Northwest Sportsman – August 2019

24 Northwest Sportsman AUGUST 2019 | nwsportsmanmag.com

PICTURE

Corvallis and just off Highway 20. I called

ahead in advance to ask what dishes had

received honors in the past, not only to

know what not to copy, but what kind

of themes captured the attention of the

judges. I wanted to go for broke and see

how many invasive species I could fit into a

bite. I chose to go with a taco as my vessel,

because who doesn’t love tacos?

They’re also gluten free and I’m not

much of a baker.

The focus of my invasive species was

walleye. The species was first discovered

in Banks Lake in 1960, and has since

spread and been spread throughout

the Columbia and its tributaries as far as

Dexter Reservoir southeast of Eugene. In

2015, regulations on warmwater species

like walleye and bass in the big river

smolts. However, as Wiman mentioned

in regards to consuming invasives and

our role in removing them, it’s debatable

whether or not those regulations actually

have any impact on either population.

At the event, I battered my filets in

Zatarain’s fish fry, dropped them in the

grease, fried them and then put the

cooked fish on paper towels to dry. Placing

a corn tortilla in the skillet, I covered it

with shredded cheese, and then my slaw

made with cabbage, red onion, lime juice,

and invasive dandelion greens. Once the

cheese melted and slaw began to wilt, I

placed a piece of fried walleye in the taco,

topped it with a blackberry jalapeño salsa,

and garnished with sauteed purslane.

AS I WATCHED others bring in casserole

dishes covered in aluminum foil and

unplugged crockpots, I realized that

maybe I had gone a little overkill by

cooking everything on site. Who likes a

cold taco, though? Either way, I had a friend

carry over a plate with a taco to each of the

judges as I continued to cook more for the

guests until the food was all gone.

As the dishes were being judged, I did

a lap around the table and decided to try a

few items myself. The red swamp crawfish

mac and cheese was a unique dish that

stood out to my Southern roots, a fusion

of two comfort foods I had never actually

combined myself.

There were actually two nutria dishes

on the table as well. One was the kind

of swamp rat/nightmarish-rodent-of-

were amended to remove slot and bag

limits among controversy from anglers

who target them, and those who target

the salmon and steelhead that are at risk

of being consumed by these species as

Caitlin Tartak samples “nutria verde,”

the winning dish at least year’s cook-

off. Other outside species on the menu

included bullfrogs, red swamp crawfish,

starlings and Eurasian collared doves,

along with vegetarian options as well as

adult and kids beverages. (RANDY BONNER)

They might not be the kind of folks some Northwest sportsmen would otherwise rub elbows with, but the

goal should resonate with us. “Teamwork is essential to maintain functional watersheds and ecosystems,

specifically to enhance pollinator populations, improve chances for at-risk species, and manage for resilient

habitats that can resist invasive species,” says IAE’s Michel Wiman. (RANDY BONNER)

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