LKN anglers offer their favorite catfish recipes

By: Gus Gustafson | Mooresville Tribune
Published: February 19, 2009

Tired of the same old fish recipes? Fishing guide Mac Byrum and Gourmet Chef Tim Shafer guarantee their catfish delights will please your taste buds.

Mac Byrum's Baked Catfish
Preheat oven to 500°. Blend one sleeve of Ritz crackers in a blender until very fine. Add your favorite spices and coat fish filets with the mixture. Place in a Pyrex dish sprayed with Pam. Pour 1 tablespoon of melted butter on each filet. Place in oven for 10 to 12 minutes, then broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until filets are brown on top.

Tim Schafer's Catfish in a Bag
4 8 oz. catfish fillets
4 cloves chopped garlic
1 small red onion cut in thin strips
1 small red pepper cut in thin strips
1 yellow pepper cut in small strips
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
Fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, chives, etc.), coarsely chopped
Kosher sea salt
Cracked black pepper
4 ounces lager beer
4 pieces of aluminum foil, 16-20" long

Rub each filet with a little butter. Place fish on aluminum foil and top with remaining ingredients, except the beer. Fold in one side, then fold the foil around the fish, leaving one side open. Pour the beer (1 ounce in each bag), close the foil, and place on a hot grill. The fish should be done in about 20 minutes. Remove the bags from the grill and place on a serving dish. With a fork and a sharp knife, cut the bags open to reveal a juicy, colorful, and tasty surprise.

Upcoming Events:
• A free seminar on "How to Catch LKN Striped Bass" will be held at Gander Mountain in Mooresville at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 25. This two-hour session will be conducted by fishing guide Capt. Craig Price and myself. For additional information, call 704-658-0822.

• The Lake Norman Sail and Power Squadron will be holding the first ABC safe boating course of 2009, scheduled on Feb. 28, at Duke Energy Explorium, 13339 Hagers Ferry Road Huntersville, NC. This class starts at 8 a.m. and will finish at 5 p.m. Cost is $ 45 which includes all class materials, in addition to a free lunch. Call 704-662-3647

• Daylight Savings Time starts on Sunday, March 12.

Tips from Gus!
North Carolina State Freshwater Fishing Licenses usually one year from the date of issue. Licenses can be purchase online at www.NCWildlife.org, or at most retail outlets that sell bait and fishing tackle.

Hot Spots of the Week:
Warmer weather has crappie, bass and stripers moving toward the shallows. Crappier anglers are catching limits, using minnows and jigs around brush in water up to 15 feet deep.

The lake level is down 4.5 feet from full pond and the water surface temperature is in the low 50s.