HOW TO PROPERLY CARE FOR YOUR CATCH
Do you like eating fish ?  How about fresh, caught by you, fish ?  The fresher the better right . . .

Whether you are out on your own boat, a friends boat or out on a charter please read on to pick up some tips on how to keep your fish tasting fresher longer.

First, try to minimize the fight time of the fish that you intend to keep.  This will reduce the chemical build-up in the muscle of the fish.

Next, before you set the fish in the cooler, Captain Tim suggests that you bleed your fish.  It doesn't matter what species of fish, grouper, snapper, flounder etc., all fish will taste better when bled.

Feel free to use your own technique for bleeding, or follow Capt. Tim's method. First, using pliers, pull out one or two of the fish's gill arches.  This will cause it to bleed immediately. 

After that, place the fish in a 5 gallon bucket with a few inches of water, head down for 5-10 minutes.  Next, place it in the cooler under ice or in an ice bath.  If you are in seas that rock your boat, then he doesn't recommend an ice bath, as the fish sloshing around will damage the meat.

As you catch more fish, place them in the bottom on the cooler below the other fish that have already cooled.

If you will be out on the water for more than 8 hours then it is recommended to gut your fish.  This is because the chemicals in the internal organs will leach into the meat of the fish and taint it.

After doing a side by side test, Capt. Tim has learned that one of the worst things an angler can do is keep fish in the live well for the trip and then take them out and fillet them.  First off, the meat will be softer than if it was chilled on ice and harder to work with.  Secondly, while in the livewell, the fish is under a tremendous amount of stress.  This releases unnatural chemicals into its meat.

When you get in and fillet or clean your catch, get it into a Ziplock bag and back on ice as soon as possible.  Be sure to squeeze out as much air as you can.  This will chill the meat faster.  Note: Also try to avoid using fresh water on the fillets.

In conclusion, if you are going out on a charter, make sure that there is enough cooler space separate from the food cooler, to keep your catch chilled.
Thanks for reading and enjoy your fresh caught fish.