Some of you have probably already been out casting, donning your waders or trolling for those fishes. Here in Michigan, we just got rid of the ice shacks on the lakes! Here is how to prepare, store and cook your fresh catch.

Caught Fish Cooking

1) As soon as the fish lands avoid any contact with hard surfaces to prevent bruising it.  Never use water from close proximity marinas, municipal or industrial discharges.

2) Simply chill the fish to prevent deterioration in less than an hour.  With a little advance planning, proper icing can be accomplished with the use of some relatively cheap equipment.  Fish should be stored in coolers and should be well chilled.  It should be 3″ deep, thus, covering a pound of fish with pound of ice.  Use chlorinated water per quart of water for the final rinsing.

3) Clean the fish as soon as possible.  Their tissues are sterile but not their scales, which contains many types of bacteria.  When cleaning your fish, avoid rough treatment because wounds in the flesh can allow the spread of bacteria.  Gutting the fish does not have to be necessarily long.  Make sure not to soak cleaned fish fillets in a prolonged freshwater as this could reduce the meat texture and flavor.

4) The eating quality and nutritional value of fish can be maintained up to 5 days if properly cleaned.  Washing of the hands before touching the fish is also important.  No matter what fish and the cooking technique used, one golden rule is to be followed always.  Whether 15 minutes should be allotted to fish enclosed in foil or sauce baked.  Double the time for frozen fish.

Allow extra time if fish will be baked while packed in an aluminum foil and allow extra time for the penetration of the heat.

4) The eating quality and nutritional value of fish can be maintained up to 5 days if properly cleaned.  Washing of the hands before touching the fish is also important.  No matter what fish and the cooking technique used, one golden rule is to be followed always.  Whether 15 minutes should be allotted to fish enclosed in foil or sauce baked.  Double the time for frozen fish.

Source: http://retrospectbymead.com/category/fishing