Discolored fluke meat

[CHfisher17]

Anyone have any experience with this? The one piece almost looks like bluefish meat and is extra veiny. Fyi, I did not bleed any of the fish out.

Also, for what it's worth, I was on the raritan bay today and at my feet, in the water that comes in through the scuppers, I saw a few tiny worm looking things swimming. They were like an inch long and really thin. Not sure where they came from but I'm wondering if the two occurs few are connected.

[CHfisher17]

Pic

[Taxman]

I've seen discoloration like that when fish bounced around deck and was not bleed
It is bruised

[Jigman13]

Re: the worms. Could be cinders.

[bulletbob]

The fish looks fine to me.. i have seen fluke that were somewhat dark on the top side... eat it and enjoy it... The worms sound to me like cinder worms.... bob

[Jberg]

Do you always bleed your fluke? This is one of the few fish that I see that doesn't get cut.

Originally Posted by Taxman

I've seen discoloration like that when fish bounced around deck and was not bleed
It is bruised

[CHfisher17]

Thanks I'll fry it up then! I googled cinder worms and it's pretty close. Not that familiar with them but the ones on my boat were almost black and swam around like tad poles.

[makosnax]

Sea lice

[Billfish715]

It looks like you peeled the skin off. Did you? That accounts for the darker flesh which is on the brown side of the fluke. Some of the darker area just under the skin comes off when you use a fillet knife to take off the skin. Bleeding and ice whiten up the meet as well as soaking the fillet ( skin on) in a kosher salt brine and ice solution for a short time. My guess is that you peeled off the skin.

[SaltLife1980]

Originally Posted by Jberg

Do you always bleed your fluke? This is one of the few fish that I see that doesn't get cut.

If you bleed them out then stack them white side up you get real nice fillets.