Fishing brings a lot of positive emotions, especially when it turns out to boast a rich catch. The desire to get a lot of trophies poses an important task for the fisherman, how to keep the fish hot before coming home. Stale carcasses are unlikely to please the household, and eating them would be risky.
- Features of the process of spoiling fish
- 2 Effective ways to keep fish in heat
- 2.1Do not let the fish fall asleep
- 3How to save caught fish in the heat by cooling
- 3.1 How to keep fish fishing in the heat by drying and chapping
- 3.2Gutting gut rules
- 3.3How to keep caught fish in the summer in the heat with the help of preservatives
- 4How to get the fish home fresh
Features of the process of spoiling fish
Probably, every fisherman will agree that sometimes it is easier to catch a fish than to keep it alive and fresh. In winter, this problem disappears by itself. In the summer, when the air temperature exceeds 300C, you start to think about what to do so that the fish that you caught does not die.
First you need to figure out on what grounds to distinguish fresh fish from spoiled. Naturally, while she flutters and floats in the bucket, you can not worry. If the movement stopped, then, most likely, bacteria and enzymes began their activity. The first attack from the environment, the second destroy the insides of the fish. The main signs that the fish is rotten are the following:
- bloated belly in a large individual. In shallow it may break;
- gills lost brightness of color. In spoiled fish, they acquire a whitish or pinkish hue. May be covered with mucus;
- the carcass does not regain shape if you press it with your finger;
- meat moves away from the bone;
- eyes dimmed and sunken;
- ammonia odor present;
- the skin is easily torn.
When there is at least one symptom, it indicates that the fish is not suitable for food. What says about the freshness of the catch, which will not be afraid to eat:
- scales are shiny and do not climb;
- eyes bulging and clear;
- the smell from the carcass emanates slightly cucumber;
- bright red gills;
- body is elastic.
If you managed to save the fish, arriving home immediately you need to take action. Once again, review the catch and sort as needed. Next or cook it, or gut and freeze.
Effective ways to keep fish in the heat
The ideal option for summer fishing would be a car refrigerator. But not many can afford this luxury and not all come to fishing by car. A simpler and more effective invention is the cage. Use it if you catch on the feeder, donke or float fishing rod. It is a mesh of synthetic thread or metal wire.
Do not let the fish fall asleep
It is very important not to let the fish fall asleep. If at least one individual has lost its vitality, it is isolated from the total mass. Without doing this, you can lose the entire catch. Asleep fish are taken out, cleaned and gutted. The main thing is not to wash out the belly, the remains are simply cleaned with a cloth. To save live fish, choose one of the following places:
- in the shadow. It is desirable that the sun does not fall there throughout the day. If you plan to fish more than one day, build a small canopy from improvised means;
- in water with changing water. But you need to make sure that the current is not strong;
- in cold water. A spring flows into any river and if you are lucky to fish close to it, the spring water will be an excellent refrigerator.
In the coastal zone, you can dig a small hole, the water below will be colder than on the surface. Such methods to support life are suitable for predators, and the crucian carp is able to stay in the cage for a long time just near the place of fishing.
Another important point lies in the garden itself. Iron products are not the most suitable option, because the fish is capable of damaging itself about the coarse metal and then its lifespan will drop significantly.
For small things is suitable cage with small cells. In large holes, a small roach will stick its head in an attempt to escape and suffocate.
How to keep caught fish in the heat by cooling
Cold is the best way to save a fish without letting it go out in the heat. You can use special thermo bags or containers with cold batteries inside. It helps well soaked in cold water linen or cotton fabric. Carcasses are wrapped in it and left in a dark place. From time to time you need to check the fabric. Dried wetted again.
From what will be the tank, depends on the safety of the fish. Choose spacious and long, in which the fish will swim freely, without touching each other much. The length will allow it to go down to the bottom, into colder water.
Large individuals are sorted, placed on the cockan and lowered to a depth. This is especially true of predators, so that they do not eat small things before you The fixture is a metal cable with several individual clasps. On them for a lower lip catfish, a pike, a sazan and other a large coop are suspended. In this position, the fish is kept fresh for up to 3 days even in summer.
A proven way to achieve temporary cooling is to dig a narrow hole, at least 1 meter deep. Its bottom is covered with reeds, a carcass wrapped in grass is laid on top and the weight is covered with dry grass and covered with soil. This simple old-fashioned way will allow the fish to stay fresh for 2-3 days.
How to keep fish fishing in the heat by drying and chapping
If you want to keep the real taste of fish in hot weather, you can use the method of drying in the sun. Freshly caught fish is covered with mucus, which, under the influence of UV rays, dries out and turns into a shell that protects the carcass from penetration into the bacteria. Thus, the catch can be delivered home almost in a fresh state.
The drying process begins with the removal of the gills. Sometimes you have to remove the insides. They do this without tearing the abdomen, but pulling everything through the mouth. There is no need to achieve perfect purity, as well as touch the scales. This will help keep the product fresh longer. Prevents the penetration of bacteria tight gill wings. Keep fish away from moisture and do not even wash. Moisture helps speed up decay and decompose fat and protein.
In order for the fish to dry out completely and evenly, it is laid out in a row in a place brightly lit by the sun. After a few minutes, each carcass is turned over to the other side. Large individuals separately dried back and abdomen. The turning procedure continues until all the fish are completely dry. It is important to ensure that the carcasses do not overheat and are at some distance from each other.
After drying, the fish is removed in the shade and covered with gauze to protect it from insects. At home it is laid out in a container with cold water and left for 5 minutes. This is enough for the scales to be soaked and the fish take on their original appearance.
Another method to preserve a catch is winding. Suitable for cloudy weather, when it is impossible to dry the fish in the sun. For this, fresh carcasses are laid out in the open and shifted with nettles, branches of bird cherry or sedge. The ideal option would be a special drying from the grid of the closed type. The fish laid out in it will be weathered in a few hours and become less wet. When laying fish for drying, make sure that flies do not fly inside. The eggs laid by them will make the catch unsuitable for further use.
Rules gutting fish
Unfortunately, even with all attempts to protect the fish from death, some specimens, for example, gustera, sabrefish, bluebone, manage to float up belly. If life is still glimmering in the fish, then it is killed with a sharp blow to the head or a puncture. The fish can “fall asleep” from damage. This happens if she swallowed the hook too deeply and it was impossible to reach it without damaging the insides. The perch possesses such abilities. In this case, they need to immediately pull out of the total mass and cut, following the following rules:
- specimens over 1 kg must be discolored. To do this, near the tail below make a deep incision along the spine. Soak the carcass tail down to make most of the blood glass;
- in large fish, the gills are removed immediately so that they do not begin to deteriorate and poison the rest of the meat. In the case of small fish and predators – the head is cut off;
- entrails are removed, but the belly is not washed, but only rubbed with a damp cloth;
- The prepared fish is wrapped in low moisture grass. For this, sedge or mature nettle will do.
If there is no grass nearby, burlap will come in, in which the fish is wrapped and left in a shaded place.
How to keep caught fish in the summer in the heat with the help of preservatives
Live freshly caught fish can not be cleaned. Scales are a natural defense against bacteria and prolongs freshness. After gutting the fish can be preserved. Natural preservatives are salt, vinegar, liquid smoke, marinade, nettle. Do not forget to remove the gills from it. If the carcass is not gutted, then with a syringe it is necessary to inject saline into it. On top of abundantly rubbed with salt and placed in a container. Each layer of fish must be completely submerged in salt. After the fish is covered and put under pressure.
In the case of nettle, gutted fish are stuffed with grass inside and layed on top. Plants should be twice as large as the catch. Put it all in a hole or container, which is placed in the shade.
How to get the fish home fresh
Fishing is over and now have to bring the catch home. For this, the bottom of the bag or backpack is covered with any young grass and put a few fish. Top cover them with a layer of grass and fish again. Thus all caught carcasses are packed.
You can not transport caught fish in the package. First, it can leak and the bag will flow. Secondly, with strong heat, the fish can simply suffocate. Roach and perch have a poor attitude toward relocation, therefore it is better to pickle them immediately after the catch.
Going on a fishing trip, remember that greed for good did not bring anyone. Do not take fish more than you can take. With a good bite, half can be released, and not to let it die senselessly.