I can't find the post in the thread, I saw last month. But someone posted that they throw the fish they catch into ice water. Well, I tried it Sat and Sun. There is a difference. I really think the YP, and HBG tasted better. The meat had a better texture also..
So, whoever you are that posted that information, THANK YOU! I will always have a cooler with ice from now on...

I have always put fresh catch on ice when possible. It seems much easier to me to clean ice cold fish than fish at 60-70 degrees. The meat stays firmer, and no deterioration.

Also make a slurry of ice water and add salt to it to drop the temperature even more. It does make a huge difference in the quality of the filets. We did that with red snapper and mahi mahi

I had read where Pat had recomended that method a year or two ago and that has been our standard method of cleaning fish since.

We are fortunate that we have a small commercial ice machine for our business in our office next door. So at that ice machine we keep a container of salt. We have a dedicated old ice chest for fish cleaning only. Fill the chest up half way with ice, add a couple tablespoons of salt along with a gallon or two of water (so multiple fish can sink in). Take the chest to the pond and dump in 20-40 BG or several CC that have been waiting patiently in our holding pen, and clean them on our cleaning table on the dock.

I'm not very good at cleaning fish (my wife is MUCH better fortunately). Having them dead and cold makes it a lot easier for me and the wife likes the finished product a lot better using the ice bath.

We try to let them set in the ice at least a half hour and on big CC an hour or more is much better. Too short of time and the fish will not have completely cooled out and be completely dead.

Just the way we do it and it works for us.

Thanks Pat!

I just started doing that last year when a fellow fisherman suggested it to me. The fish are much easier to clean IMHO

What I like to do with our yellow perch is place them in a bucket then put a bag or two of ice on top of them. Leave them in that bucket for about an hour or hour and a half then clean them up.

Its like hanging your beef and it gets all the blood out of the meat. Much flakier and gives the meat a less sticky texture.

I like to place the fillets in cool salt water after in the fridge too before cooking. Pat dry before your egg/batter dip.

Cheers Don.

Sure improved our YP and HBG. As far as flavor is concerned.
One of the posts above, got me thinking. I've always taken the fish back to the barn and cleaned them there. (Running water)
But, I guess it's possible for me to clean them down at the pond, if I took the ice chest there.
I've always triple bagged the heads and guts and taken them to a dumpster on the way home. Sometimes though, it's after three days of fishing, and the smell gets a little intense. I guess if I dressed the fish at the pond, I could throw all the "remains" back into the pond, and let the fish clean them up.. We swim in the pond though, so it's never seemed like a good idea.
What do you guys do with the rest of the fish carcass? I've also heard about compost, etc.. I've got too many raccoons around already though.
Jeff

I put entrails and heads out at the edge of the hayfield well away from the house. Crows, possums and raccoons clean them right up. You could throw them on the back of the pond dam. Throwing them in the pond causes unnecessary bio load IMO, unless you have a lot of crawdads.

I've got a lot of grass/glass shrimp, but I haven't seen any Crawdads. I put some in a few years ago. I don't think they made it. Putting them near the edge of the field may work, but if my dog finds them and rolls in them before the coons find them.. it would be a disaster. I may just stay with the dumpster runs.

Thanks John

and, pray tell, WHY do dogs have the instinct to roll in something stinky? What is the survival advantage for them to do this????

He loves roadkill, or anything that's been deceased for a fairly long time. He also brings parts home for me to inspect. So proud of himself.

I always figured they were trying to mask their own scent by rolling in something else.

I've read that it's proof of aggressiveness to other dogs... Sorta like trying to become the alpha male of the pack even tho they no longer live in packs

Same same, I take the remainder of the ice and fish waste to the back 50 with the four wheeler and give them a dump. Crows find them really quick.

I use to bury them in the garden and our dog would dig them up and yes roll in it.

I had a female redbone hound that was the least aggressive and most docile dog I have ever had. She paid little attention to other dogs. She would roll in anything stinky at the first opportunity, even while on a leash if given enough slack. Lots of neck baths for that girl.

I buried mine in my garden and put a lot of lime on top of them. It makes great fertilizer and the animals seem to leave it alone.

This is Lacy. We built a shower in the garage just for her. She is 5 now. She is a golden doodle 2 parts doodle and needs her hair cut every 6 weeks. She will roll in just about anything that stinks or is half rotten. Then jump up on my bed and want a head scratch.

Funny you should mention the salt water bath before cooking. We are visiting friends that regularly catch ocean fish (halibut, ling cod) and that is what they do before cooking. Wife was just discussing with them trying it on our pond fish.