The Best Methods for Keeping Your Fish Fresh

Bill Kinney Photography

You may be the best fisherman in the world, but without fresh fish, you aren't going to get very far.  Here are a few tips on how best to keep your fish extra fresh!

Keeping Fish Fresh While Out in the Boat

The ultimate way to keep your fish fresh and healthy while out on the lake is to have a live well.  This is basically a fish tank built into your boat that pumps air and water into the tank so the fish are kept alive until taken out at the end of the day.  If you don't have a live well, a string is the next best thing.
A stringer is a line either hooked up to the boat or somewhere on shore and fish are strung along it.  This keeps them in the water and alive longer.  Important to remember when using a stringer is to not leave it in an extremely warm spot.  If you are shore fishing in the summer and your fish are simply sitting in shallow water they won't last very long.  If out in a boat do not forget about your fish!  Going fast will drag your catch and probably kill them.  Also be aware of the propeller and be sure to place your stringer far enough away that the fish won't get tangled up when you start the motor.

If you have neither a live well or stringer have a cooler with ice to preserve the fish in.  The one downfall of this is that the fish will not stay alive in the cooler and you can only stay out as long as the ice lasts.  If this is your only choice, it may be worthwhile to invest in a nice ice cooler.

Keeping Fish Fresh at Home

Once home, clean the fish as soon as possible.  The fresher the fish, the better tasting they will be.  Fillets can either be frozen or kept in the fridge.  If freezing, place the fillets in a ziplock bag with water of use a food saver to get the best seal.  Fillets from the freezer are best used within eight months.  you can keep them in there longer (frozen fillets won't actually go bad for quite awhile) but for the best taste the sooner you use them, the better.

If you decide that you are planning on eating the fillets sooner rather than later, keep them in the fridge.  Wash them thoroughly and place them in a dry, selaed container. .The best fillets are rinsed in a salty saline water solution.  Supposedly this draws out the blood and keeps them extra fresh, but it is also a good cleaning and preserving agent. These fillets will be best if used within three days, the sooner the tastier!