With access to water and the right gear, anyone can catch themselves some fish and cook up a great meal. Perhaps nothing is more rewarding than taking that first bite of a fish you’ve caught, cleaned, and cooked yourself. To accomplish this task, it is important to know just how to proceed through every step after landing a keeper (which, admittedly, may be the hardest part). Once you've got the catching part of the equation down, you can use this guide to learn how to clean and cook up your catch, building a skillset that can serve you well for life.
In order to minimize suffering for the fish and prevent spoilage of the meat, fish must be "bonked" and bled out immediately after removing the hook. Bonking a fish will immobilize a fish and render it unconscious - a rock, stick or specialized tool applied between the eyes will work. To complete this step, use a sharp knife to cut into both the gills from the bottom up. Alternatively, use game shears to cut through the gills on both sides. Dip the fish back into the water headfirst and massage along the spine to help the blood flow out of their body. Once the flow of blood slows, put the fish in a cooler to chill while finishing out the day.
Ice helps set the flesh, making it much easier to fillet, as well as keeping the bacteria at bay; all resulting in giving the fish a fresh clean taste when served on the plate. Fish put straight on ice will taste better and last longer.
Do you kill the fish before putting it on ice? You can kill the fish quickly and then remove the gills (or the whole head), gut the fish, and clean the abdominal cavity. Fill the abdomen with ice and put the fish into the cooler filled with ice. Remember to use crushed or flaked ice, and not cubes.
