Cleaning And Storing Crappie After You’ve Caught Them…

After bring your catch home to show off to all your friends, what will you do with it? When you plan to eat it, you must keep it fresh.

Avoid Spoilage:
Until you are able to clean them, keep your freshwater fish in the live well of the boat or on a stringer. If you are not able to keep the fish alive, clean it and place it on ice as soon as possible. Catch and release quickly to avoid harm if you do not plan to keep the fish. Most saltwater fish will not stay fresh on a stringer or in a live well; you must put them on ice as soon as possible.

Clean Up:
Remember keeping your knife shallow helps you not to puncture the intestines. Insert your knife into the vent of the fish and cut upwards traveling from the belly to the head. Open the body up and remove the entrails. You can use a spoon to scrape out the kidney if your fish has one. Remove the head and then rinse the fish in cool, clean water. Place the clean fish in the ice chest or cooler surrounded by ice. Drain the cooler of water and do not store your fish in ice water.

Scaling or Skinning:
Fish scales carry bacteria, therefore scaling is beneficial, since it leaves the skin intact and locks in moisture, which keeps the fish from becoming dry. Hold a fish down to scale, while scraping up beginning at the tail and move towards the head. You can use a spoon or a fish scaler.

It is better to skin larger fish like bullhead and catfish. This will remove the layer of fat beneath the skin that holds the most toxins. It also enhances the taste of these fish. Clamp the head down to skin a fish and then cut through the skin behind the pectoral fins. Peel the skin downward towards the tail using pliers. Break the head off and pull it away from the body, while taking the inside, backbone and entrails with it.

Filleting:
Filleting gets the meat away, leaving the bones, using a fillet knife. Cut behind the fish gills to the backbone, but not through the backbone. Keep your knife inside the fish and then cut through the ribs towards the tail. Repeat on the other side. Cut away the fish ribs. Place the skin side-down and then cut through the fillet ¼ of an in above the tail and into the skin. Wash in cold water and dry using a paper towel. You may freeze it or cook it. Remember, fish last longer frozen with the skin intact.

Freezing Tips:
Slow the deterioration process by quickly freezing smaller packages. Wrap the fish tightly in an airtight freezer bag or wrap. You can lock in moisture and reduce freezer burn while vacuum packing. Label and date the package. You can keep white fish in the freezer for many months. Oily fish do not do well after the first couple of months in the freezer. Thaw your fish quickly by placing it in cold water after removing it from the freezer. Never place it in hot water or at room temperatures. Cold water is most effective; however, you can thaw it out in the refrigerator overnight.

When cleaning and preserving your catch, keep these essential tips in mind. When you take the proper precautions, you will enjoy an appetizing fish dish. Keep your fish fresh or cook it immediately however, be sure to freeze it as soon as possible if not.