[mtnike]

Hey brother's I'm going fishing tomorrow morning and Saturday Morning. My question is when I catch come cat's friday and saturday morning's can I keep them on ice and fillet them saturday night or should I Gut them and then put them on ice right after i get done fishing and fillet them saturday night? I dont want to fillet them until saturday help me out

 

[Catbird]

If it were me, I would take my cutting board along. Go ahead and filet, bag, then put them on ice. If you clean them why they are still alive, the taste is much better.

 

[CJ21]

I would go ahead and clean em. u dont wont spoll fish!

 

[davesoutfishing]

I agree with cat and cj clean them right away

 

[Dreadnaught]

Yes you need to clean them as soon as possible and pack them on ice. Keep the cooler in the shade to help keep them cold, open it as little as possible and use lots of ice.

 

[Guest]

MTNIKE, ATTENTION!
I don't know about where you are, but the law here in Arkansas says it's illegal to possess fillets of any kind on the water, please be careful and check it out with your state before you do anything. Yes, by all means if you can't clean them right away, gutt them and put them on ice. If you keep them on ice (very cold)they will keep for a day or two at most. I clean mine when I get home regardless of how tired (catching fish will wear me out) I am, everything else has to wait...

 

[shania]

Hey mtnike,

:0a27: with the rest of the guys on this one. You want to clean them as soon as they come out of the water.

Good luck & Take It Easy,
Bert

 

[elshale]

With Fish I always clean while alive then you have someone to talk to while you work......

 

[JERMSQUIRM]

illinois ya can clean fish on the water as long as there is NO creel limits and or size so by all means next time check on this. they will last if iced a day or so but the blood stays in more and does affect the taste a bit IMO.

 

[JAYNC]

All I know is that when boats go out to sea for a month at a time, they gut them and put them on ice, then when they get to shore they are still, fresh. If you gut the fish and keep them on good ice they will be perfectly fine.

 

[Phil Washburn]

With Fish I always clean while alive then you have someone to talk to while you work

you ain't right eric

 

[Catcaller]

If you insist on waiting to clean them...gut them and pack them in lots of ice. If the gills are still bright red I'd clean them...if the gills are pink...you may have waited too long. By the way...if you do clean them on the water...bring along a burlap sack or a mesh bag to put the fish guts in and tie it to your anchor to add a little chum into the water.

 

[Swampy]

You can keep fish on ice up to 48 hours,if you gut them you can keep them on ice for a week.

 

[Guest]

Take your cooler that you are going to put them in,and add KOSHER SALT
it will make slush,and last longer than ice,as well it also starts the preserving
process,ather they have been in the slush,rinse them off and they are ready
for the vacaum seal,or eat this is the way the commerical fishermen do it,
and this was given to me by a man that used to be one,and is also a,
BOC member.as far as filleting on the spot,as best that i can remember
on cat fish you are supposed to leave the forked tail attached.hope this
will help you out with your question.
KIRK

 

[Ohio_River_Rat]

Whenever id go on two day salt water trips they would throw the fish in a cooler on ice and then fillet the fish when we go back.