Hook It and Cook It kicked off the 2013 season with Ludger Szmania of Szmania’s Restaurant returning for his sixth season to cook for guests each night of their trip. It was another great year of fishing and food to start the summer.

During Hook It and Cook It, guests fish during the day and attend a cooking presentation from Ludger at night. The fishing the first week of the season was an average week in mid-May.  Every boat battled a bumpy ocean to find decent salmon numbers. The key for each group was capitalizing on the opportunities that were presented. The ocean calmed down enough on the last days of the trip to reach the halibut grounds, where each boat was rewarded for their effort. It was also a bonus to catch a few black cod, which were greatly appreciated at dinner.

Each night of Hook It and Cook It, Ludger prepared fish from the group’s daily catch. Guests left with ample fish, gourmet menu ideas and learned new cooking skills. The recipes included a variety of species such as halibut, salmon, rockfish, black cod, lingcod and sole.

Here are some of the crowd favorites from the event:

Fisherman’s Tacos
Fried Salmon with Pickled Red Onions and Seasonal Greens
Halibut Ceviche
Seared Halibut Cheeks on Spinach – Smoked Bacon & Vine-Ripened Tomato Vinaigrette
Spice-Rubbed Lingcod with Warm Vinaigrette and White Bean Risotto