If it is adequately iced, it can be dressed later. They are very bony and are usually not filleted. They must be scaled before cooking, but the scales are large and thick, and scaling can be difficult if the fish is allowed to dry out. Porgies are commonly used dressed. They can be filleted, but the fillets are small.
Good porgies have a delicate flavor and a sweetness that decreases as the fish ages.
Mackerel Mackerel are members of the Scombroid family, which also includes the tunas. The Atlantic mackerel is most abundant in middle and northern Atlantic waters. It has an iridescent color and dark wavy stripes on its back. Spanish mackerel is primarily a southern species, but it has been known to range as far north as Cape Cod. It has no distinct stripes on its body and has golden spots on its sides.