Fish on ice?

[guest]

Guys,

When I'm out wading, i put my fish in a floating creel or on a stringer. However, when I'm out in the surf and catching a lot of whiting and croaker, I usually throw 'em on ice, whole and flopping....

Someone told me that its best to cut the fish's heads off to let them bleed, then put on ice...The reasoning behind his belief is that to throw 'em whole on ice lends the flesh to become "fishy" tasting.

But since Whiting and Croaker are generally small, and that I like to fillet them by starting my slice to the backbone at the gills then run along the backbone towards the tail, a headless fish would create a filleting problem! (Yes, i know ya can fillet from the tail forward!)
However, would it be possible to avoid the "fishy contamination" if i were just to open the belly cavity thus gutting the fish to drain the blood? .....What is your opinion?

In the past, if the fish were a bit "fishy", I'd just soak them in milk or  in a bowl of water with a few tablespoons of salt overnight to rid the fishy smell.

[jack1747]

Just ice'em down good and they will be fine.  You can filet them the next day.

I love the smell of Fish on my hands and in my hair, and under my fingernails, and on my clothes, and in my car, and on my dog, and on my back, and around my eyes, and in my nose, and behind my knees, and around the house, and on my doorknobs, and in my ears, and on my feet, and in my pockets, and on my friends, and and..............

[procrabber]

you dont need to remove the guts or the head, but you can cut the throat and let them bleed out. it really doesnt matter for cooked fish, just put them on ice live. but if you like sushi, you need to bleed them to death (on ice)

[mrscharms]

Ugh...as much as I enjoy fishing....I hate all of these gory details!!! My son is stuck with the job of gutting and filleting...thank God.  

Janice

[jack1747]

Ugh...as much as I enjoy fishing....I hate all of these gory details!!! My son is stuck with the job of gutting and filleting...thank God.  

Janice

dont gut them if your going to filet them.  Just leave the abdemen cavity and all its bones on the fish.

[mrscharms]

I guess that makes sense!!!  I'll let him read this.