# Swampy taste



## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

Obviously the colder and cleaner the water the better tasting fish all around regardless of species when compared to those caught in warmer water or water with more contaminants that are odorous. That aside, most of you probably do this but I always bleed my fish out at the river, lake etc just before I leave and never transport my fish without them being on ice if the trip home is more than 10 minutes. The quality of the fishes flesh will deteriorate rapidly as the body temp warms. 

If it's going into the freezer I soak the clean fillets in lightly salted water to further extract contaminants from the flesh (simple osmosis) and then into a freezer bag with the air removed. Before cooking (regardless of bake, fry or broil) I do soak the thawed or fresh fillets in milk in the fridge. To my taste buds this makes a noticeable difference regardless of species. 

From that point, use your favorite recipe and you should notice some improvement in flavor but nothing can completely fix bad fish or fish that were too heavily exposed to bad conditions. Like many have said already, if I catch fish in a location that I know to be less than desirable for them to be eaten, they are all C&R (unless by some chance I catch trophy size fish, LOL!).


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Raylaser said:


> Obviously the colder and cleaner the water the better tasting fish all around regardless of species when compared to those caught in warmer water or water with more contaminants that are odorous. That aside, most of you probably do this but I always bleed my fish out at the river, lake etc just before I leave and never transport my fish without them being on ice if the trip home is more than 10 minutes. The quality of the fishes flesh will deteriorate rapidly as the body temp warms.
> 
> If it's going into the freezer I soak the clean fillets in lightly salted water to further extract contaminants from the flesh (simple osmosis) and then into a freezer bag with the air removed. Before cooking (regardless of bake, fry or broil) I do soak the thawed or fresh fillets in milk in the fridge. To my taste buds this makes a noticeable difference regardless of species.
> 
> From that point, use your favorite recipe and you should notice some improvement in flavor but nothing can completely fix bad fish or fish that were too heavily exposed to bad conditions. Like many have said already, if I catch fish in a location that I know to be less than desirable for them to be eaten, they are all C&R (unless by some chance I catch trophy size fish, LOL!).


Right on, when I trout fish to keep a few I always pack ice in a ziploc in the creel. Gut/gill soon after the catch and always pack on ice for the trip home. I haven't had many "fishy" tasting fish since I started doing this years ago.


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

Trout King said:


> Right on, when I trout fish to keep a few I always pack ice in a ziploc in the creel. Gut/gill soon after the catch and always pack on ice for the trip home. I haven't had many "fishy" tasting fish since I started doing this years ago.


Hey TK, thanks for mentioning the gutting too. If transporting a fair distance definitely gonna gut them after bleeding. Then on ice for the ride home!!


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## AdamBradley (Mar 13, 2008)

You guys hit it spot on, cold water, bleed, guts out, ice. The faster all those factors come together, the better the table fare. Good input!


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

All the Browns in the Clinton are planted, and raised on "fish food" pellets in a hatchery. Purina makes a lot of the pellet food used in hatcheries, so it makes sense that a fish raised on that would taste a bit like "dogfood." 

The Browns below Tippy dam eat a lot of Crayfish, and minnows. They have bright red flesh, and taste great. Naturally spawned Browns in the Ausable taste pretty good, from what I can remember.


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## Fishman95 (Jan 25, 2015)

The brook trout I caught out of an unmentionable last week and the brown pulled from the pere Marquette were not even in the same ballpark. The brook was the best fish I've ever eaten. Period.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Fishman95 said:


> The brook trout I caught out of an unmentionable last week and the brown pulled from the pere Marquette were not even in the same ballpark. The brook was the best fish I've ever eaten. Period.


I like brown and brookies, but if I am ever cooking up a mixed batch I give the browns to my wife or eat them first. Don't make the mistake of eating the brooks first, lol.


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## Silverexpress (Sep 6, 2006)

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...efront-owners-temporary-clear-water/86885944/

Fyi

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