I agree with Joe. I have no idea where the claim to this rumor started but the skate wing meat is striated and I have no clue how this could be passed off as a sea scallop or bay scallop. When you pull a part a scallop - cooked - it does segment or striate but not like a skate. It's a completely different look and feel in both taste and texture. It's a very popular rumor that they are used as scallop but I can't see how it's possible. I cook the meat on the cartiledge, much like you'd cook a whole trout because fileting the fish would sacrifice a lot of meat - and once cooked, it comes right off. Difference is, the cartiledge doesn't come off and try to kill you.

Anyway, you'd have to have a monster skate to even duplicate the size of a scallop. I've never believed that myth. Still, if it's true, more power to them and I'm wrong and who cares? Pass the beer nuts.

By the way - Retriever, I totally agree with you about blue fish. Those small blues that come into the bay and hang from mid spring through much of summer are delicious. They get a bad rap in terms of taste. Cleaned properly and cooked up almost any way...awesome. No doubt. Especially the early guys that are feeding on a lot of shrimp - before the oily baits get very prolific. You are what you eat and shrimp are good! Still, I have a recipe on my site for fried spearing so go figure.

brian
garbagefish.com