# keeping and cleaning fish from the surf



## luv2fish1 (Apr 20, 2010)

I usually catch and release when I go saltwater fishing. My girlfriend and I are planning on (if the fish cooperate) keeping a few to eat this time. I was wondering the best way to store the fish until its time to clean them? Do you bleed them and keep them whole on ice or filet them on the beach then store on ice? Love to hear some tips....


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## rickyble (Apr 28, 2011)

Everyone has their own thing but I take a cheap cooler with ice in it for both bait and fish to keep. I have a good cleaning knife in my tackle box. As soon as I get the fish in and decide its a keeper I immediately cut the head off and gut it right on the beach. The head and guts go back into the ocean for others to feed on and I put the rest in the cooler. No muss no fuss. Very little cleaning left when I get to the house. If I want to fillet then thats all thats left. Or I usually just wash then off put them in a tupperware with lemon juice and take then out of the reefer and pop them onto a piece of aluminum foil with butter and broil them. Very simple but very easy.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

We are not allowed to leave "stuff" behind at the beach - even if there is a cleaning table. So, I usually cut and bleed the fish, and I have a marine cooler in my pier cart. I usually take 20 or 30 lbs of ice, and it is my "mobile refrigerator" for everything. (bait, catch, drinks, etc.)

Normally, I save the guts, anyway, for chumming later on.


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## CarolinaGuy1986 (Jun 17, 2010)

Hello, I have learned something from experience. I clean most of my fish at my house, but sometimes it is a little more convenient to take your catch to a fish market and have them clean it. I do this with most of the keeper flounder that I have been posting. The one I got Monday I had Seven Seas Seafood clean it. They charged me a dollar per pound and gave me back the fillets all wrapped up and no mess what so ever at my house. If I clean them, I put them in a bucket of water with an air pump to keep them fresh, they usually stay fresh until I get home. I freeze all the bones, remains etc and then wait for until I take the trash to the recycling center, because in a 100 degree garage, they stink in about an hour, hahahaha. Tight lines!


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## smoldrn (Sep 10, 2006)

I carry a mid-sized cooler for drinks/bait/fish. Throw the fish in on ice, & when I get ready to leave, I fillet & skin in right there, put the meat into a baggie, & toss the carcass back in the water. No muss, no fuss.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Speaking of what is done with fish before, during, and after the catch... Don't any of you guys keep the carcasses, and make stock? For chowder, or other fine dishes?

It's so easy to make fish stock, and such a waste not to. I know you can't do it with all of them, but a slot red, or nice doormat flounder makes such a good base...


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## Michael-T (Jul 7, 2012)

Like many have said, there is no exact way to clean fish. In many areas it is illegal to dump fish remains, and wardens will cite you.
Personally, I rarely gut and bleed fish right away. I do as solid7 and carry a large marine cooler with enough ice to last all day. The majority of the fish we typically keep do not need to be bled. 

When I clean fish I discard the organs, and will occasionally make stock. I prefer mainly bones, and parts of the head for this. 

~Michael


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## yerbyray (May 18, 2010)

One point to consider.....Game Warden might want to be able to verify the length of certian species and if you chop off head and tail he can write you a citation. I would gut and bled out gamefish on the beach/pier and leave them whole.


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## kendall (Aug 7, 2010)

back a few years ago i came off the beach at north jetty. Since i stay in a condo. i normaly clean my catch on the beach when i get ready to leave the beach providing thier is nobody swiming or kids playing any where in the area.As i got to the parking lot 2 game wardens were checkin for licens and fish size etc. my fish were cleaned and in freezer bags the wardens said since i had left the beach and stoped fishing it was ok.So by that coment i wonder if i would have been cited if i was fishing with cleaned fish in my cooler or head tail cut off on fish that might would have been close to leagel size.


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## MBsandflea (Jun 27, 2004)

Yes you would have. It's illegal to be in possession of cleaned fish or filets while fishing. The law not only protects size limits, but creel limits as well since it's hard to determine what kind of fish a skinned filet is from.


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