North Carolina Bonefish

Bonefish is regionally famous throughout coastal North Carolina, but elsewhere it is a forgotten food of Black American culture, with roots stemming from slavery. Perhaps the most well-known chef to put bonefish on the map is our good friend Ricky Moore of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham. A North Carolina native, Ricky grew up in the brackish town of New Bern and considers himself a seafood evangelist, making him our pastor for all things bonefish.

In coastal North Carolina, “bonefish” is an umbrella term synonymous with small freshwater and saltwater schooling fish that are caught locally throughout the year, including bluegill, butterfish, crappie, croaker, herring, hogfish, mullet, perch, porgy, spot, and whiting (aka sea mullet).