# How long can you keep fish on ice?



## ronmac13 (Jun 24, 2010)

I'm going to saint simons until Sunday and was wondering how long I can keep fish on ice.


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## germag (Jun 24, 2010)

Well, what I do is take 2 portable coolers with me for fish. I use the Coleman Marine 5-day coolers. I have a 58 qt that goes on the boat with me and I ice the day's catch down in that. Then, when I come off the boat in the evenings, I just gut the fish and layer them in ice in my 100 qt. I've kept them on ice like that for 3 days before with no problems at all.


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## jimbo4116 (Jun 24, 2010)

germag said:


> Well, what I do is take 2 portable coolers with me for fish. I use the Coleman Marine 5-day coolers. I have a 58 qt that goes on the boat with me and I ice the day's catch down in that. Then, when I come off the boat in the evenings, I just gut the fish and layer them in ice in my 100 qt. I've kept them on ice like that for 3 days before with no problems at all.



That the best way and they will keep for 6 or 7 day if you keep the cooler drained and fresh ice and depending on what species.  But they need "fryin" or freezin soon there after.  The fish want spoil just the quality stats degrading as soon as you put them in the cooler.


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## murf (Jun 24, 2010)

My neighbor buddy is a avid tuna fisherman down in Mexico. He has found that cleaning them before rigor sets in will keep the meat fresher. Goes out on a big party boat for a week at a time and brings back some of the best sushi you can eat.


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## Twenty five ought six (Jun 24, 2010)

jimbo4116 said:


> That the best way and they will keep for 6 or 7 day if you keep the cooler drained and fresh ice and depending on what species.  But they need "fryin" or freezin soon there after.  The fish want spoil just the quality stats degrading as soon as you put them in the cooler.



Depends a lot on the species.

There is a lot of difference between a 3 day old trout and a 3 day old mullet.

Keeping water of of them, and ice on them makes a big difference.


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## Dead Eye Eddy (Jun 24, 2010)

A buddy of mine goes to Darien and fishes for whiting, trout, and redfish several times a year.  He does the gut and ice thing and keeps fish for 4 or 5 days this way.


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## crackerdave (Jun 24, 2010)

If a fish's eyes are clear and the gills are bright red,it's a good 'un. Oily fish go bad faster.


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## jimbo4116 (Jun 24, 2010)

Twenty five ought six said:


> Depends a lot on the species.
> 
> There is a lot of difference between a 3 day old trout and a 3 day old mullet.
> 
> Keeping water of of them, and ice on them makes a big difference.



Had some mullet speared Sat., trout caught Sunday last night.  Neither was as good as they were Sunday night, but were still pretty good.

Species does make a difference and your taste for them.

Had some grilled kingfish Wed. night a week ago that 4 days old and were terrible.


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## Doyle (Jun 24, 2010)

The "fresh grouper" you buy in the fish market likely spent a week or more on ice on the boat.  Those long-line boats go out for a week at a time.


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## GONoob (Jun 24, 2010)

My cousin that has multiple sushi restaurants tells me to either slit the throat or gut the fish(Species dependent) right after being caught.


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## crackerdave (Jun 24, 2010)

GONoob said:


> My cousin that has multiple sushi restaurants tells me to either slit the throat or gut the fish(Species dependent) right after being caught.



He's right - it _is_ better to do that.  Salty ice water is good for getting the blood out of fillets,too.


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