Food Encyclopedia

angler fish

The angler takes its name from the method by which it lures its prey: it lies partially buried on the sea floor and twitches a long filament that grows from its head. The filament resembles a worm and attracts smaller fish that are soon engulfed by the angler's huge mouth. Also known as devil and goosefish, this large, extremely ugly fish is lowfat and firm-textured, and has a mild, sweet flavor that has been compared to lobster. Indeed, shellfish are an important part of the angler's diet. The only edible portion of this impressive fish is the tail, which is suitable for almost any method of cooking. See also fish.