That picture on the post about whole fish found at a boat ramp got me thinking. Is gutting fish prior to cleaning/filleting routine? What’s the real advantage? Should I be gutting fish as soon as they hit the deck??? Thanks.
The reason for gutting fish is to eliminate the bacteria and bad things in the gut that can harm the meat. Its not a big deal if your going to clean the fish when you get back to the dock - only if your going to hold them for a day or 2 on ice.
Listen to natureboy. He knows what he is talking about. Also, one more thing to add. If you aren’t that crafty with a fillet knife and you end up cutting through the stomach every time you try to chop off the fillet, and all of those contents get all over the meat, then you might want to consider gutting the fish even if it’s 5 seconds before you fillet it. In that instance, you are putting bacteria (stomach contents) directly on the meat, so if you gut it before hand and remove the bacteria, then you don’t have to worry about puncturing the stomach when filleting. If you are eating sushi, you probably definitely want to do this just to be on the safe side, so that those contents never contaminate the meat that you intend on eating raw.
ALL tuna should be gutted at sea. – for 2 reasons - meat contamination, and to see what size baits you should be using. The fish should be cut from the vent all the way past the isthmus- the real thin point below the gills. This makes everything come out easily.
Only fish I gut before putting on ice is a shark. I do this as they die to help bleed them out and make them much more palatable. Too scared to leave a whole fish on Ice much past 8 or so hours before cleaning.
Gutted fish, properly packed in ice, have a much longer shelf life that fillets.
quote:
Originally posted by natureboyGutted fish, properly packed in ice, have a much longer shelf life that fillets.
X2!
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PROUD YANKEE
Oyster Baron
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
Did you ever notice that the fillets in a fish market have no blood on them? this is because the fish are gutted at sea. This also eliminates the need to wash fillets in fresh water which ruins the flavor and texture of saltwater fish, especially tuna.
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PROUD YANKEE
Oyster Baron
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”