Printer Friendly Version - Feast of the Seven Fishes

Feast of the Seven Fishes is typically shared by Italian-Americans in the absence of meat on Christmas Eve. Photo illustration courtesy of Captain Morgan

Christmas Eve is a fasting day and the overwhelming display of fish is meant to symbolize the observance of refraining from meat until Christmas Day’s festive meal. In celebration and in keeping with today’s Italian-American tradition, the meal typically consists of seven different prepared seafood dishes, the custom of which originated from Southern Italy, where it is known as La Vigilia.

The celebration commemorates the Vigilia di Natale—the waiting for the midnight birth of the baby Jesus. It was in New York’s City’s Little Italy where it first became made prominent here by Italian immigrants in the late 1800s. Since no meat or animal fat could be eaten, fish typically fried in oil became the popular substitute.

How the name Feast of the Seven Fishes came about is uncertain, but it certainly became quite popular. Generally, the meal features seven or more traditional fishes that may include salted cod (baccala), fried smelts, calamari, anchovies, whiting, lobster, sardines, eels, octopus, shrimp, squid, mussels, and clams. Of course, a fine spread such as this would not be complete without pasta, veggies, something from the oven, and fine bottles of wine. Whether the number seven came from the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church or the seven hills of Rome or something else, no one really knows. It’s a wonder that there’s even any room left for the Christmas Day feast!

We all know one thing for certain. This active extended fishing period certainly gave us fishers the opportunity to stock up for this holiday season and add some fine fish and shellfish to a sumptuous spread. Conversations and get-togethers will be much different this year from last, offering many twists and turns. So, enjoy your seven fishes and anything else that your family traditions bring, for this is the time of year where creative cooking is in vogue, enjoyed, and much appreciated.

High pressure and a warm front moved in prior to the weekend, followed by snow (more than expected) and a brief cold front, after which another high pressure system with some rain and dense fog developed. Once again, these flip-flops have taken us out of 30- to 40-degree air temperatures and into unseasonably warm 50- to 60-degree ones, prolonging certain aspects of the fishing season. Inshore Long Island Sound water temperatures varied by only a few degrees within the high 40s, while inland waters, depending on location, also remained rather warm for this time of year.

The Sound is trying its best not to fall into a complete wintry mode, but that will pass. For now, there are intermittent catches of striped bass being caught nearshore and adjacent to key lower tidal rivers, mostly on artificial hard and soft lures, as well as sinking flies. Since much of the baitfish have departed, other than the ones that found warm water pockets, predator fin fish have followed. Deep water black sea bass can still be caught and perhaps a winter flounder or two on some clams.

Clammers, keep your rakes handy and an eye on the clamming beds since we are approaching some good shellfishing times ahead. As the new week progresses, good morning tides will prevail and the weather outlook looks mild and promising. Fresh pickings for the holiday should be good, considering that the mid-winter full moon falls on Sunday, Dec. 19, when the tides will be the lowest.

The best action has been for inland anglers pursuing trout, bass, northern pike, pickerel, catfish, and broodstock Atlantic salmon. The mornings might be as crispy as the early afternoon sundowns, but during those high-pressure days and warm fronts, fishing has actually been comfortable when dressed appropriately. Fishing the structures, drop offs, and moving water while exercising slower-than-normal retrieves is probably the best approach due to the dropping temperatures. Some species will be loners, unlike others that will have a tendency to group together, so keep that in mind when fishing either from shore or a small vessel like a kayak.

The majority of inland fish caught now will be sub-surface, meaning that fishing with lures that will dive as opposed to only float are the best way to go. By keeping that in mind when weighting and drift-fishing scented baits, hookups will increase. Knowing the water temperature will also help guide an angler to more productive spots, as will moving water that typically has a high oxygen level. Lightening up on one’s line class increases the ability to detect the slightest nibble, especially when dealing with cold finger tips. Above all, this is the time of year when fewer anglers are on the inland waterways. So, always leave your destinations and return times with someone and bring along a bite to eat, something to drink, some emergency gear, and a charged phone.

Note: Now that the 2021 season is winding down, email us pics of your best catches of the year to share with our USA and international fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media.

For all things fishy for holiday shoppers including fly fishing, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Masks required inside. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter, where we don’t make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better.

Pickerel are one of those inland species that anglers like Dan Carter of Guilford have been catching throughout this extended fishing season. Nice, 32-inch, 6.2-pounder, Dan! Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan