Okay, you’ve caught your fish, you want to cook your fish and you want to eat your fish. The first step is, you have to kill (gasp) your fish! Oh, come on. Did you think fishsticks came from the fish fairy?

The easiest way to go about this necessary task, unless you are into sushi, is to give the fish a sharp rap on the top of the head with a blunt object such as a the handle of a hunting knife, the back of a hatchet, or even a rock. Of course if you have a hatchet or sharp knife anyway, you could just cut the head off, but some people think this is cruel. Personally I say 6 of one, half-a-dozen of the other. The fish has to die, the quicker the better.

Some fishermen keep their catch alive on a stringer until they have caught their limit. To me, this is cruel, and there is a chance you dinner will escape. Once you have done the deed, you can keep your fish fresh by putting it in an ice chest with ice, or if that’s not an option, then you can keep your catch on a striger until you are ready to cook it.

If you are not going to cook your fish immediately, you need to at least bleed it if you are waiting to catch more for dinner. This means you cut the main artery that leads to the gills so the “blood” drains out and doesn’t get into the meat. It is safe to keep uncleaned fish on a stringer in a cool river for a short time, but try to avoid putting fish that are already gutted back into the water so that meat doesn’t get contaminated.

Did I just say gutted? Yes, the next step to enjoying a fresh fish dinner cooked over a campfire(or camp stove if open fires are taboo) is gutting the fish. Here is a step by step procedure that may help if it is your first time:

1. First of all, do not clean the fish too close to your camp. You don’t want to attract any wildlfe that would possibly want to eat fish guts.
2. FYI- fish guts are slimy, slippery and gross, but it has to be done. If you have a limited supply of fresh water save it to wash the fish after you are comletely done. If the feel of scales, fish slime, or guts is driving you crazy during the process clean your fish near the water you caught it in. Swishing your hands, or slimy half gutted fish in the lake, river or stream in which you caught it, is not going to kill you.
3. You want to begin by getting rid of the scales. Some campers/fishermen actualy buy a tool called a scaler for this, but a butter knife works just as well. Hold the fish by the head and start scraping. Scrape from the tail, toward the head. You do have to apply a little pressure. Make sure you get the scales around the fins, gills and throat of the fish. While it won’t kill you to eat a scale, its not the most appetizing experience. (If you have caught a catfish, you can skip this part-catfish don’t have scales!) Rinse the fish to remove loose scales.
4. Turn the fish so its belly is up. Locate the anus, and cut it out making a V shaped cut.
5. Insert the knife into this V and slit up the belly toward the gills. Depending upon the type of fish you may have to force the knife a bit to cut trhough the area around the pelvic fins.
6. Now comes the fun part, insert your fingers into the cavity and pull out the guts. After you have done this a few times you should be able to just grap the section at the base of the head, pinch a little and pull everything out at once. Make sure you scrape out the liver, which attaches to the back bone and the swim bladder which attaches to the cavity itself.
7. Remove the gills with your knife.
8. Cut off the head (some people leave the head onsome fish, especially trout, I say eww!, I don’t want my dinner looking at me.
9. Rinse the fish in clean water and either cook it immediately, or put it on ice.

If you are backpacking or have a limited amount of water to wash yourself with, here is a tip-lemon juice not only tastes good on fresh fish, it helps cover up some of the fish smell that will stick to your hands. Take some along.

By Sandra M. Webster

Ice Fishing Safety

The recommended thickness of solid ice for a small group of ice fisherman is a minimum of 4 inches. More is safer. Less is questionable.

• Ice that looks blue or black is stronger than ice that is milky white. Blue ice is actually newer, freshly formed ice. White ice comes from partially thawing or broken ice that refreezes.
• Ice around the perimeter is weaker. This is caused by shifting and expansion, as well as reflected sunlight. Ice around docks and logs that stick out of the water is also weaker since the wood can absorb heat from the sun.
• Changing air temperature and standing water caused by melting can weaken the ice and make it crack. Areas of ice where cracks meet or intersect should be avoided. If there is only a single, unbroken pressure crack, the ice should be safe to cross.
• Areas where springs feed into other bodies of water may also have weak or thin ice and pockets of open water.

Just like when swimming, don’t go ice fishing alone. Take a buddy for safety as well as company. It’s more fun to tell stories about the big one that got away if there is a witness to the event!

Safety Equipment

Wear a PFD. This means life jacket if you aren’t familiar with the term. While this practice is relatively new in the U.S., many ice fishermen in Canada wear an actual “flotation” or “antihypothermia” suit. These are similar to coveralls that are lined with Airsoft PVC closed cell foam. This provides buoyancy and insulation. They are a bit expensive, but if you enjoy ice fishing (and safety) they are well worth the cost.

• Ice cleats or creepers attach to boots to give traction on smooth, slippery ice. This helps prevent falls and injuries.
• Ice picks and ropes are both beneficial if you, or someone else falls through the ice.
• Wear proper outdoor clothing. Dress in layers and don’t forget a hat and extra gloves.

Testing Ice Thickness

Earlier I mentioned that the ice should be at least 4 inches thick for safe ice fishing. So how do you know how thick it is? There are 2 basic tools that will help determine the thickness of the ice, and to cut the hole that will allow you to actually fish. (That’s why it’s called ice fishing-you have to cut a hole in the ice!)

• Chisels-A standard chisel has a long handled metal blade that is flattened on one side and angled on the other so that a thin sharp point is formed. They are great for testing thickness, but it takes forever to chop a hole that is big enough for ice fishing and the noise may scare away your dinner.
• Deluxe chisels have weighted handles that make chopping easier and their specialized cutting surfaces increase cutting depth with each chop.
• Hand Augers-A well sharpened hand auger is the choice of many ice fishermen. It is reasonably priced and lightweight. If the ice is really thick however, it can give you quite a workout.
• Power Augers are another option. They come in Electric (actually battery-operated) and Gas. Each variety has pros and cons. Electric augers don’t produce fumes, but you have to lug along a 12-volt battery. Gas augers are quick and efficient but relatively bulky and difficult to transport over the ice.

Safety is key in any outdoor activity. I hope all you ice fishing adventures are injury free.

by Sandra M. Webster