Cleaning fish is the immediate next step after catching it. Always proceed to clean, only if you recognize the specie of the fish. Not all kinds of fish are edible and some may even contain poison.

Once you catch the fish, it is important to minimize the time that the fish is fighting against the hook and line. This is important to increase the shelf life of the fish and conserve its nutrients. After unhooking, land the fish and kill it immediately. Any delay in this process increases the development of stress hormone in the fish brain which isn’t good for human consumption. You can use a metal or wooden club to give a sharp blow to the head of the fish. After which, you can use a metal spike to remove the brain which will kill the fish instantly. Allow the carcass to bleed out by cutting through the throat latch. It is very important to remove all the blood through this process as soon as possible otherwise it will ruin the fish and make it inedible.

Once you have removed the blood thoroughly, use the back of a knife to remove scales and take out the kidney with the help of a spoon. Remove the stomach cavity with the help of water. This process of cleaning the fish is called as gutting, removing, and scaling.

If the fish is not going to be cooked immediately, it is crucial to store it in good conditions to avoid deterioration. Cover it in an aluminium foil or cling wrap film and refrigerate it. This works perfectly for five days but for longer-term storage, completely seal the fish and store it below freezing. However, no fish should be ideally stored more than four months because that makes it unfit for human consumption.