Storing fish?

[upnorth12345]

I'm heading to Birch Lake tomorrow.  I've not been ice fishing since I was 5 so I'll have a bit of a learning curve.

I do have one question.  My wife is hoping for a couple rainbows for dinner.  What do you do with your fish after you catch them?  Are they ok for the day tossed in a bucket?  Do you clean them first?  Put them in water? 

Just wondering what is best.

Thanks for the input.

Mark

[Fishin Fireman]

Welcome to the forum and be sure to check out the posts at the top of the page.

Well if you catch a few nice eaters I whack em if I'm going to keep them and then out on the ice or in a bucket. Be wary if you hear Ravens flying around...they will steal your dinner!!! I usually clean them before we leave. I cut down behind the head and then grab them by the jaw and pull down and back towards the tail and usually everything comes right out.

Good Luck

[Barleydog]

Be wary if you hear Ravens flying around...they will steal your dinner!!!

YEah, or a thieving Labrador!

[Fishin Fireman]

uh huh I'm so happy...I'm Barley and I love to carry my masters fishes around and show them off uh huh ! Squirrel!!!!!!!!!!

[Hunt_N_Pike]

Don't ask how I know, but Fish ya have been watching to many kid shows. Lol 

[upnorth12345]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if cell phones work at Birch Lake?  Might be able to stay a bit longer if so.

Thanks

Mark

[catchumall]

My cell phone works there but i can tell you for sure that they don't work from the bottom of Harding, right FishingFireman.   

[Dirtofak]

Work phones don't work at any lake that I know of or even past the city limits.

Personal cell phones only work for outgoing communications. Say, for sending pictures of your latest fattie to your best friend that pussed out. Unless, a requirement for your "kitchen pass", however, you may insist that reception is "spotty" so use the text function. Then decide if you want to call home.

If you need a kitchen pass, you may want to go fishing alone. Then only one person will give you grief for being such a wimp.

[upnorth12345]

Thanks Dirt.   

I agree with your feelings on cell phones, but real life sometimes dictates differently.  Between work and a sick parent, it makes the difference between being able to go and not. 

I'm good at ignoring calls from people I don't need to interrupt my "free" time with.  That's what voice mail is for.

That also means you wouldn't like my summer fishing style, with a sat phone in my Cessna 185 on floats.  Of course only two people have that number, but again, it makes the difference between being able to go and not. 

Thanks for the reminder though.  I'll put it on silent mode just for you. 

Mark

[Dirtofak]

Thanks Dirt.   

I agree with your feelings on cell phones, but real life sometimes dictates differently.  Between work and a sick parent, it makes the difference between being able to go and not. 

I'm good at ignoring calls from people I don't need to interrupt my "free" time with.  That's what voice mail is for.

That also means you wouldn't like my summer fishing style, with a sat phone in my Cessna 185 on floats.  Of course only two people have that number, but again, it makes the difference between being able to go and not. 

Thanks for the reminder though.  I'll put it on silent mode just for you. 

Mark

And here I was going to show you a great pike lake. 

Real life. What a concept. That would require me to grow up. That would make my mother-in-law happy. Ain't going to happen. Opinions and commitments vary. Good luck with yours. Be sure to enjoy Alaska when you can.

[PikeSticker]

Whether I'm spearing pike or hook & line style fishing for pike and other fish, I always auger a separate hole and hang all my fish on a stringer under water.  I don't think the meat freezing and then being thawed to clean and then refroze is good for the flesh or the taste. Just my preference but it is nice to get home and have a slug of fish nice and soft for cleaning. Makes much better pictures too when the fish looks alive and shiny.  Not surprising, the water wolf is a very tough fish that remains alive even after hit with a spear for about 9 out of 10 so they remain alive on the stringer too.

[upnorth12345]

That's what I was wondering about Dirt.  Whether a stringer in the water was a good idea.

Spent the day at Birch today and didn't have to worry about what to do with all the fish I caught. 

Was a fine day though and I enjoyed it.  Will try some other things next time.  I did catch a check up by AST though.  Good to know they are around and checking.  First time in forever I've been asked for my fishing license.  Very pleasant encounter though, and it even included a few tips.

I found the drive to Birch quite relaxing actually.  The state hut for $15 was worthwhile as I was toasty warm with just a wee bit of firewood.  I'll do that again, but hopefully more fish will jump out of the water.

And I'll take a stringer next time to keep all those fish fresh!   

Mark

[Barleydog]

Great opinions indeed...  Upnorth I don't think a stringer is necessary at all (just another opinionated fisher.)  You have the largest deepfreeze in the world and don't have to pay for the electric bill.  If your worried about the quality of your catch, don't be!  You can take your frozen fish and place them in freezer sealed bags, or let them thaw in cold water in the sink...  During slow fishing you can even gut em' to save you time when you get home.  For pike, Bleed them on the ice and let them freeze up.  A semi frozen fish is great to fillet!!!  The slime coating is much easier to handle on a semi frozen pike than a fish that isn't frozen.  If you string your fish (3/4 of the time up here in Fairbanks) the fish will be frozen by the time you get home anyways, unless you have an SUV or keep them up front with you in the heated cab.  
Anyways, good to hear you got out to the Birch lake shacks.  They are a great time on a frigid day.