- You can never be too careful when preserving your catch for later consumption. The fish must be iced down to remain fresh. A fish that feels mushy and has cloudy eyes may have spoiled and can make you sick.
- Be sure you have plenty of ice on hand. Place the fish on ice as soon as you remove the hook.
- Pour the ice out of the bag into your ice chest and place a layer of ice above and below the fish.
- Another technique in keeping fish fresh on hot days or for extended periods is to gut the fish and pack the body cavities with ice. This practice chills the fish faster.
- Anglers using baskets and live wells should be aware that overcrowded fish die quickly. If using a stringer, put the stringer through the jaw tissue and not the gills. Anglers using live wells on their vessel should also be aware of this danger.
- Cleaning your fish at the end of the fishing day is recommended. If you stored your fish on ice, use fresh ice for the newly cleaned fish.
- Keep the fish as cold as possible and refrigerate them as quickly as possible.
1-800-256-2749 | 1-225-765-2800
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
P.O. Box 98000 | 2000 Quail Dr.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70898
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