If you’re new to fishing, it’s important to consider how long you should be holding your fish. Generally, fish should be kept alive for longer so they can be cooked. However, this relies on you knowing how to properly handle and prepare your catch. It’s also important to know how long you can actually expect your fish to last before becoming undesirable once the meat starts falling off the bone.
The Best Way To Tell A New Fish’s Age
No matter if you are fresh off the boat or you’ve been fishing for years, learning how to tell the age of a fish is important to know. If you are planning to eat the fish that you catch, knowing its age is important as it will affect how long you should keep it alive. If you are planning on selling the fish at market, knowing its age will affect how much you should be charging for it.
The age of a fish can be determined by looking at the tooth wear. Younger fish will have smooth teeth while older fish will have tooth wear. Although this may seem obvious, it is worth noting that younger fish will not always have smooth teeth. They may have small adult teeth that they need to shed as they grow in size.
How Long Should You Keep A Fish?
The answer to this question depends on what you’re planning to do with the fish once you’ve caught it. Do you want to cook it and eat it as soon as you’ve landed it, or do you want to clean and prepare it first so it can be stored in the fridge or freezer? The younger the fish, the more desirable it will be since you’ll be able to enjoy the full texture and flavor of the fish once you cook it. However, if you’re planning on storing it for later consumption, you will want to take into consideration how long it will stay fresh.
Older fish will start losing their juicy texture and taste once they hit around 15-20 minutes of cooking. After that, the only thing that will remain is the bare bones which you’ll have to scrape off before consuming the fish. It’s always best to choose fish that are a few years old at the most so that the meat remains moist and doesn’t become overly dry once cooked. This is especially important if you’re storing the fish in the fridge. You may also want to consider freezing the fish if you’re planning on keeping it for later use since freezing will preserve the texture and taste of the fish better than simply keeping it in the fridge. Thawing out a frozen fish is much more convenient as it will easily defrost in your refrigerator.
When Should You Throw Away A Fish?
There is also the option of preparing and eating a fish right away, however, if you’ve just caught it, it’s best to let it rest for a few minutes before deciding what to do with it. This will allow the fish to settle down and calm its nervous system so it doesn’t continue moving around once you start cooking it. Some fish, such as trout and graylings, are very sensitive to temperature changes and may not taste as good if prepared too soon after catching them.
When Do You Throw Away A Fish?
The answer to this question also depends on what you’re planning to do with the fish once you’ve caught it. If you’ve just caught a fish and are planning on eating it as soon as you’ve landed it, then there is no specific time that you need to discard it. You can either eat it right away or prepare it later that day after letting it rest.
This is different if you’re planning on keeping the fish for later use. In this case, you’ll want to throw it away as soon as it starts losing its juiciness. You don’t want to wait until it starts falling apart to throw it away. It’s always best to choose fish that are a few years old at the most so that the meat remains moist and doesn’t become overly dry once cooked. This will affect the texture of the fish and prevent you from having to throw it away before you’ve tasted it. You should know that certain fish, such as catfish and carp, will start rotting away once they hit about 15-20 minutes of cooking. If you don’t mind smelling the fish as it cooks, then you may as well go ahead and get it over with so you can begin enjoying your meal. However, if you’re planning to store the fish for later use, then it’s better to avoid those types of fish altogether since they will only cause you digestive problems if consumed.
It’s important not to underestimate the importance of having knowledge about how to choose, handle, and prepare fish. Having the right gear, including the right lures and bait, will help you get the fish you want when you want them, but you’ll only get good results if you know how to bring them in. Knowing how long fish should be kept alive will help you plan your fishing trip and make sure you have enough time to cook the fish you’ve caught before it goes bad. Thinking ahead and preparing the fish correctly will make all the difference in your fishing experience. Enjoy your time out on the water!