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Thread: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

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  1. #1
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    Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    Hello all,
    My son and daughter were in a local fishing derby over the weekend and the question got raised as to the already caught fish. My daughter caught her fish after the offical scales had closed for the night. My question is once caught, killed and put in the fridge, how long do we have before the meat spoils? I know with my limited experience hunting big game, feild dressing is done ASAP. Is there a suggested or required cleaning time limit for fish(lake trout) that anyone can help us with for next time?

    Thank you
    RYY

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  3. #2
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    Re: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    Personally I will clean them right away, I find it a heck of a lot easier when they are still soft and supple plus I find the meat tastes less fishy than if they stayed in the boat or the fridge all day.
    Rather Be Huntin'

  4. #3
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    Re: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    Gutted, cleaned and put on ice as soon as they were out of the water.
    "The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."

    I'm a vegetarian. I eat things that eat vegetables..........

  5. #4
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    Re: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    I used to work in a trout hatchery and have dressed my share of fish. Personally I wouldn't eat a trout that sat more than a day on ice without being dressed out - but I'm picky. That being said I know some asian food markets would put our whole trout on ice and sell them that way (they were in their live tanks but died sometime during the week. )

  6. #5
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    Re: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    Quote Originally Posted by DBM View Post
    That being said I know some asian food markets would put our whole trout on ice and sell them that way (they were in their live tanks but died sometime during the week. )
    Cant say that I am that surprised
    Rather Be Huntin'

  7. #6
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    Re: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    I have a trout farm and I would not eat a trout that was not cleaned the day it was caught. That said I also will not eat them if they were frozen so I might just be picky. If you want good trout you clean and eat them right after they are caught.

  8. #7
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    Re: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    trout or i should say fish, should be cleaned as soon as you can, it isnt quite as important as game animals because they arent warm blooded. if you put the fish on ice its will be ok for a while, however if the urine sac inside the fish bursts it will undoubtedly spoil the meat. i was in a steelhead derby and caught an 18lb 6 oz steelie after the weigh-in closed for the evening, i cleaned the fish and kept guts in a bag and weighed them in the next day.
    i guess if you had to keep it overnight on ice it would be ok, but i wouldnt do it on a regular basis.

  9. #8
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    Re: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    - Fish stay in nets for days, on ice for longer periods sometimes before they get cleaned.
    - If you want to you can put it in a container with water { head and guts still on} and freeze it this way until you want to eat it.
    This will save the fish from getting freezer burn in the gut cavity etc.
    - Before you clean trout if you put some salt in a pan of water and let them sit in it for a while it helps take the slime off the skin, easier to hold while cleaning.
    - You can also freeze ducks or geese etc by just throwing them in the deep freeze as is ... feathers on no need to clean them.
    The guts stops freezer burn and no harm to the meat.

  10. #9
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    Re: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    Quote Originally Posted by wildprotien View Post
    - Fish stay in nets for days, on ice for longer periods sometimes before they get cleaned.
    - If you want to you can put it in a container with water { head and guts still on} and freeze it this way until you want to eat it.
    This will save the fish from getting freezer burn in the gut cavity etc.
    - Before you clean trout if you put some salt in a pan of water and let them sit in it for a while it helps take the slime off the skin, easier to hold while cleaning.
    - You can also freeze ducks or geese etc by just throwing them in the deep freeze as is ... feathers on no need to clean them.
    The guts stops freezer burn and no harm to the meat.
    Even after a fish is killed it still produces slime whether or not you salt it, ducks and geese can be frozen whole as long as they werent hunted by a shotgun.
    wolverine and johnnybear your totally missing the question that was asked, and game are completely different from fish as i stated already, warm blooded vs cold blooded. its like comparing apples to oranges
    obviously we all know the sooner the better but if a fish was left overnight on ice it will be fine the next morning. (as long as the urine sac doesnt break).

  11. #10
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    Re: Cleaning trout...how quick does it need to be done?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ddog View Post
    Even after a fish is killed it still produces slime whether or not you salt it, ducks and geese can be frozen whole as long as they werent hunted by a shotgun.
    wolverine and johnnybear your totally missing the question that was asked, and game are completely different from fish as i stated already, warm blooded vs cold blooded. its like comparing apples to oranges
    obviously we all know the sooner the better but if a fish was left overnight on ice it will be fine the next morning. (as long as the urine sac doesnt break).
    Your right and I have done it on occasion when we get back late etc. ON ICE (lots of it) not the refrigerator. I guess I was just posting what should be done and not what can be done.
    Last edited by Johnnybear; 07-14-2009 at 10:08 PM.

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