Handling Fish

Once you catch fish, what do you do with it while on the water. In the ocean, in inland lakes and Delta?

Bleed (cut with knife),  pull a few gills and get on ice.  I do this lake fishing.  But, if out on the ocean...I keep them on the deck and pour water on them.  Our coast is usually more cooler or overcast...so the rockcod don't cook.  OK, that was before 10-01-07.

Salmon are very easy to over cook on a Yak.  I remember, a time with John D., Mooch, Chuck and a few others.  There we were out a Linda Mar and we all had our limit of salmon.  Most guys decide to go to the point for rockcod.  I decide to go in and get some ice on my salmon.  We had a cook out at John's house.  Joel was one of those to go after rockcod.  That was the day Chuck had a 28 to 30 halibut on the stringer...but came a live after his beating with a club.  Lost the game keeper and fish. I waited at the beach for 4 hrs until they return.

Mooch offer his salmon.  He don't like to clean or cook.  I told him that his salmon were "cooked" without putting them in the oven.  I clean and cooked mine.

Ken kickfish

Ken kickfish

Once you catch fish, what do you do with it while on the water. In the ocean, in inland lakes and Delta?

Release them.

Or...

In lakes and the delta (if there's no sealions around) you can just stringer 'em up and leave 'em in the water. (Double check those knots!)

In the ocean I usually just throw the fish in the tankwell and keep them wet. It really doesn't make a whole lot of difference IMO (with rockfish anyway). If you were worried about the quality of the fish after a long day like Kickfish you could always get yourself a game bag to store in your hull or on your bow. I've heard a good game bag and one of those small blue ice packs keeps fish fresh all day.

The hull is the worst place for them.  It is like a greenhouse in there.  Put a bag of ice in there and it will last about 10 to 15 mins in there.  Just think what a fish will do in there.  Rockcod can take the heat better.  But, a salmon will "cook".

But, then there are "no salmon" to catch right now.

Ken kickfish

Use a wet burlap sack - as the water evaporates out of the burlap there is an equal and opposite reaction that actually cools the fish inside.  My dad taught me this, but I'm lazy and just put them in my tank well or in the hull.  I was a little worried about the king that I caught off Trinidad in July because it rode in the tankwell for 4 hours as I just splashed water on it once in a while.  It was fine though...

I'm all for the wet burlap sack. Even if they are not inside the bag, it acts as an evaporative cooler/sun shade.
I got one for $2,  have used it on the kayak for 2 seasons & I can definately see a difference in the fish after a morning on the water. Stored in the wet burlap for a few hours in the tankwell, then transferred to a chilled ice chest for the ride home, the fish rarely have rigor and are still floppy when I clean them. I think keeping  fish "as cold as you can for as long as you can" before eating or freezing makes a huge difference.
The only thing that might work better would be one of those fancy insulated fishbags, but they can cost a lot more than $2

Check out back of your local coffee grinder store for free burlap sacks

I too have used the burlap method and been happy w/ it. During mid-summer days or in tropical climates I think it'd be a good idea to go w/ a insulated bag if you're going to be on the water for a long time.

Z

One of the reason we fish is to get the fish back in the best possible shape for eating.  I know how to do that.  Some...may like fish and think it will be OK...if they have to drive 2 hrs to get home without ice.

It does not matter to me....because I will not be eating your fish.  Some guys just want the photo.  I want the best fresh fish.  Something a seafood market or restaurant can not give you.  And the people that I give this too....know the different.

Ken kickfish

I want the best fresh fish.
Ken kickfish

If you're really serious about the best fresh fish, why not tow this behind you?


$15 @ Wards

Z

Zee,

I know how to keep my fish fresh....Actually had  a 100 gallon Ice chest on my last albie trip.
with 100 lbs of ice.

Ken kickfish

Zee,

I know how to keep my fish fresh....Actually had  a 100 gallon Ice chest on my last albie trip.
with 100 lbs of ice.

Ken kickfish

You kayak fished for albacore??

Z - you're killing me here!     and I want one of those floating Coleman coolers.   

Frank - I too care very much about the quality of my fish, and I am extremely careful to never give anyone fish or use some for a meal that is at all less than fresh.  I carry a cooler with ice in my truck.  It would be a shame if someone killed a fish just for the photo.  I mentioned the king in the sun for 4 hours because it shows that there is leeway - the core temp of a 21 pounder sitting in the little bit of cool and circulating water of the tankwell will take a long time to rise.  I feel that burlap will do fine for keeping the fish cool onboard - I need to score some.  I've also never had a problem putting fish in the hull - live lings flop around in there for over an hour.

I'm heading to the coffee roaster tomorrow for some salmon-cooling material.   

It's been a learning experience for me...  Lately I've found that lings and cabs will survive a pretty long time on a game clip.  I leave em in the water, then throw em on the deck when I want to paddle, then toss em back in for the drift.  When they start to get weak, or when I am about to head in I'll bleed em.  I only put the fish on deck if I'm paddling or if I see a seal.  Then first trip up the beach the fish go in the cooler, (I learned early to always bring ice).

Had some cab tacos last night in fact, delicious!

Maybe it has something to do with hull color, but the interior space of my kayak stays nice and cool when I'm out on the ocean. I think it has to do with all the convection and conductive cooling from the 50 degree water. Anyway, I bleed the fish on a stringer for a couple minutes, then it goes into a moist burlap bag inside the hull. The fish still feel nice and cool when they go into a cooler for the drive home.

One thing that did bother me, was seeing all the dirt on the cleaning table at Elk this year. Using freshwater to clean dirt and scales off of fillets is a great way to lower the quality of the meat if the fillets aren't cooked immediately afterwards. The idea is to not clean up your fillets afterwards, it's to just not introduce contaminants in the first place.

1) Keep your fish out of the dirt/sand if at all possible, before getting anywhere near the cleaning station.
2) Rinse off the exterior of the fish before putting it on the cleaning table.
3) Rinse the cleaning surface if necessary between fish.
4) Take the care needed to not place skinned fillets on a bunch of scales/gurry/dirt or in puddles of water.
5) Take a little to keep your hands clean of scales/dirt/gurry
6) Use a paper towel to wipe any errant slime or scales off the fillet.
7) Drop your nice, clean, skinned fillets directly into plastic freezer bags.
Use ice and a cooler to keep fish/flesh cool for the trip home

Regards,
Scott