Help Needed - Are these bluegills safe to eat?

[TheDude]

My daughter and kept some bluegills from Sayers Lake at Bald Eagle State park today with the intention of transplanting them into a nearby pond. We stopped for ice cream and half of the dozen of the fish in the bucket had died from what I assume was lack of oxygen. I brought them hoe and will start cleaning them now, but want to find out if they are safe to eat given how they died and that they were never refrigerated. We probably left the lake at 6:30 and I will be filleting them at 9:30...so they've been dead at room temp for 3 hours. Any advice is appreciated. I have no fish harvesting/cleaning/storing knowledge since I generally don't like the fishy flavor of fish and always release my catch.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[troutbert]

They should be fine. People carry dead trout around all day in their creels. 3 hours is no big deal.

If you decide not to eat them, let me know, I'll eat them. Especially if you've filleted them.

 

[1wt]

I agree, they should be fine. Make sure to cook them? Don't try Sushi or cerviche?
All the fish you buy now in a supermarket is old, stale, imported fish from Viet Nam. The shrimp are all farmed now and some call it "sewer shrimp" because of the polluted waters.
The half decent Gulf shrimp is now sold to Japan and China!! for a hefty price! The stuff you purchase is imported polluted tasteless cesspool raised seafood.
Any clean lake will be a lot better........ but I still wouldn't eat any fish from the Susquehanna or it's tribs!

 

[TheDude]

Thanks for the replies. the filets are in the fridge and will not go to waste.

 

[troutbert]

BTW, when you keep fish to eat, I think it is a good idea to kill them right away. Carry a pocket knife, then lay the fish on its side on some firm surface, and cut right through the spinal cord, behind the head. This kills them instantly. You can also gut them out right away. Slice open the belly and pull out the guts. You should probably leave the head on, in case you get checked by a WCO for legal length of the fish.

 

[hammertime]

Troutbert, i'm thinking that cleaning a fish and leavin its guts stream or lakeside is mentioned in the laws and regs book as a no-no.

It might be legal though.

 

[caveman]

If your on a lake or even stream side, Kill them, throw them in a cooler with some ice it. When I am catfishin they go strait to the big cooler.

 

[troutbert]

hammertime wrote:
Troutbert, i'm thinking that cleaning a fish and leavin its guts stream or lakeside is mentioned in the laws and regs book as a no-no.

You are right, it is a no-no. It's in the regs booklet, on page 34, under General Regulations. Field Dressing and Disposal of Fish.

 

[Fishidiot]

troutbert wrote:

hammertime wrote:
Troutbert, i'm thinking that cleaning a fish and leavin its guts stream or lakeside is mentioned in the laws and regs book as a no-no.

You are right, it is a no-no. It's in the regs booklet, on page 34, under General Regulations. Field Dressing and Disposal of Fish.

I'm pretty sure this is a new change. I seem to recall that, up until a few years ago, you could field dress so long as you discarded the guts in a "deep run or pool" or some language to this effect.

 

[1wt]

BTW, when you keep fish to eat, I think it is a good idea to kill them right away. Carry a pocket knife, then lay the fish on its side on some firm surface, and cut right through the spinal cord, behind the head. This kills them instantly.

I don't think that's needed!
I use a handy, $1.49 thin rope stringer, from WalMart, that I clip on my float tube and keep a few big bluegills every so often. I put the still live fish in a cooler with ice packs in my trunk, and they are still kickin' when I fillet them!
IMHO, the trick is a good knife and experience filleting the fish, and cooking at the right temp.
Good tasty food with Omega 3 Fatty acids that will keep you healthy........ even if you deep fry the fish!!.... and I catch them with a UL fly rod and flies that I tie myself!! Good for my Karma?

But I still don't eat trout! Well, maybe on opening day?

My fave freshwater fish to eat are:
1- Crappie
2- Yellow perch
3- White perch
4- Bluegills
5- Rockbass
6- Smallmouth bass
7- Largemouth bass
8- Channel catfish
9- Carp.... yuck!!
10- Suckers
11- a dead fish I see floating by
12- Trout ..... usually makes me puke!! The soft pink flesh makes a mushy meal! They taste like trout pellets?

Sharp Hooks

 

[troutbert]

I think you should kill the fish right away, because making it a quick kill is the right thing to do. When you sever the spinal cord, that kills the fish instantly. You can then put the fish on ice.

 

[MHanes]

1wt no Walleye on your list? You are missing out there!

 

[1wt]

1wt no Walleye on your list? You are missing out there!

You are correct, my bad!
I forgot about the wonderful walleyes. They just might be the best tasting freshwater fish?
The Susquehanna is in such bad shape, it's been a while for me using my UL spin with some little plugs.
And I wanted to bring home the point that nobody should kill a trout for tablefare.

 

[tulenkot]

It sounds gruesome but I was taught to just wack the fish's head against a rock. Its quick and does the job. To be honest though, I haven't eaten many self caught fish recently. I spent 3 years of my life running a fish market and every morning filleting boatloads of fish. Don't miss it one bit! If anyone wants pointers on cutting fish though, I'm your guy!