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There is extreme pleasure and satisfaction in landing a fish, big or small. Not only are fish fun to catch, they are also nutritious to eat. Their high protein content, low saturated fat and high polyunsaturated fats make them a healthy meal with the added benefit of lowering blood cholesterol.

Catching your fish and getting it from the water to the table, while keeping it fresh, is essential to enjoying the great flavor of fish. Just remember these simple tips the next time you go fishing for your dinner.

Keeping the fish alive as long as possible after the catch is one way to guaranteed fresh fish. A fish that is kept alive, will not start to decompose and this allows you to continue your fishing without worrying or hurrying home to cook your catch. There are several methods that can be utilized to accomplish this goal.

To keep the catch alive in the water, you will need a basket purchased from a sporting goods store. These are usually round, wire mesh baskets with a cover. Attach a rope to the top of the basket and hang it in the water. Each time you catch a fish, add to the basket and close the lid. For the trip home, transfer the fish to a cooler with slushy ice water.

Another recommended method for keeping your fish fresh is to immediately place your catch in an insulated bucket or bin filled with ice. When you get a chance, between pulling in catches, gut the fish and continue to add sufficient ice to ensure that the fish is kept chilled; the temperature should be just at freezing.

If your preference is to keep the fish alive outside of the water, and closer to you, fill a large plastic container with water and place fish in the container as they are caught. You will need to add some ice to the water regularly. Keep a separate cooler filled with ice for this purpose. The ice keeps oxygen in the water, allowing your fish will stay alive.

A large bucket with a built in aerator is also used for keeping a catch fresh. You can purchase these from a fishing supply or sporting goods store. The bucket is filled with water and fish are added live to the water. As with ice cubes, the aerator helps maintain oxygen in the water. When you are finished fishing you can either transfer the fish to an ice bucket or slushy ice water or add ice to the bucket.

You have transported your catch to the kitchen or campsite using one of the methods above. If your fish have not been gutted yet, clean and gut immediately and prepare for cooking. If the fish has already been gutted, finish the cleaning process, season and cook.

One simple test of a fresh fish is the feel. If you have followed the above tips you probably have nothing to worry about. However, you can try this test whether you catch your own fish or purchase it. The flesh of the fish should have a solid feel to it. Press the fish and release and it should bounce back to its original shape. Any slime on the fish is an indication that it is starting to decompose.

You can treat yourself to fresh nutritious fish by ensuring that your catch is kept fresh as long as possible. It costs very little to have a cooler, a basket or a bucket on hand, ensuring your catch is kept alive or chilled when out of the water. Plan to catch just enough fish that you can eat at one sitting and on the same day. With your catch all eaten, you have a great reason to go on another fishing trip very soon.

Learn more about this author, Joan Schroeder.
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