Now that we’ve caught the fish, what do we do? Throw away the fish chain, remove the fish to a waterbox to keep the fish alive and replace it with an ice box. Keeping fish alive on a chain will cause deterioration and stress to the fish. This also stands true for the waterbox.
After you have landed the fish, kill it immediately. Split the belly, and clean and draw the gut. If the head is to be left on, remove the gills. Wipe the fish dry, inside and out. Never wash it. If you don’t have an ice box, wrap each fish in brown paper. If you have multiple fish, make sure their skin doesn’t touch.
During the summer, on a hot or warm day, when fishing from shore, kill the fish immediately. Gut and clean (rubbing your finger down the spine of the fish) and remove all throwaway contents. Dry (do not wash) with a cloth and hang the fish in the shade of a tree until you are ready to go home. It all helps to preserve the fine taste.
Easy Fish Stew
1 pound cleaned fish
2 tsp salt
1 medium chopped white onion
1/2 tsp dill weed
4 cups water
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp butter
Chives or fresh dill, cut fish into 2-inch pieces
Place the fish, salt, onions and dill weed in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer until fish flakes with a fork. Drain, reserving the stock to boil potatoes until tender. Return fish and add milk to potato stock. Simmer slowly for about 20 minutes. Pour into tureen dish and dot with butter. Garnish with cut chives or fresh dill. Serves 6.
Atlin Poached Lake Trout In White Wine
2 pounds lake trout fillets
1/2 cup sliced brown mushrooms
1 sliced green onion
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp flour
1 additional Tbsp butter
1 cup water
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice to taste
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in saucepan. Add mushrooms and onion. Stir until cooked. In another saucepan, layer fish fillets with cooked mushrooms and onions. Pour over wine and water and bring to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove fish and keep warm in shallow baking dish. Strain poaching liquid and reduce to half the volume. Beat 1 Tbsp of butter and flour into a paste and slowly add to sauce until thickened. Add cream followed by salt, pepper and lemon juice. Sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.Pour sauce over fillets in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and place under broiler until lightly golden. Serves 4.
Lake Trout On The BBQ
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbsp barbeque sauce
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine
Fillet lake trout, leaving skin on. Preheat barbeque and add a chunk of hardwood for smoke. Mix ingredients together. When barbeque is hot and smoking, place trout on rack, skin down. Brush mixture on meat side of fillet every 3 to 4 minutes. Remove fillets when they flake to a fork. Serve on bed of lettuce leaves. Garnish with parsley.
OLD-FASHIONED OVEN-BAKED FISH STEAKS
2 pounds fresh fillet steaks
1 tsp saltDash of pepper and cayenne
2 Tbsp salad oil
3/8 tsp powdered thyme
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
Lay steaks side by side in a well-oiled baking pan. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. salt, pepper and cayenne. Heat the salad oil. Add thyme and 1/2 tsp salt. Brush over fish steaks. Carefully pour milk around the steaks. Sprinkle cracker crumbs. Bake in an oven at 350 F for about 30 minutes. Remove steaks carefully to hot platter. Serve with tartar sauce. Good for half a dozen hungry fishermen.
