When do you clean your fish?

[BAFishBarn]

In the past I've taken mine home whole and put them in the freezer. Catfish and bass that is. It's a pain because I've got a 10lb cat in the freezer I have to thaw.

Do you all clean them at the place you catch them, bring them home and immediately clean them, or freeze them whole?

I've been thinking about a portable cleaning station and cleaning them at the place I'm fishing and bringing home just the filets in ziploc bags.

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[ET Fish]

I only clean crappie, but I put em on ice and clean em the next day. Don’t know the scientific reason, but little to no blood this way.....plus, no flop.

[BAFishBarn]

Do you kill them first or straight onto the ice then the next day cuttem up

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[CrappiePappy]

For me it depends on the lake I'm fishing, because some lakes I fish do not have any cleaning facilities. Those are usually brought home on ice or in the livewell with added bottles of ice. Otherwise, I clean them at the cleaning station and put the bags of fillets in a cooler w/ice for the trip home. Since most of the lakes I fish are 1-2hr trips (each way), an empty cooler is generally brought along for transporting the fish (or fillets) and either a bag of ice is bought on the way home ... or ice paks or bottles of ice are brought along, in the cooler, from home.
The ones I bring home are cleaned right then, and soak overnight in fridge before being frozen or cooked.

[ET Fish]

Do you kill them first or straight onto the ice then the next day cuttem up

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From livewell to ice. I did it just tonight, and actually thought about knocking them in the head, but in the end just put them on ice.

[BAFishBarn]

Ok good info all around. I guess once I get in the crappie groove I'll bring a cooler and ice along. My jon boat doesnt have a live well, just a fish basket! Haha.

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[scrat]

I bring mine home and fillet them while they are still flouncing. Then the wife does the rest of the cleaning and putting them in water and freezing them. She also does all the cooking up of them. All I can say is they taste mighty good. I like the crappie the best they just can't be beat.

[LittleJohn]

I fillet my most time when I get home. If too tire put them on ice fillet them next day.
LittleJohn

[GREENFISH]

Ice them. Either directly to a cooler of ice on the boat or ice them once home. Have waited up to 2 days to clean, just keep ice on them and drain any water. I think the blood goes back into the veins and internal organs when on ice. Much easier to clean when cold imo


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[Lonnie84]

I have always covered my fish with ice and clean'em when I get home as noted next to no blood; however we caught a few cat's this weekend and before we left the lake went ahead and cleaned them. Well on the ride home I told the wife I'm sure glad I don't have to clean fish when we get home!