For those who don’t like the taste of fish, the reason is because of the lack of proper handling of the fish from the time it is caught to the minute it is served.
It might come as a surprise to some, but a fish starts to deteriorate the minute it is hooked. More often than not the fish will be partly spoiled to some degree by the time it hits the stove.
Trout will deteriorate faster than warm water species such as bass. No fish should be kept without getting them on ice within a couple hours of being caught. This is most noticeable in the trout family.
Holding fish alive on a fish chain will also add to the deterioration of the fish’s delicate taste do to the stress placed on the fish. Holding the fish alive in a fish tank will also cause deterioration of the quality fish’s taste.
To maintain that quality taste, it is suggested to use a fish knocker, kill the fish immediately, fillet the fish, wipe dry and place it on sheets of brown paper, so that none of the fillets touch each other. If you want to keep the fish whole (after gutting the fish) make sure you remove the gills, clean out the kidney that is located along the spine.
It is smart have paper towels along with you on a fishing trip, to make sure you wipe as much moisture of the inside and outer parts of the fish as possible. A major point here is to never wash out the inside of the fish, dry only to help keep any bacteria from forming. Get them refrigerated as soon as possible.
One other point deals with the freezing of the fillets. Just before you put the fillets into the freezer, sprinkle some water over the filets so when it freezes it will encase all the juices within the filet.
