Mama always said “Looks ain’t everything.”  Gray Triggerfish aren’t the most glamorous pisceans and have been described as pug-ugly – a dull gray hockey puck of a fish with a serious overbite.

But while the Gray Triggerfish may not win any beauty contests, it scores big in the taste category. They are abundant in the Gulf of Mexico and thank goodness, not everyone is aware of how good they taste. They have a deliciously delicate, pretty white flesh with a subtle flavor that comes across as vaguely sweet.

Great on the grill, baked or fried!

Triggerfish get their name from their ability to lock their first dorsal spine with their second dorsal spine. If spooked, it will hide in a crevice, engage its trigger, and become almost impossible to extricate.

Also known by its Hawaiian name, Humuhumunukunukuapua’a or just humuhumu for short; meaning “triggerfish with a snout like a pig.” It’s one of several species of triggerfish. (Go ahead now…impress your friends!)