Caring for your catch
by Jarred Behrendt
If you intend to keep part of your catch there are a few guidelines that you should follow when handling your fish. The first thing you must do is ask yourself if you really want to clean the fish. If you genuinely do, then you must do so as soon after it is caught as possible.
Practicing selective harvest should not be viewed as a negative thing by the catch and release community, there are many reasons to practice selective harvest.
"Selective harvest isn't just a matter of taking only the fish you personally plan to use/eat. Rather, it is the knowledgeable taking of fish when removal will improve a fishery and releasing them when releasing will improve or sustain a fishery (www.recyledfish.org)."
Take, for example, a pond that has thousands of six-inch crappie: removing a portion of the stunted fish will enable the rest of the fish to grow larger. The remaining fish will have access to a larger food base, improving the fishery.
What you need to know about keeping it fresh
When practicing selective harvest you would do well to keep the fish as fresh as possible, the information in this article will provide you with the tools to make that happen.
Keeping fish on a stinger, in a livewell or in a basket can ruin the taste of the fish because it stresses the fish. When a fish is stressed it produces chemicals that make the meat much less palatable. If you follow the recommendations below you will be assured that your fish is at its peak of palatability!
 Clean the fish as soon as possible. Once the fish is cleaned it is very important that you keep the fish on ice (literally) if you intend to eat it in the next few days. When icing your fish it is best to use flake ice or crushed ice which, absorb heat more readily than cubes or blocks. If you do not intend to eat it in the next few days, freezing is the best option. You can flash-freeze your fish in your cooler. All it takes is a cooler full of ice, some rock salt and some freezer bags. Simply add the rock salt to the ice and bag your fish after it has been cleaned and place it on the ice; the fish will be frozen in about fifteen to thirty minutes.
Here are several guidelines that have been provided by Recycled Fish. For more information go to www.recycledfish.org.
Quickly land and kill those fish you will keep
Extended fighting adversely affects the flavor of the meat. The longer a fish is played, the more lactic acid builds up in the muscle tissue. This adversely affects the ability of the fish to survive if it is released, or adversely affects its taste and quality if frozen or preserved.
Don't let your catch flop around on rocks or in the bottom of your boat
Stun your catch with a sharp blow to the back of the head. Physical damage can occur to the muscle tissue while landing your catch, "bruising" the meat. Fish have weaker connective tissue than other animals. Never handle a fish by the tail. Don't drop or toss your fish. Use a landing net whenever possible.
Bleed your catch immediately
Bleeding your catch protects the flavor and increases storage life. Bleeding eliminates waste products, removes oxygen that leads to spoilage, and decreases the number of bacteria in the flesh. Breaking or cutting a gill arch (the heart continues to pump after you have stunned the fish) will remove much of the blood from the flesh.
Remove the gills and all blood and viscera from the body cavity
A fish's internal organs contain millions of bacteria and numerous enzymes. Cleaning should be done immediately after killing and bleeding. Use a spoon or the back of your thumb to remove the kidney from along the spine. Use your thumb to gently push blood from between the ribs toward the spine.
Ice your catch
Icing preserves the quality of the meat by delaying deterioration. Pack ice inside the body cavity to lower the core temperature quickly. Pack your catch in ice until you can get it into long-term storage. Freezing inhibits the growth of bacteria. By glazing your fish with ice and using vacuum packing when freezing, your catch can remain very palatable after several months in the freezer.
Avoid unintended by-catch
Use tackle and lures that minimize the chance of injury to fish if you intend to release your catch. Avoid using bait if you are deeply hooking fish, and intend to release your catch. Baited circle hooks are less likely to be swallowed than conventional "J" hooks. If you catch almost as many fish as you intend to harvest, and you want to keep fishing, switch to flies or lures. Consider  switching tactics if you are catching and harming fish that are "by-catch" to the type of fish that you are fishing for.
Finally, think ahead. If fishing is slow and you don't think you're going to have enough fish to make a meal, and you won't feel like cleaning fish when your day is done, let them swim and enjoy the day on the water. If you have a long hike after you are done fishing, consider the condition your fish will be in when you return to your vehicle, or when you return home. Trout hiked out of alpine lakes, for example, are generally in an oatmeal-like state by the time they reach the bottom trailhead.
Once you've caught as many fish as you will reasonably eat before it goes bad in your freezer (probably well before you "get your limit,") start letting them go.
But most of all, overcome the mentality that you must bring home fish in order to have a 'successful' day on the water.
For information on filleting fish there is an excellent guide here at the Ohio DNR site.
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