When you go fishing consider C.P.R., or catch, photograph, and release. On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with keeping a few for dinner. One satisfaction many receive from fishing is the effect of a good fish dinner on our palletes. On the contrary, there’s no advantage to loading the freezer since freshly caught fish taste better. Once they become freezer-burned they loose their freshness and are destined for the garbage. Nutritious and delicious fish easily spoil, so it’s essential to keep them in top shape from field to table. If keeping a few for dinner, here are a few steps to help keep them fresh and un-spoiled. 1. Immediately bleed them by cutting their throat and gills. 2. Make a cut from the anal opening upward to the pectoral fins and remove the entrails. 3. Fill the cavity with ice and place the fish in an ice chest, under the ice. If you place them in a plastic garbage bag first, it keeps the ice chest cleaner. 4. You’ll be amazed at the bloodless white color of each fish fillet. Many boat ramps and fish camps have cleaning facilities for your convenience, but an important thing associated with each is Bacteria! Whenever using a cleaning table, always disinfect the surface or areas that may contact your fish. A plastic spray bottle filled with Clorox does nicely. Spray the area thoroughly, then flood with clean water. There are various ways of filleting fish. I use this quick and easy method taught to me by my father. Quality knives are a must so don’t hold back on on your cleaning gear; it makes cleaning fish much easier.

You’ll definitely need a sharp 9" fillet knife, fish cleaning glove, and pair of poultry scissors. 1. Lay fish on cutting surface with the belly facing away from you. Now make a cut down and around the gill plate to the backbone. The knife blade is angled slightly toward the front of the fish. 2. Turn the knife toward the rear and slice along the backbone down to, but not into, the ribs. Lift the flesh and using the shears cut each rib. Using shears to cut heavy rib bones certainly saves your knife. 3. With the knife at a slight angle down and towards the rear, slice along the backbone stopping ½ inch before the tail fin. Do not cut the fillet completely off; it helps hold the fillet when skinning. 4. With the fillet attached and skin down on cleaning surface, hold the fish close to the tail. With the knife at 30 degrees slowly slice back and forth between the flesh and the skin without cutting through the skin. 5. With the fish’s head pointing in the opposite direction, belly facing away, repeat steps one, two, three, and four. 6. Now with two skinless fillets the only bones are those from the ribcage. Ribs are large, easy to see, with plenty of meat, and can be removed after cooking. However, if you have a bone fixation and want them out, simply lay the fillet on its side, ribs facing up and away from you. Find the top of the ribs, place the knife at a 45 degree angle, and cut down, under, and away. 7. Almost done. Thoroughly wash each fillet, place it in a clean zip lock with ice and then in the cooler with ice.

To stay fresh fish must remain cold. 8. Regardless of how you found the cleaning station, never compound the issue by leaving your own mess. Before leaving, rinse it thoroughly; then disinfect it, your knife, and scissors with Clorox. Before putting them away, rinse and dry your knife and scissors. Cleaning fish takes patience, practice, and time; do not become discouraged on your first attempt. Many saltwater facilities are ok with putting remains back into the water for scavengers. And practically every cleaning station has pelicans floating nearby waiting for a quick meal. Try to avoid tossing whole carcasses into the water as the exposed bones may lodge in their throats when swallowed. It doesn’t take much longer to cut the fish’s head off and trim the backbone with your scissors. The last thing you want is a helpless bird choking on something you carelessly tossed into the water. We’ve all seen unsightly carcasses floating around the launch area; to prevent this puncture and cut the air bladder and eyes. Nothing beats good fresh fish, so take enough for dinner and put the rest back for another day. If you’re interested in fishing or learning to fish, Captain Woody’s the person to call. He’s guided Florida waters for over 50 years providing single boat or multi boats trips. Fishing with Capt. Woody means the results are always the same—memorable fishing adventures with Tampa’s top guide. For more information or to book a trip, visit his website at WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM. You can also reach him on his cell at 813-477-3814. Captain Woody Gore – Fishing Charters Cell: 813-477-3814 Home/Office 813-982-2034 Email: wgore@ix.netcom.com Website: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM