This week, we’re talking trout with Ard—a seasoned fisherman with over 50 years of experience fishing the New Jersey and New York region. His passion for the sport began with his father, who first got him hooked.
Ard mostly fishes from the shoreline, but he’s no stranger to pulling on the waders when the water demands it. When it comes to trout, his go-to baits are garden worms and PowerBait. “For some reason, the trout go crazy for the bright colors—and I land plenty of them,” he says.
Fish Ethically, Eat Fresh
Ard’s philosophy is simple: catch what you’ll eat. When he lands a trout, he slips it onto a stringer and keeps it in the water to stay fresh. Once the day’s done, he cleans and guts the fish on location—because the fresher the fish, the better it’ll taste. For the ride home, he packs his catch on ice in a cooler.
If you’re new to filleting, Ard has one piece of advice:
“Have someone who knows what they’re doing show you how it’s done.”
Ard’s Favorite Ways to Cook Trout
Ard’s top choice? Smoking. When he’s ready to smoke trout from the freezer, he thaws them out, then places them in a tub of his go-to brine. Brining adds flavor, locks in moisture during smoking, and improves the texture.
When he’s not firing up the smoker, Ard pan-fries his trout. He breads the fillets with seasoned breadcrumbs, a bit of salt, pepper, and fresh garlic sautéed in butter. Then he fries them until the coating is a golden, crispy brown.
His cooking tip for first-timers:
“Make sure the trout is cleaned good. That’s how you get the best taste and texture.”
Want more cooking tips or recipes? Let me know in the comments!
Well done Jenna
Thank you for letting me be in your article.