This is my all time favourite Fish Locker vid I'm mad about Mackerel.Thanks to following this excellent channel I now have s rough idea of what I need to do.The end product looked amazing .Thanks so much for posting this one just brilliant.Hope your all well and staying safe take care.Regards Tony
I mean this is perfect. No background music. No nothing, just a simple man enjoying what he's doing. The cooking was precise and the results was magnifique. Good job fam
Totally agree.Men have focus if allowed.We keep it simple, no gossip, minimal aimless walking around and always a dream...you, my friend, have cracked it. An inspiration to your many subscribers.
This is so wholesome. I don’t do any type of fishing, nor do I really know anything about fish! However, I enjoy eating mackerel. But this video really shows how gentle & kind your soul is, sharing what you know and despite it meaning some fish die you’re still taking care of the ones you know you’ll have to return by crushing your hook thingy! This is awesome. Thank you for sharing! You’re a legend.
@@TheFishLocker Nobody! I often and casually catch and cook mackerel especially at the moment, the only "survival" involved is when Im done and come back from the pub a bit late.
Fresh Mackerel one of the best eating fish in the world (not the supermarket ones) the clue is in the word Fresh. This video bought back memories of going to the quay side in Looe and buying them directly from the fishermen at 2 old pence each, taking them home and mother cooking them for breakfast. Such a versatile fish goes well with eggs and fried bread. Lovely video thanks for posting.
Thank you for bringing us viewers along for the experience, love it! Felt like I was there...your videos are better than many big budget produced television travel shows! I learned a lot!
Haha. Usually if you search "Fishlocker ....." and whatever you want to know it will come up. Fishlocker filleting... fishlocker rocket stove... fishlocker whale.
Doubt anything shop bought would taste as good and what a beautiful setting to eat in, another brilliant, interesting and entertaining video, many thanks,
Brilliant! Love your easy open honest and experienced way with fishing and beach cook ups. It is so relaxing and I really appreciate the way you talk directly to us and share your good times with us. The closed caption subtitles I deeply appreciate. They allow me to watch Fish Locker at any time without disturbing the rest of sleeping household. Thanks again. Looking forward to many years more with you!
It is my pleasure Willie, this video in particular has captions I entered manually. I haven’t had the time to do that with every video yet - it takes a long time. But there are a few extra messages in them if you pay attention. 😊
Still to this day the nicest thing I've ever eaten. Fishing for mackerel off the rocks in Aberdaron they'd been out the water literally a few minutes. Threw them on the fire with abit of butter and once cooked absolutely wolfed them down between us all, they were so good.
hey i know you are one busy lad out there with videos and a family. but i do want to say that watching your videos helps tons when i have a sensory overload. your relaxed voice, the information, and so much more makes it so relaxing to watch, or even fall asleep to. i know it might sound weird but i hope you can see it as a compliment, please keep doing what you wish to show us!
Every time I watch one of your videos I always learn something new, I’ve been fishing all my life and I stumbled across your channel while in lockdown I had never been sea fishing I’ve always fly fished you inspired me to head it to my local dock and try my luck at sea fishing I caught my first mackerel and haven’t touched the fly rod since can’t wait for you next video all the best and tight lines 🎣🐟
When I was a young lad on holiday in Scarborough, we used to wrap a normal hook with the tin foil we found in tab packet boxes that were thrown away as rubbish and we caught many mackerel.
There's nothing better than fresh mackerel fillets. Never thought of bleeding them out, thanks for the tip. I've got last nights scabby pasta for lunch now, that looked much better.
Brilliant video. My grandfather was a fishmonger and fish smoker/curer in the East End of London back in the 1940's. I had never been interested in fish until last year, when I moved down to the South Coast (Hythe) and bought my first boat (a Merry Fisher). Someone gave me a rod, and out with a few friends we caught some Mackerel off of the Isle of Wight. Had them on the barbecue that night and they were delicious. Your video has inspired me to do a bit of mackerel fishing and smoke/cook them on the beach. You make it all look so simple. Amazing!
Just an FYI , next time pre burn the tin and mesh to remove any coating that may be there that keeps the metal from rusting so it doesn't contaminate your food. Great tip on tin cooking.
When I was young we used to catch loads of mackerel - it was much easier then. We cooked them on the beach on a driftwood fire. We gutted them and wrapped the whole fish in a copy of The Times (sorry, but that’s because it was the right thickness, not because we only caught pretentious mackerel) that we then soaked in sea water. We placed the wrapped fish in the fire and turned them a couple of times. When the newspaper started to burn they were cooked. I now read The Times on my iPad, but I doubt that would be so successful.
I remember fishing for mackerel off the very north west tip of Scotland in my friends tiny boat. When you get a good sized mackerel on each of your six lures, it's like you've caught a small car. 😆 Gut them in the boat, throw the remains back for the birds, straight up to my friends log cabin, coat them in oat bran and then fry them in butter. Minutes old fresh mackerel. Mmmmmmmmmmm!
looks absolutely scrumptious and probably really healthy too. My jealousy knows no bounds. Also, thanks for showing us how cleanly and humanely you handled the fish.
Oh you're brought back very happy memories when my late stepfather and mother and me used to go fishing on Chisel breach. Catching mackerel and cooking them straight from the sea
Really enjoyed this one! The simple things in life are usually the best. I won an Abu fish smoker in a sea competition in the 1970s. The prize list was full of rods and reels and I wasn't that chuffed at the time, but it turned out to be a great prize. I used it for cooking and smoking just about everything over the years and I only threw it out about 10 years ago. ps. It's amazing how many freshly smoked mackerel filets you can eat :-)
What a great thing to do John. We’ve done this a few times in Scotland and can’t wait to give it a go in Cornwall when we can all get back. Hopefully not too long now!
Just one comment on this method of smoking: Tin cans are usually coated with internal and external lacquers, which emanate toxic vapors when heated. It might be a good idea to burn them first before using them as a smoker. I really love your channel and your knowledge in marine life. Cheers!
Thank you for the tip. I queried this before doing it and was told that the the steel/tin would be fine as the fire wouldn't be hot enough until the metal went red.
Nice one John. I love mackerel and especially smoked mackerel. I do a "dirty" smoked mackerel curry. I put pre-cooked smoked mackerel into a dish with lentil soup and a bit of curry powder and microwave it for 3 minutes. I let it cool a little and in the meantime cook a pouch of microwavable rice. I put the two together and voila. Not quite up to Spargo's standards, but delicious !!!
Oh, man, do they taste amazing? I can still remember the wonderful sweet taste of grilled mackerel caught in the Bay of Dingle in the afternoon and cooked that evening. I was about 7 or 8 then and am 59 now, so..... yes, they tasted utterly fantastic.
Great video ! I’m sure you will get to that 200k mark of subscribers & beyond soon, you deserve all the success you get mate .Amazingly uplifting video , watching a 30 odd year old guy eating mackerel on a beach .... mad time’s ! keep safe 👍
Me: "oh man, that looks amazing. Beautiful beach and fantastic fresh cooked mackerel. Doesn't get any better than that." John: "I almost forgot the butter!" Me: ....
Thanks David, it was a great little experiment that I will be doing again for sure. Biscuit tin or sweet tin. A square shortbread tin would be ideal. 😉👍🏻
That was fabulous John, thanks so much, I love the catch and cook videos, and an interesting way of cooking them. In my mind, there is nothing finer than a mid size mackerel, straight off the feather, filleted, into a bag of seasoned flour, and into the frying pan. Delicious!!! My favourite sea fish, and much underrated. Thanks again, and even though I’ve just had me tea, my taste buds have gone mad again. ❤️
Nothing like Marks and spencer , SO much better than M&S ....fresh caught and cooked within as few hours , food degrades after just a few hours from harvest...Lovely vid, enjoyed reminiscing my younger days..
I have done that numerous times but you are right you need to season the fish.Trout are also nice done that way.My favourite is smoked freshwater eel.A touch of lemon might have been nice😋🐻🤗👍
Great video. I bought a small box smoker a few years ago and was amazed how good it was. I followed the advice on an old River Cottage video called How to Hot Smoke a Fish. It was basically the same method you used but the fish are briefly salted before smoking which I found gave a good smokey flavour.
Hi John: the wife bought me a smoker for xmas ( DAM) so have a few little tips to add if I may.If you slightly damped the wood chips ( you can sprinkle them with whiskey 🤣) raise the mesh, put the embers from the fire directly on to the chips ( don’t put the tin back on the fire) add some (small amount) of curry paste over the fish, put some holes in the lid , leave it for at least 35 minutes, it will never get better than this 👍
Very nice video and as a new fisher, I liked that you taught how to observe nature and what the other critters are doing. (Cormorants, seafulls, dolphins...) We don't have dolphins in my area but we sure have a lot of feeding birds! Thanks for the insight.
I don't believe I could ever get tired of watching your videos John....always learning some thing new and leaving my computer hungry and heading for the kitchen!😉
Well I can't speak for anyone else obviously, as for myself I'd say you sure are blessed with the ability to keep your audience coming back when the little alarm bell pops up! 👀
The Mackerel looked cooked well from the heat of the smoke. Before cooking them at home, you can brine them in a strong solution for about 10 - 15 mins. This will remove excess moisture from the flesh but also season them. Nice to see Mackerel caught in January, I normally have to wait until July/August for any !
I've never had mackerel, I have to say that looks delicious and i can imagine it with a nice bit if toasted bread and tomato and garlic sauce 😋 and of course the black pepper! Cracking video 👌
Smoke them slower.... Wait untill the fire has died down to only embers,and maybe soak the oak chips in water for a couple of hours.Smoke is made up of mostly water.So no water not so much smoke. Jack Daniels cask chips are worth a try as are apple and cherry chips. As always nice vid thanks.
Somehow, this is one my favourites of your many great videos. It takes me back to so many wonderful summers on Admiralty Pier in Dover. When the shoals came in, it was mackerel galore! It closed for quite some years, but glad to see it now has opened to angling days on it. Thanks as always!
Yes ,a sweet taste, headache, nausea. Easy enough to throw the mesh on the fire for 2 or 3 mins to burn it off. Fine Mesh like that would heat and cool fast enough,.just stay good side of the wind.
@@patchthesinclair5896 - I did actually query this before doing it and was assured that the metal wouldn’t get hot enough. “Red hot” was mentioned. But better to be safe than sorry. 👍🏻
@@TheFishLocker There is some truth to the myth however. There has been some research done on this in the 70s and 80s that found that Atlantic mackerel have a very sensitive and highly specialised skin that is very susceptible to abrasion. This will lead to the fish being unable to maintain osmotic balance and usually mortality after a day or two. Handling the fish with damp neoprene gloves or simply shaking the fish off the hook without touching it was shown to reduce mortality.
Great video - from sea to plate to tummy all in the same day. Like others have mentioned you can get some fairly toxic fumes coming off the mesh and the lacquered inside of the tin, so probably better to torch the inside well before using it for the first time, but such a simple cheap and easy way to quickly smoke your fish. You should try smoking herring as they taste fantastic when smoked, in my opinion anyway, best served on buttered ryebread with some sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, some finely chopped raw onion, finely cut fresh chives, and if you want to go all the way a raw egg yolk on the top. You will need a cold beer for that too 😄
I actually had fish for dinner just before starting this video. This made me feel like I could again go for some fish fillets. You know what, better to watch Mr. Fishlocker's adventures just before a meal, that way, one can workout a good apetite devour a meal. 😄
Try soaking the shavings/wood chips in water first so they are damp when going on the heat. You get more of a Smokey and less of a burnt wood flavour IMO
Reminds me of what they do in Canada & the USA. Get a fresh short plank of wood of your choice, soak it in H20, put the fish on the plank, & then on top of a fire. NEVER saw it done, but it was startling to see cookbooks for sale with their own planks of wood in Canadian bookshops!
As always, great content takes me back to the summer holidays in Cornwall and falling in love with fishing. And as usual, I will now spend a half-hour on Rightmove dreaming of escaping the rat race.👍😂
Great video fella, we are hopefully going to Cornwall in September if this covid craps all over, so we have penciled a days mackrel fishing in, I've never done it before but after your video I am really looking forwards to having a go, again thats if we can visit Cornwall.
You have made me hungery they look delicious. I will definitely be giving that a go. All you need now is smelly vision as I bet the aroma was fantastic 👌
we do this with Rainbow Trout up in the gold prospecting areas in California, guess I know where our "old miner's trick" for cooking fish comes from now.
Quite right, I learnt how to fish for mackerel in Whitesands Bay off the Looe River back in the 60's, bite unbelievably well off a lure, basically shoal around just sucking up hooks and once cooked tastes mighty good. Well done that man !
Nicely done, I brine mine for 10minues before smoking, it firms up a bit and I slightly dampen the oak chips to give a longer smoke. Still well done good vid. Tight lines Richard
Although this is one of my favourite channels and definitely the best fishing channel on RUclips, I think it should have had a warning on this video. "Please eat something before viewing!" 🤣 As always, thanks for sharing. Take care, Steve. 👍👍
I've watched so many of your videos lately, your knowledge has been absorbed by my subconscious. I had a dream I was cooking my first lobster! Thanks to your channel I did it right 😂 Thanks for the lovely video as always. 🦀
Great video John. A little tip if you are smoking . If you salt the Mackerel for 5 minutes then wash the salt off and pat dry, the fish takes on the flavour more readily. Basically the salt breaks the flesh down and opens it up to allow the smoke in. I know thats a pain to do out in the open on a beach, but when I used to run the River Cottage catch and Cook courses I used to do it then, but I did have a chef to help me out :-)
As always great video,look forward to your video's each week,you never know what your going to be watching, but a joy to watch and i learn so much not just about fishing but preparing and cooking keep up the great work.
I've just noticed you've got over a thousand comments,and it looks like you've replied to all of them,I dread to think how long that must have taken !!
- Haha. I haven’t gotten to quite all of them yet. I’ve been out filming and editing today. But I’ve gotten to most. It takes a hell of a lot of time mate. Like hours every day. But at a time when folks are struggling I hope it helps.
Does it make anyone else cringe when the knife blade hit's the rock? See guys on the pier cutting bait on concrete all the time,I like my knife! The fish looks damn fine to me,BUT!! 'locker' tins are plastic here!!! I needed an excuse to buy some posh imported Scottish shortbread! lol Tight lines,stay safe
@@TheFishLocker John - What sorts of aromatic woods do you have locally that might add to the taste? A favorite across the pond is hickory and mesquite for beef, poultry and pork grilling. I hear that in Scandinavia they use a variety of cedar planks for cooking and smoking fish.
Hey hey Mr Fish Locker. Yes you figured out the finer ways of getting more flavour out of smoking. I still have yet to catch my first fish. ( can’t wait). But I have a little experience in smoking salmon and mackerel. I worked in a Scottish Fish factory for a year running smoke kilns. Actually pretty cool job. And that’s where I tasted my first mackerel fish. Back in year 2000 :-). You are correct a slower cooler smoke is better. Also ...... allowing the fish to cool “on the racks” or in the tin. Will ensure a fuller flavour. Thank you again for such a happy and motivational video in these difficult times. Respect and thanks to you and your family Sir!
@@TheFishLocker always mate. Which is why even at the age of 48 I am learning so much watching your vids on RUclips. Actually often my Mrs walks in and say “Ah ....... coastal foraging again??” Hahaha we enjoy watching them.
This was so much fun and absolutely delicious. If you enjoyed the video please give it a 👍🏻 and share it with your friends. 😊👍🏻🐟
John - Does the significant other know you are enjoying your beach lunch without her? We won't tell even if you don't take a bite for her home! ;-)
@@mstrdiver - My wonderful wife was actually at home cooking a chicken and bacon pie. 😬
@@TheFishLocker That sounds delicious too! What time do we eat?!
This is my all time favourite Fish Locker vid I'm mad about Mackerel.Thanks to following this excellent channel I now have s rough idea of what I need to do.The end product looked amazing .Thanks so much for posting this one just brilliant.Hope your all well and staying safe take care.Regards Tony
Great stuff mate. Did you soak the oak chips beforehand?
I mean this is perfect. No background music. No nothing, just a simple man enjoying what he's doing. The cooking was precise and the results was magnifique. Good job fam
Thank you very much. We are simply sharing what we love doing. Simple, honest and original. 😊💙
Totally agree.Men have focus if allowed.We keep it simple, no gossip, minimal aimless walking around and always a dream...you, my friend, have cracked it. An inspiration to your many subscribers.
Yeah the music ruins every productions on youtube even most music videos!
This is so wholesome. I don’t do any type of fishing, nor do I really know anything about fish! However, I enjoy eating mackerel. But this video really shows how gentle & kind your soul is, sharing what you know and despite it meaning some fish die you’re still taking care of the ones you know you’ll have to return by crushing your hook thingy! This is awesome. Thank you for sharing! You’re a legend.
Good to see you return the small ones. Thanks for the last video from the Pier, demonstrating the T bar was a great help and explained well.
My pleasure Trevor. I show the use of a T bar in a lot of conger boat fishing videos also. 😊
Cor blimey mate you really took the survival to the limit on this one aye!
Who says it can’t be tastey. 😊👍🏻
@@TheFishLocker Nobody! I often and casually catch and cook mackerel especially at the moment, the only "survival" involved is when Im done and come back from the pub a bit late.
Fresh Mackerel one of the best eating fish in the world (not the supermarket ones) the clue is in the word Fresh. This video bought back memories of going to the quay side in Looe and buying them directly from the fishermen at 2 old pence each, taking them home and mother cooking them for breakfast. Such a versatile fish goes well with eggs and fried bread. Lovely video thanks for posting.
Good lord. Supermarket fresh doesn't even mean 1 week fresh in most cases!! They are a stunning eating fish when cooked fresh aren't they. 😊
Thank you for bringing us viewers along for the experience, love it! Felt like I was there...your videos are better than many big budget produced television travel shows! I learned a lot!
Thank you very much Laurie, we are simply sharing what we love doing. 😊
Cant argue w that... The wind, wave, fire sound... Love itttt.. Thanx for the awesome video brother @the fish locker
My Dad used to do this in Wales when I was younger. There's nothing better than fresh mackerel!
Wonderful isn’t it. 😊🍽🐟
@@TheFishLocker and they give a good fight too for such a "small" fish since i fish with 0.18mm line and 0.16 leader
I watched the how to fillet fish upload and commented that I wanted to see Mackerel and here it is!! Thank you so much. Greetings from Cyprus
Haha. Usually if you search "Fishlocker ....." and whatever you want to know it will come up. Fishlocker filleting... fishlocker rocket stove... fishlocker whale.
Doubt anything shop bought would taste as good and what a beautiful setting to eat in, another brilliant, interesting and entertaining video, many thanks,
Often the journey of the food makes it taste so much better. I know I take great satisfaction in home grown/caught food. 😊
Brilliant! Love your easy open honest and experienced way with fishing and beach cook ups. It is so relaxing and I really appreciate the way you talk directly to us and share your good times with us. The closed caption subtitles I deeply appreciate. They allow me to watch Fish Locker at any time without disturbing the rest of sleeping household.
Thanks again. Looking forward to many years more with you!
It is my pleasure Willie, this video in particular has captions I entered manually. I haven’t had the time to do that with every video yet - it takes a long time. But there are a few extra messages in them if you pay attention. 😊
Still to this day the nicest thing I've ever eaten. Fishing for mackerel off the rocks in Aberdaron they'd been out the water literally a few minutes. Threw them on the fire with abit of butter and once cooked absolutely wolfed them down between us all, they were so good.
Delicious aren’t they. 👍🏻😊🍽
Not just any fishing channel John,
A Marks and Spencer’s fishing channel.👌
You got that right 👌
😂😂😂👌👍
Ya posh git! lol
I'm Aldi and DelHaize :)
Food doesn’t get much better than this. Fond memories of getting my girls to catch and cook
Superb!
Wonderful fresh isn't it. 😊
hey i know you are one busy lad out there with videos and a family.
but i do want to say that watching your videos helps tons when i have a sensory overload. your relaxed voice, the information, and so much more makes it so relaxing to watch, or even fall asleep to.
i know it might sound weird but i hope you can see it as a compliment, please keep doing what you wish to show us!
I appreciate that! A few people have said that to me before, stay safe 👍
Really well done , came for the tips and learning, stayed for the atmosphere and coziness. Keep doing and enjoying what you are doing!
Thank you Tony. 😊👍🏻
Every time I watch one of your videos I always learn something new, I’ve been fishing all my life and I stumbled across your channel while in lockdown I had never been sea fishing I’ve always fly fished you inspired me to head it to my local dock and try my luck at sea fishing I caught my first mackerel and haven’t touched the fly rod since can’t wait for you next video all the best and tight lines 🎣🐟
Thats brilliant I am glad you've found a passion for it 👌
When I was a young lad on holiday in Scarborough, we used to wrap a normal hook with the tin foil we found in tab packet boxes that were thrown away as rubbish and we caught many mackerel.
It wasn't just me then? 👍😷😷
Mackerel will go for anything shiny, caught them with a KitKat wrapper before, also got a decent Pollock with the same method on the same session
Ive got a video where I make mackerel feathers with kit Kat wrappers. They will go for anything shiny!!
Ah,the good old days when tabs had metal foil..
that's a few years ago! lol
Stay safe :)
There's nothing better than fresh mackerel fillets. Never thought of bleeding them out, thanks for the tip. I've got last nights scabby pasta for lunch now, that looked much better.
Mackerel are much better once bled and eaten fresh. Any more than a day or two and they go to mush. 😊
Brilliant video. My grandfather was a fishmonger and fish smoker/curer in the East End of London back in the 1940's. I had never been interested in fish until last year, when I moved down to the South Coast (Hythe) and bought my first boat (a Merry Fisher). Someone gave me a rod, and out with a few friends we caught some Mackerel off of the Isle of Wight. Had them on the barbecue that night and they were delicious. Your video has inspired me to do a bit of mackerel fishing and smoke/cook them on the beach. You make it all look so simple. Amazing!
You have a very nice boat. Good luck and tight lines with your fishing. 😊
Just an FYI , next time pre burn the tin and mesh to remove any coating that may be there that keeps the metal from rusting so it doesn't contaminate your food. Great tip on tin cooking.
Thank you for the tips that is a good shout. 😉
When I was young we used to catch loads of mackerel - it was much easier then. We cooked them on the beach on a driftwood fire. We gutted them and wrapped the whole fish in a copy of The Times (sorry, but that’s because it was the right thickness, not because we only caught pretentious mackerel) that we then soaked in sea water. We placed the wrapped fish in the fire and turned them a couple of times. When the newspaper started to burn they were cooked. I now read The Times on my iPad, but I doubt that would be so successful.
Haha. I would pay to see you try and wrap a mackerel in an iPad. 🤣🤣
I should be doing homework but I’m here instead😊
Call it a study break. 😉👌🏻
Hey, you're still learning, so I say it's all good~😉
If you're here, I hope you are studying fish management, fish resources, icthyology or seafood cooking.
I remember fishing for mackerel off the very north west tip of Scotland in my friends tiny boat.
When you get a good sized mackerel on each of your six lures, it's like you've caught a small car. 😆
Gut them in the boat, throw the remains back for the birds, straight up to my friends log cabin, coat them in oat bran and then fry them in butter.
Minutes old fresh mackerel. Mmmmmmmmmmm!
Sounds like a proper adventure. 👍🏻🎣🐟
Lovely Fish Locker, I hope you and Hannah and James are doing great! Thank you for the great video!
Thank you very much😊
My summer Whitby breakfast ....you’re very lucky to have mackerel in winter!
We really are 👌
Thx for making me and I'm sure many others feel a little bit better 🇬🇧
Thank you so much I am glad it helped 👌
looks absolutely scrumptious and probably really healthy too. My jealousy knows no bounds. Also, thanks for showing us how cleanly and humanely you handled the fish.
It is my pleasure, I hope the video helps people out.😊
Oh you're brought back very happy memories when my late stepfather and mother and me used to go fishing on Chisel breach. Catching mackerel and cooking them straight from the sea
Sounds like some happy memories David. 😊
what a cracking film mate!...why people dislike this sort of thing i have no idea.keep up the good work john,all the best to you and your family.
As we've covered before Dave, jealous and petty people. It makes you sad to think how negative their lives must be. 🤷🏻♂️
My friend is loving 😊 watching you I shared you with him he goes sea fishing and loves seeing what you catch xx
Thank you for sharing the videos on Wendy. 😊👍🏻
@@TheFishLocker got a crab 🦀 from Bridlington for my tea and brought it home it was very yummy xx 😘
Really enjoyed this one! The simple things in life are usually the best.
I won an Abu fish smoker in a sea competition in the 1970s. The prize list was full of rods and reels and I wasn't that chuffed at the time, but it turned out to be a great prize. I used it for cooking and smoking just about everything over the years and I only threw it out about 10 years ago.
ps. It's amazing how many freshly smoked mackerel filets you can eat :-)
Ha ha, what can I say mate I'm a growing lad. 😬
Starting a droll Wednesday right with this one, thanks John!
Glad you enjoyed it Declan. 😊
Nothing in the world is better than a shore lunch, the best one I had was a fresh caught lake trout decades ago wish I was there
It’s often the simple things in life that you take the most joy from isn’t it. 😊👍🏻🐟
loved the subs, 😉👍🎣 Beautiful poem as well, I've gained much peace in standing and staring at nature. Thanks, John!
It is my pleasure. I have added my own captions to a few videos but it takes a lot of time and effort so haven’t managed to do too many.
What a great thing to do John. We’ve done this a few times in Scotland and can’t wait to give it a go in Cornwall when we can all get back. Hopefully not too long now!
Lets hope Peter! 👌
Just one comment on this method of smoking: Tin cans are usually coated with internal and external lacquers, which emanate toxic vapors when heated. It might be a good idea to burn them first before using them as a smoker. I really love your channel and your knowledge in marine life. Cheers!
Thank you for the tip. I queried this before doing it and was told that the the steel/tin would be fine as the fire wouldn't be hot enough until the metal went red.
Lacquers and paints would not have to get red hot to burn off, defo need to burn the tin out first
Nice one John. I love mackerel and especially smoked mackerel. I do a "dirty" smoked mackerel curry. I put pre-cooked smoked mackerel into a dish with lentil soup and a bit of curry powder and microwave it for 3 minutes. I let it cool a little and in the meantime cook a pouch of microwavable rice. I put the two together and voila. Not quite up to Spargo's standards, but delicious !!!
Might not be up to Spargo standard but still sounds very nice. 😊
I've got to say it john it gives me great pleasure in watching you fish and catching them best wishes buddy 😎👍
Thank you very much Jonathan. Have a great day mate. 😊👍🏻
Oh, man, do they taste amazing? I can still remember the wonderful sweet taste of grilled mackerel caught in the Bay of Dingle in the afternoon and cooked that evening. I was about 7 or 8 then and am 59 now, so..... yes, they tasted utterly fantastic.
Sometimes the experience adds to the taste doesn't it. These were really wonderful. 😊
Great video ! I’m sure you will get to that 200k mark of subscribers & beyond soon, you deserve all the success you get mate .Amazingly uplifting video , watching a 30 odd year old guy eating mackerel on a beach .... mad time’s ! keep safe 👍
That's very true Al, these are unusual times. Best wishes and stay safe mate. 😉👍🏻
Me: "oh man, that looks amazing. Beautiful beach and fantastic fresh cooked mackerel. Doesn't get any better than that."
John: "I almost forgot the butter!"
Me: ....
Haha. Cherry on the cake mate. 😉👌🏻
Brilliant mate. I could see you really enjoyed your meal what a brilliant idea with the sweet tin on a lovely winters day you keep safe tight lines
Thanks David, it was a great little experiment that I will be doing again for sure. Biscuit tin or sweet tin. A square shortbread tin would be ideal. 😉👍🏻
This is lovely scenery to cook and eat your fish. Thanks for bringing us along.
My pleasure. 😊
mackrel are such beautiful looking fish. those patterns and that color are just stunning.
Simple and yet stunning aren’t they. 😊🎣
great idea, tidy way to cook as well, no pans and oil etc, entertaining as always
My pleasure mate, glad you enjoyed it. 😊
Absolutely brilliant, like all your videos John! Hats off sir! 👏👏👏
Thank you Cristian. 😊
That was fabulous John, thanks so much, I love the catch and cook videos, and an interesting way of cooking them. In my mind, there is nothing finer than a mid size mackerel, straight off the feather, filleted, into a bag of seasoned flour, and into the frying pan. Delicious!!! My favourite sea fish, and much underrated. Thanks again, and even though I’ve just had me tea, my taste buds have gone mad again. ❤️
Sounds great Matt, thanks so much for watching 👌
Nothing like Marks and spencer , SO much better than M&S ....fresh caught and cooked within as few hours , food degrades after just a few hours from harvest...Lovely vid, enjoyed reminiscing my younger days..
Thank you Kit, I am glad that you enjoyed joining me. 😊
I have done that numerous times but you are right you need to season the fish.Trout are also nice done that way.My favourite is smoked freshwater eel.A touch of lemon might have been nice😋🐻🤗👍
😉👍🏻
Great video. I bought a small box smoker a few years ago and was amazed how good it was. I followed the advice on an old River Cottage video called How to Hot Smoke a Fish. It was basically the same method you used but the fish are briefly salted before smoking which I found gave a good smokey flavour.
A few people have recommended salting first. I shall do that next time. 😉👍🏻
How dare you make me want to go fishing when all the lakes are frozen! lol
🤷🏻♂️ Sorry? Haha. 🤣
How about ice fishing?
Hi John: the wife bought me a smoker for xmas ( DAM) so have a few little tips to add if I may.If you slightly damped the wood chips ( you can sprinkle them with whiskey 🤣) raise the mesh, put the embers from the fire directly on to the chips ( don’t put the tin back on the fire) add some (small amount) of curry paste over the fish, put some holes in the lid , leave it for at least 35 minutes, it will never get better than this 👍
Those tips are gold mate! I will definitely be trying that. 😊
Great video John , the fish looked awesome and the view pretty good too.
Thank you very much. 😊
Yet again John
Great video and a great tip for using chocolate tins as smokers. Keep up the amazing videos
My pleasure Steve. 😊
Very nice video and as a new fisher, I liked that you taught how to observe nature and what the other critters are doing. (Cormorants, seafulls, dolphins...)
We don't have dolphins in my area but we sure have a lot of feeding birds! Thanks for the insight.
It is my pleasure. 😊👍🏻
anybody else opened their mouth when he offered us the mackerel?
damn im salivating
Haha. 😊
GUILTY 😂😂
I was actually eating smoked herring as he did that.
My Lordy. I adore Mackerel. I'm so jealous of you right now.
They are delicious aren't they! 😊
I was waiting for the butter dish to make an appearance, and there it was. Great to see you are keeping well. Brilliant vid as always.
Got to love a bit of melted butter. 😍💙
I don't believe I could ever get tired of watching your videos John....always learning some thing new and leaving my computer hungry and heading for the kitchen!😉
I am just glad to be able to share my passion with people Tim, I truly hope that it helps people in these difficult times. 😊
Well I can't speak for anyone else obviously, as for myself I'd say you sure are blessed with the ability to keep your audience coming back when the little alarm bell pops up! 👀
Wish I was fishing! Keep up the great work!
Thanks! Will do!
Living the dream John ? Looks like it ...the simple things in life are the ones you remember 👍👍👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
I have been saying it for a long time Andrew. It is the simple things in life. 😉👍🏻
I was thinking the same thing about cooking on the coals instead of a hot fire. I love to smoke mackerel and mullet is also a good oily fish to smoke.
I'll just stick to the macro thank you. Not a big fan of mullet. 😉
That is fantastic!! With that cookie container!! I’m definitely going to try that !! Thanks for sharing!!
Enjoy. 👍🏻
Excellent little video, thanks for the dispatching explanation. The fish looked delicious!
Glad you enjoyed it Neal thanks for watching 👍👍
The Mackerel looked cooked well from the heat of the smoke. Before cooking them at home, you can brine them in a strong solution for about 10 - 15 mins. This will remove excess moisture from the flesh but also season them. Nice to see Mackerel caught in January, I normally have to wait until July/August for any !
We are quite fortunate here Ste. We get some of our best Mackerel fishing through the winter. 😊
I've never had mackerel, I have to say that looks delicious and i can imagine it with a nice bit if toasted bread and tomato and garlic sauce 😋 and of course the black pepper!
Cracking video 👌
Delicious with some SDT and toasted bread. 😊
Smoke them slower.... Wait untill the fire has died down to only embers,and maybe soak the oak chips in water for a couple of hours.Smoke is made up of mostly water.So no water not so much smoke.
Jack Daniels cask chips are worth a try as are apple and cherry chips.
As always nice vid thanks.
Thank you for the tips. 😊
you are a true fisherman. you just earned yourself a subscriber!
Thank you and welcome to our channel. 😊👍🏻🎣
Somehow, this is one my favourites of your many great videos. It takes me back to so many wonderful summers on Admiralty Pier in Dover. When the shoals came in, it was mackerel galore! It closed for quite some years, but glad to see it now has opened to angling days on it. Thanks as always!
Be careful about cooking on that mesh John, if its galvanised it can give off zinc fumes which are toxic!
Top video as usual 👍👍
- Good tip. 👍🏻
Ooh ive had the galvy flu burning galvanised steel!! Horrible night.
Yes ,a sweet taste, headache, nausea. Easy enough to throw the mesh on the fire for 2 or 3 mins to burn it off. Fine Mesh like that would heat and cool fast enough,.just stay good side of the wind.
@@patchthesinclair5896 - I did actually query this before doing it and was assured that the metal wouldn’t get hot enough. “Red hot” was mentioned. But better to be safe than sorry. 👍🏻
Outstanding as always John. Very informative. Kind regards Mike. Norfolk 🐟🐟
lo,l fishlocker - I had typed a question about touching the mackies and then you answered it. Ha! Great vid again, all the best!
same here lol
I thought that might have happened. 😉 Yeah. The more you mess with them the less likely they are to survive. But simply touching them won’t kill them.
@@TheFishLocker There is some truth to the myth however. There has been some research done on this in the 70s and 80s that found that Atlantic mackerel have a very sensitive and highly specialised skin that is very susceptible to abrasion. This will lead to the fish being unable to maintain osmotic balance and usually mortality after a day or two. Handling the fish with damp neoprene gloves or simply shaking the fish off the hook without touching it was shown to reduce mortality.
Great video - from sea to plate to tummy all in the same day. Like others have mentioned you can get some fairly toxic fumes coming off the mesh and the lacquered inside of the tin, so probably better to torch the inside well before using it for the first time, but such a simple cheap and easy way to quickly smoke your fish. You should try smoking herring as they taste fantastic when smoked, in my opinion anyway, best served on buttered ryebread with some sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, some finely chopped raw onion, finely cut fresh chives, and if you want to go all the way a raw egg yolk on the top. You will need a cold beer for that too 😄
Some cracked black pepper would have really added another layer 👌🏻
WOW what a brilliant idea, will use this idea in the summer mate. Brilliant video again mate 👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks Scott. 😊
I actually had fish for dinner just before starting this video. This made me feel like I could again go for some fish fillets.
You know what, better to watch Mr. Fishlocker's adventures just before a meal, that way, one can workout a good apetite devour a meal. 😄
I am glad you enjoyed it. 😊
Try soaking the shavings/wood chips in water first so they are damp when going on the heat. You get more of a Smokey and less of a burnt wood flavour IMO
Reminds me of what they do in Canada & the USA. Get a fresh short plank of wood of your choice, soak it in H20, put the fish on the plank, & then on top of a fire.
NEVER saw it done, but it was startling to see cookbooks for sale with their own planks of wood in Canadian bookshops!
Sounds good 👌
@@redwingrob1036 In Arkansas, we do that with carp.Cook it for about 5 hrs. then throw away the carp and eat the plank.
@@jameskoch7190 YOU eat carp? What was it like, cooked that way?
@@redwingrob1036Read my post again.
As always, great content takes me back to the summer holidays in Cornwall and falling in love with fishing. And as usual, I will now spend a half-hour on Rightmove dreaming of escaping the rat race.👍😂
Haha go for it! 👌
Great video fella, we are hopefully going to Cornwall in September if this covid craps all over, so we have penciled a days mackrel fishing in, I've never done it before but after your video I am really looking forwards to having a go, again thats if we can visit Cornwall.
Good luck! I hope you manage your trip!
Catch, cook and eat at it's finest! Great video!
Its the best way 👌
Your content is really a pleasure to watch but I really enjoy the catch and cook videos. Seeing you catch and then cook and enjoy it is the best.
Glad you like them!
You have made me hungery they look delicious. I will definitely be giving that a go. All you need now is smelly vision as I bet the aroma was fantastic 👌
It was wonderful mate, nice setting and great food. 😊
Loved that vid John. As good as a Spargo's cook up.
Not quite that good but it was still delicious!!
we do this with Rainbow Trout up in the gold prospecting areas in California, guess I know where our "old miner's trick" for cooking fish comes from now.
Rainbow trout would be really good, nice and oily too. 😊
Quite right, I learnt how to fish for mackerel in Whitesands Bay off the Looe River back in the 60's, bite unbelievably well off a lure, basically shoal around just sucking up hooks and once cooked tastes mighty good. Well done that man !
I absolutely love mackerel!! Yum! 😊 Beautiful weather too
So good!
I could taste that from here,,cheers john,,,
Wonderful weren’t they. 😊🍽🐟
Please take a small plastic cutting board the sound of the knife on stone al.ost did for me 😆
- It hurt me when it happened.
Me too
As long as it’s noted to be a food quality plastic, preferably an assigned Wooden board✅
At 6:10 I was almost shouting “John look behind you” lol
Haha. 🎣🐟
Smoked mackerel is something else. Can't wait for this summer
Absolutely delicious isn’t it. 😊👍🏻
Nicely done, I brine mine for 10minues before smoking, it firms up a bit and I slightly dampen the oak chips to give a longer smoke. Still well done good vid.
Tight lines Richard
I have been hearing from a few folks about salting/brining. But yes, damp chips is a great tip. Thanks Richard. 😉👍🏻
Hi there Mr Fish Locker, Delicately handled dispatch section. Will you explain to us the need to bleed the fish. Thank you.
Bleeding the fish is the same as bleeding an animal in the slaughter house. It helps preserve the meat better. 😊
@@TheFishLocker
2021
Great.
Thanks for sharing.
Although this is one of my favourite channels and definitely the best fishing channel on RUclips, I think it should have had a warning on this video. "Please eat something before viewing!" 🤣
As always, thanks for sharing. Take care,
Steve. 👍👍
Haha. Sorry mate. My bad. 😉😏
I've watched so many of your videos lately, your knowledge has been absorbed by my subconscious. I had a dream I was cooking my first lobster! Thanks to your channel I did it right 😂 Thanks for the lovely video as always. 🦀
Haha! Well I am glad you followed the instructions correctly 🦀
Great video John. A little tip if you are smoking . If you salt the Mackerel for 5 minutes then wash the salt off and pat dry, the fish takes on the flavour more readily. Basically the salt breaks the flesh down and opens it up to allow the smoke in. I know thats a pain to do out in the open on a beach, but when I used to run the River Cottage catch and Cook courses I used to do it then, but I did have a chef to help me out :-)
The next time we do a beach camp and have more time I will try that.
As always great video,look forward to your video's each week,you never know what your going to be watching, but a joy to watch and i learn so much not just about fishing but preparing and cooking keep up the great work.
Thank you David. I am glad that you are enjoying the range of content. Best wishes and take care. 😊
I've just noticed you've got over a thousand comments,and it looks like you've replied to all of them,I dread to think how long that must have taken !!
- Haha. I haven’t gotten to quite all of them yet. I’ve been out filming and editing today. But I’ve gotten to most. It takes a hell of a lot of time mate. Like hours every day. But at a time when folks are struggling I hope it helps.
Nah mate, he get's James to answer them...
Home schooling English lesson ;) haha!
Wouldn't surprise me,especially when he has so many comments to reply to 😂🎣
Does it make anyone else cringe when the knife blade hit's the rock?
See guys on the pier cutting bait on concrete all the time,I like my knife!
The fish looks damn fine to me,BUT!! 'locker' tins are plastic here!!!
I needed an excuse to buy some posh imported Scottish shortbread! lol
Tight lines,stay safe
Chris, it made me cringe!! 😫 shortbread tins would work perfectly. Have you seen the recent salmon in a tin video? 😊
@@TheFishLocker Yes,I have :)
love your vids, stay safe
Brilliant idea. Im definatly going to try the lo4cker street smoking tin. The fish looked amazing especialy firdt batch. Thanks
It was all delicious mate. I think I had too many shavings in there for the first batch though.
@@TheFishLocker John - What sorts of aromatic woods do you have locally that might add to the taste? A favorite across the pond is hickory and mesquite for beef, poultry and pork grilling. I hear that in Scandinavia they use a variety of cedar planks for cooking and smoking fish.
Hey hey Mr Fish Locker. Yes you figured out the finer ways of getting more flavour out of smoking. I still have yet to catch my first fish. ( can’t wait). But I have a little experience in smoking salmon and mackerel. I worked in a Scottish Fish factory for a year running smoke kilns. Actually pretty cool job. And that’s where I tasted my first mackerel fish. Back in year 2000 :-). You are correct a slower cooler smoke is better. Also ...... allowing the fish to cool “on the racks” or in the tin. Will ensure a fuller flavour. Thank you again for such a happy and motivational video in these difficult times. Respect and thanks to you and your family Sir!
Its all a learning experience isn't it. 😉👍🏻 Thank you for the tips. That will be why the second batch tasted better. 😊👌🏻
@@TheFishLocker always mate. Which is why even at the age of 48 I am learning so much watching your vids on RUclips. Actually often my Mrs walks in and say “Ah ....... coastal foraging again??” Hahaha we enjoy watching them.
dont think there is anything better than fresh mackerel love it .
Just a snap of black pepper would have been 😍
@@TheFishLocker locker street :P
How dare you do this video right before tea!! I am so wanting mackerel cooked in a bespoke sweet tin!!
@@chrisrowe7243 - That is a very exclusive sweets tin. 😉👍🏻😛
Great video cheers john thanks for sharing your ideas with us stay safe hope you and your lovely family are well