Storing your fish

It is a perfect day. Fish keep on biting, it is truly a miracle! You are living a moment that will go down in history. But suddenly, you ask yourself how you are going to store all the fish you caught…

Usually, the best way to store fish and to keep it fresh… is to keep it alive.

Tips

If you are on a boat and the day is still young, submerge your fish in a large bucket. Regularly change the water so it stays oxygenated, which will keep the fish alive for longer. Cover the bucket with a cloth to protect it from direct sunlight.

If you plan on leaving the body of water shortly, attach the fish to a fish stringer that is submerged and fixed securely to the boat. This method is only effective for a short amount of time since the water on surface is warmer and could deteriorate the fish’s flesh. Also, be careful that the stringer is not in the engine’s path!

If you do not think you can keep the fish alive in the adequate conditions, an effective storage method is to kill the fish immediately after retrieving it. This prevents a lactic acid accumulation in its flesh. Put the fish on ice (or on ice packs) and store them in an airtight container (such as a cooler) away from the sun.

As soon as you get home or to the cabin, gut the fish before storing them in the fridge. Now, give yourself a feast worthy of your efforts by following these inspiring ideas to cook your fish.

Eating without worrying

See Québec’s recommendations on freshwater fish consumption (in French only). This interactive map (in French only) can also give you information on the recommended monthly consumption of a fish species, according to a given body of water.

The government of Canada also has its recommendations regarding fish consumption that you can find here: Mercury in Fish.

Learn more

Nutritionist Geneviève O’Gleman shares her tips and tricks for conserving and cooking freshly-caught fish on the Sépaq blog.