Part of The Underway Gourmet by Suzy O'Keefe
The frenzy of activity that occurs as the freshly caught fish is brought on board generally includes bludgeoning the fish into submission. Blood splatters and scales fly. The boat's a mess, but hey, this is one that didn't get away and there'll be fish for dinner tonight... just after you clean him, clean the boat and clean yourself.
I offer an alternative to this bloody scene for the next fish you catch: Don't be too quick to bring your catch on board. Tire him out a bit before you reel him in. Have your gaff ready and as you bring him alongside, plant the gaff solidly into the gills or throat but don't bring him on board... not yet! And don't try to take the hook out... not yet!
Take a piece of medium line (rope) about 12' to 15' long and tie one end to the boat near the stern. As your partner holds the fish just out of the water and still outside the lifelines, make a clove hitch in the other end of the line and slip it over the tail of the fish securing it with a half hitch. Slit the gills so that the fish bleeds freely into the water. Take the weight of the fish with the line and remove the gaff. Slowly let out the line and drag the fish by the tail just behind the boat (with the lure still in his mouth) until most of the blood had been drained. This will take only a few minutes. You can lift the fish out of the water a time or two to check the bleeding. Once bled, you can bring the fish on board and remove the hook without fear of hooking yourself in the process!
This bleeding process keeps the boat a lot cleaner but also gives you the extra added benefit of making the fish taste less fishy. The difference is dramatic. Even the dark red meat of a sailfish or tuna becomes pink.
Of course, you do take the small risk of having a shark steal your catch, but thus far it hasn't happened to me. The only fish I've lost to a shark was taken long before the fish ever got close... in fact at first I couldn't understand why the fish was swimming faster and faster toward the boat!
Now, let me make the actual cleaning process a bit easier for you as well. Make your first incision at the anus and cut toward the head. This cut should not be deep as you do not want to puncture any of the internal organs. Cut only deeply enough to open the belly cavity it's entire length (all the way up to the gills). Next, move the organs to one side and slip the knife inside the cavity. Remove the head from this point by cutting from one side of the cavity up through the spine and around to the other side. You now have one piece to throw away... the head with all of the organs still attached. Almost no mess at all! Proceed with your normal techniques for filets or steaks or sushi.
Temperature permitting, consider doing the cleaning in the nude. What cleanup there is becomes much more fun for both of you!!!
| Copyright © 1999 | Suzy O'Keefe |