordeal, but no one went to the hospital. I'm assuming a big one would kick one's butt. You need to come to one of the rides with a cooler full of fillets!

They are very good, I would compare them to Walleye, which is also very mild. You're right though, a hospital trip is not mandatory, but I do have a friend that tried to tough it out when he got spines in the finger. He ended up in surgery about 3 days later, they had to carve all the meat out of his finger. They did manage to save the finger though. It might depend on how mature the fish is, as you say.

[Rock Doctor]

I took my #1 daughter out for a night snorkle last night, you won't believe what the other girls missed out on.

http://youtu.be/Z3dRO9YjUm4

RD

[Rock Doctor]

Ouch. I actually have a lionfish tank. But I wouldn't put them in the wild.

It is believed that the ones here escaped during a hurricane. Their tank smashed and they managed to make it to the ocean, and now there is no stopping them. I'm doing what I can to slow them down ;-)

RD

[Don]

Sorry; didn't mean to insinuate aquarium hobbyists were all irresponsible. It just irritates me when I see it. The canals in south florida along with the everglades are lousy with foreign species, and the Northern Snakehead from China is pushing out native species from the rivers and lakes of Maryland and Virginia. (Steps down from soap box).

[hydromike]

Not to mention the Asian Carp now present in the Great Lakes (at least Lake Michigan and Erie, I believe).

[Rock Doctor]

Nice big Lion this morning

http://youtu.be/3oryCn81fZE

My daughter swimming with a Loggerhead

http://youtu.be/2TGO8oZLXYI

RD

[Rock Doctor]

Pic of that big Lion

[IMG][/IMG]

RD

[trevorakm1]

Don I beleive there is a chef in Maryland DC area trying to expose the snakehead as a food source similar to these buggers. Both very devastating species to the local fauna but also both good eating. The snakehead I believe was actually released purposely not to populate but as a sign of good will. I think it Nat Geo I saw a story on, the investigation uncovered that they were being imported illegally for eats in the asian communities and for whatever reason someone released some and it's been problematic ever since. Don't quote me and research for yourself but that was the last I heard.

[trevorakm1]

Back to the important things, I'd say your work here is done RD, I am completely envious. Congrats to you for exposing your kids to these kind of adventures. Experiences they will treasure forever.

[Noel Woods]

Those Lion Fish look like a mix between a Lobster and a Striped Bass. Each of which I stringently require as catch and release, into a frying pan, that is.

[Rock Doctor]

Lion Fish Fry

[IMG][/IMG]

RD

[Dozerlarry]

Yum! I need to head on up for that spread.

[Noel Woods]

Yum! I need to head on up for that spread.

No kidding, man that looks like some fine eating. Throw in some hush puppies and French fries, and some tobacco, and sodas to chase it down.

[Rock Doctor]

5 more Lions on today's dive, and a pretty big Moray Eel

http://youtu.be/MpAqDP6NOw8

RD