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Decided to take home whole cod instead of getting them filleted. They were in an ice slurry for about a day. When taken out, most had a bleached out appearance. Why is that? And how do you prevent it?
Bleached out cod
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As the fresh water in the ice melts, the the salt level in the slurry becomes overly diluted. The fresh water causes the fish to become pale and soft. There is a scientific name for this occurence, but the name of it slips my mind right now. Basically, the fresh water causes the cells to explode and makes the fish discolor, then eventually turn mushy. To avoid it, make sure that you maintain the salt level as the ice melts, by adding either kosher/sea salt or by dumping the water and replacing it with sea water about every 12 hours.
Once the fish have been in the slurry for a few hours, there is really no benefit to keeping them in it longer. After about 24-36 hours in the slurry, it will cause the eyes to cloud over. Putting them on ice, in a cooler with drain open after chilling them down in the slurry is the ideal method.
Gamakatsu
Gamakatsu
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Hi,
In a slurry is no way to keep a cod after being caught. What needs to be done is as soon as it is landed, gut it and wash out the cavity. Then pack it in ice. If the action is hot and heavy this can be done later but the fish must be kept on ice all the time.
When I go codfishing, I bring two coolers, once with flake ice and the other empty. I toss a few scoops of ice on the bottom near the drain plug (like rock in a flower pot) to let the water drain freeley. Then as the cod go in the cooler, layer them in ice. Later you can gut or fillet them and pack better.
If your on a partyboat, Make sure your tote has drain holes and use another tote or burlap sack (or anything) to keep the sun off and the cod cold. Also keep placing ice on them.
I have seen cod bakeing on a warm spring day in a black tote in the sun for hours and they looked pretty bad by the time they hit the fillet table.
If you get any Haddock, extra care because they are even softer then cod. Hake are the worst and must be eaten within 24 hrs or they will be mush.
Capt Marc
In a slurry is no way to keep a cod after being caught. What needs to be done is as soon as it is landed, gut it and wash out the cavity. Then pack it in ice. If the action is hot and heavy this can be done later but the fish must be kept on ice all the time.
When I go codfishing, I bring two coolers, once with flake ice and the other empty. I toss a few scoops of ice on the bottom near the drain plug (like rock in a flower pot) to let the water drain freeley. Then as the cod go in the cooler, layer them in ice. Later you can gut or fillet them and pack better.
If your on a partyboat, Make sure your tote has drain holes and use another tote or burlap sack (or anything) to keep the sun off and the cod cold. Also keep placing ice on them.
I have seen cod bakeing on a warm spring day in a black tote in the sun for hours and they looked pretty bad by the time they hit the fillet table.
If you get any Haddock, extra care because they are even softer then cod. Hake are the worst and must be eaten within 24 hrs or they will be mush.
Capt Marc
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I think that I will try the Kosher salt method next time. I screwed up because I was draining the bloody water, and just shoving in more ice. Might try for haddock next week. Heard the Gloucester boats had them.
I did gut the cod in between drifts with my bait knife, and it is surprisingly easy. Some guys were doing it in about 15 seconds, and even I only took about 1-2 minutes per fish.
The system I saw that seemed best was a tote (kill box) that the fish went into immediately. Cut them in between drifts and they go into another tote with a hose running fresh sea water to wash them out. Next move, they go into a big 150, and then ice from another 150 goes on top. Cod and ice just get layered and swap coolers as they get filled. Of course, this is way too complicated for me
So are the cod any good to eat after the color turns white? They didn't seem mushy......
(This post edited by skatemaster on 03/29/2003)
I did gut the cod in between drifts with my bait knife, and it is surprisingly easy. Some guys were doing it in about 15 seconds, and even I only took about 1-2 minutes per fish.
The system I saw that seemed best was a tote (kill box) that the fish went into immediately. Cut them in between drifts and they go into another tote with a hose running fresh sea water to wash them out. Next move, they go into a big 150, and then ice from another 150 goes on top. Cod and ice just get layered and swap coolers as they get filled. Of course, this is way too complicated for me
So are the cod any good to eat after the color turns white? They didn't seem mushy......
(This post edited by skatemaster on 03/29/2003)
Capt. Marc,
The softer the fish, the better quality you will have by "chill killing" it in a saltwater slurry. It is the absolute fastest way to drop the fish's body temp down to 28 degrees. This should be done before gutting it, but if you plan to bleed the fish, the throat should be cut before putting it into the slurry. The key is to have the fish die while in the saltwater slush. Once the fish is dead, I'll agree that it should be gutted promptly for maximum quality. You would be amazed at the firmness of hake fillets when handled as I describe above.
Gamakatsu
The softer the fish, the better quality you will have by "chill killing" it in a saltwater slurry. It is the absolute fastest way to drop the fish's body temp down to 28 degrees. This should be done before gutting it, but if you plan to bleed the fish, the throat should be cut before putting it into the slurry. The key is to have the fish die while in the saltwater slush. Once the fish is dead, I'll agree that it should be gutted promptly for maximum quality. You would be amazed at the firmness of hake fillets when handled as I describe above.
Gamakatsu
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Gamakatsu,
Thanks for the tip with the hake. They are one of my favorite eating fish.
The boats north of Cape Ann are starting up this week. I suspect Jefferies is full of haddock right now.
Capt. Marc
Thanks for the tip with the hake. They are one of my favorite eating fish.
The boats north of Cape Ann are starting up this week. I suspect Jefferies is full of haddock right now.
Capt. Marc
Capt Marc
Hope you are right about the haddock on Jeffries, going scouting tomorrow to
probably so Jeffries. I'll post something after the trip.
Any fish will washout if left in fresh water for any length of time. My fish are bled and layed into a well drained cooler.
Bob
Hope you are right about the haddock on Jeffries, going scouting tomorrow to
probably so Jeffries. I'll post something after the trip.
Any fish will washout if left in fresh water for any length of time. My fish are bled and layed into a well drained cooler.
Bob
Addict, I bring a 120 for the fish, a 50 for ice and then fish, plus a food cooler. There are times when that's not enough, but quite honestly I don't need more fish than that. If you go on the Bunny Clark up in Maine, the boat fillets the fish and cares for them during the trip, so all you need is a food cooler on those trips. Also, any boats fishing north of the Cape are subject to a daily bag limit of 5 or 10 fish, depending on the time of year.
Gamakatsu
Gamakatsu
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5,302 Posts
No room?
How about 3 50's
How about 3 50's
The ASK THE PROs board has seen many interesting and unique threads posted, but this one, is one that many on this board should take note of. Taking care of soft fleshed fish like cod, white and red hake, is one of the most important things to do on a trip! Its something that is relatively taken for granted, yet should be paid great attention to.
Over the years of 'moving' fish, you get a idea of what needs to be done is far as keeping your fish in 'pristine' condition. First i have to agree with Gamakatsu with making a slurry if you want your cod to look in A1 shape...this technique is used in the commercial fishing industry, and is probably the best way to initially keep your catch. But, like Gamakatsu stated, the water must be drained off constantly as the ice melts. Fresh water will just turn the skin of the cod into mush. Capt. Marcs method is also one that i use, where i keep a kill box for tossing in the freshly caught fish, and then later on, moving the catch over to a 'permanent' bigger iced up cooler. One thing thats important is that you should not open up your permanent cooler up all the time, especially in the warmer weather. Just like your refrigerator at home, as you open the door/lid, you let the chilled air out and warm air in, thus melting more ice, and creating more fresh water, which eventually has to be drained off.
If you are not sure on how to keep your catch, just put a layer of ice on the bottom, and lay your fish on top, and another layer of ice. From the time to time, open the drain plug, and let the fresh water drain out of the cooler. Add ice in layers with your fish throughout the day.
As far as what you should bring along on these trips, i say the best all around sized coolers are from the old 86 QT, to 94 QT size. First they are long enough for most fish that you catch without having to bend them to fit the cooler, and as important, they can be handled easily by one strong person, or two people. I do not like coolers smaller then the sizes i mentioned, since they cannot hold enough fish or ice, and you end up bending and squeezing most of the fish to fit inside these things. If you are fishing for porgies/seabass and even blackfish that small cooler will do. But for bigger fish, pick up a 94 Qt cooler.
When you make these trips, do as some of the board members here posted. Bring one cooler that will hold your ice, and one that will be used to store your fish. Fishermen who reguarly make the offshore wreck trips, sometimes bring barrels, and totes, which are great if you have the room to fit them in your car or van. They are good in that you do not waste much time when you unhook the fish. Just toss them into the barrel/tote and get back into the water. Later on, you then move the fish from these 'primary' containers or kill boxes, to the bigger cooler.
As far as big coolers, they have their place when doing the offshore cod and seabass trips. Coolers such as the 124 Qt and 151/162 Qt, allow room for both a load of fish and ice. But remember these points.... They are extremely heavy when loaded, and require 2 strong 'backed' people to move them around. They are prone to being dragged, dropped and having handles broken due to the heavy weights or twisting when you walk with them. The ends get cracked and opened up from the dragging around when loaded with fish, and then they leak all over the place (like the inside of your car or van). If you have to choose a big cooler, i feel the 124 Qt cooler with the half doors or split lid is probably the best of the bunch.
Try to pickup a cooler that states Marine on it. I know everyone talks about the COSTCO 172 Qt coolers for 49.99 that are a great value. They do keep fish cool, and hold up well for the money. But they have less insulation and are not constructed as well as a TRUE marine cooler. The plastic handles do break when these coolers are loaded with fish. I cannot tell you how many of these coolers just end up being storage boxes since they eventually end up with the broken handles and leak after being dropped a number of times with a full load of fish. Their must be a very good reason why the MARINE IGLOO 162 Qt costs $260 dollars.
Another point which should be mentioned, is about chopping up ice in your coolers. I have done it myself, and chopped up blocks of ice inside a cooler, only to puncture the inner shell. If you can, use the tote, to chop up your blocks of ice first, then put the pieces inside the cooler. Try to chop up the ice in small fist size pieces, instead of using a handful of large pieces. I would love to have cubed ice for my fish, but many times, it is not pratical. Flaked ice is fantastic since it does not bruise the flesh of these fish, but it melts very fast especially in warmer weather. Block ice is the best for the money. If you have the space, you can make your own ice in 5 gallon pails or other containers. Carry a pic around, or use a screwdriver if nothing else is available.
Finally if you are fileting/steaking your fish, since we have nobody on this board selling their catch (just making sure you are paying attention), first chill these soft fleshed fish down. I know many people right away will catch a few fish, then go off and try to filet their catch. Yes it always great to clean your fish as fast as possible, but it is much easier to filet a cod or hake when it is chilled. Your filets will be much cleaner, usually with less loss of meat left on the fishes rack. You will also lessen the chance of puncturing the belly and get blood on your filets. You can noticeably taste the difference of filets that are blood soaked and ones that are cleanly removed from the fish.
EC NEWELL MAN*
Over the years of 'moving' fish, you get a idea of what needs to be done is far as keeping your fish in 'pristine' condition. First i have to agree with Gamakatsu with making a slurry if you want your cod to look in A1 shape...this technique is used in the commercial fishing industry, and is probably the best way to initially keep your catch. But, like Gamakatsu stated, the water must be drained off constantly as the ice melts. Fresh water will just turn the skin of the cod into mush. Capt. Marcs method is also one that i use, where i keep a kill box for tossing in the freshly caught fish, and then later on, moving the catch over to a 'permanent' bigger iced up cooler. One thing thats important is that you should not open up your permanent cooler up all the time, especially in the warmer weather. Just like your refrigerator at home, as you open the door/lid, you let the chilled air out and warm air in, thus melting more ice, and creating more fresh water, which eventually has to be drained off.
If you are not sure on how to keep your catch, just put a layer of ice on the bottom, and lay your fish on top, and another layer of ice. From the time to time, open the drain plug, and let the fresh water drain out of the cooler. Add ice in layers with your fish throughout the day.
As far as what you should bring along on these trips, i say the best all around sized coolers are from the old 86 QT, to 94 QT size. First they are long enough for most fish that you catch without having to bend them to fit the cooler, and as important, they can be handled easily by one strong person, or two people. I do not like coolers smaller then the sizes i mentioned, since they cannot hold enough fish or ice, and you end up bending and squeezing most of the fish to fit inside these things. If you are fishing for porgies/seabass and even blackfish that small cooler will do. But for bigger fish, pick up a 94 Qt cooler.
When you make these trips, do as some of the board members here posted. Bring one cooler that will hold your ice, and one that will be used to store your fish. Fishermen who reguarly make the offshore wreck trips, sometimes bring barrels, and totes, which are great if you have the room to fit them in your car or van. They are good in that you do not waste much time when you unhook the fish. Just toss them into the barrel/tote and get back into the water. Later on, you then move the fish from these 'primary' containers or kill boxes, to the bigger cooler.
As far as big coolers, they have their place when doing the offshore cod and seabass trips. Coolers such as the 124 Qt and 151/162 Qt, allow room for both a load of fish and ice. But remember these points.... They are extremely heavy when loaded, and require 2 strong 'backed' people to move them around. They are prone to being dragged, dropped and having handles broken due to the heavy weights or twisting when you walk with them. The ends get cracked and opened up from the dragging around when loaded with fish, and then they leak all over the place (like the inside of your car or van). If you have to choose a big cooler, i feel the 124 Qt cooler with the half doors or split lid is probably the best of the bunch.
Try to pickup a cooler that states Marine on it. I know everyone talks about the COSTCO 172 Qt coolers for 49.99 that are a great value. They do keep fish cool, and hold up well for the money. But they have less insulation and are not constructed as well as a TRUE marine cooler. The plastic handles do break when these coolers are loaded with fish. I cannot tell you how many of these coolers just end up being storage boxes since they eventually end up with the broken handles and leak after being dropped a number of times with a full load of fish. Their must be a very good reason why the MARINE IGLOO 162 Qt costs $260 dollars.
Another point which should be mentioned, is about chopping up ice in your coolers. I have done it myself, and chopped up blocks of ice inside a cooler, only to puncture the inner shell. If you can, use the tote, to chop up your blocks of ice first, then put the pieces inside the cooler. Try to chop up the ice in small fist size pieces, instead of using a handful of large pieces. I would love to have cubed ice for my fish, but many times, it is not pratical. Flaked ice is fantastic since it does not bruise the flesh of these fish, but it melts very fast especially in warmer weather. Block ice is the best for the money. If you have the space, you can make your own ice in 5 gallon pails or other containers. Carry a pic around, or use a screwdriver if nothing else is available.
Finally if you are fileting/steaking your fish, since we have nobody on this board selling their catch (just making sure you are paying attention), first chill these soft fleshed fish down. I know many people right away will catch a few fish, then go off and try to filet their catch. Yes it always great to clean your fish as fast as possible, but it is much easier to filet a cod or hake when it is chilled. Your filets will be much cleaner, usually with less loss of meat left on the fishes rack. You will also lessen the chance of puncturing the belly and get blood on your filets. You can noticeably taste the difference of filets that are blood soaked and ones that are cleanly removed from the fish.
EC NEWELL MAN*
Joined
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1,679 Posts
EC,
Excellent advice.
I found the 100qt is perfect for an average partyboat cod trip. In the Fall when the big pollock show up, time to bring out the big coolers. it doesn't take many 20lb pollock to fill a 100 qt.
Capt. Marc
Excellent advice.
I found the 100qt is perfect for an average partyboat cod trip. In the Fall when the big pollock show up, time to bring out the big coolers. it doesn't take many 20lb pollock to fill a 100 qt.
Capt. Marc
EC makes a good point about coolers being heavy. A pretty good formula for figuring how much a cooler weighs when it is full of unfilleted fish with a small layer of ice on top is about 1 pound per quart, plus the weight of the ice and cooler. Figure a full 120 qt cooler is going to weigh about 130 pounds (with no water in it) and if you drag it down the deck by lifting one side, that's a lot friction on the bottom edge.
Gamakatsu
Gamakatsu
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