Cooking Fish

I wouldn't cook fish in bear country, but if you do, clean it a long long ways from where you are sleeping and remember even your hair and clothes will absorb those odors. Maybe sleep with a yappy dog.

If you can build a fire, I like to roast them on a spit. A good green willow stick will work, and when you are done you can burn it. Echo is right about cooking well away from camp. If you don't hover over it while you cook, and wash your hands thoroughly, you should be ok. How to Cook Fish on a Campfire

I always clean them wherever I'm fishing, which is usually at least a mile or two from camp. When I cook anywhere in bear country, I cook a min. of 200-400yds from camp.

To add -
The following is an article/discussion on some culinary aspects of Sierra trout,­ safe practices, keeping some to eat, how to gut/clean a trout.

Trout Keeping –
For many anglers, catch and release (C&R) does not necessarily mean all trout caught have to be released – some are destined for dinner. The questions is, which ones to keep and how many? Tough decision – all depends on size, local fishing regulations, and appetite. By the way, wild, freshly-caught, trout do not travel well long distances and especially un-refrigerated – please keep only what you will definitely eat immediately – never waste this prized resource.
Small trout, although tasty, are a pain to cook. Large lunkers (excluding stockers) should always be returned back to the water (or never taken out?) as they are prime Sierra breeding stock. If a trout dinner is planned (and the fishing good) if at all possible try to keep/select a few of the fatter fish (ones with shoulders?) in the 12 – 14 inch range. Beyond keeping fish based upon size, no matter how careful one may be (when practicing good C & R, always use single hooks only, no trebles ever!), trout will at times be inadvertently gill caught. More times than not trout are destined to die momentarily once the gill arch shows any signs of bleeding so you might as well keep these too.

Where/How to Keep Trout Fresh –
After deciding that this one is a keeper/dinner – what’s next? At first, after clearing the hook (hemostat to remove), previously you would just run a stringer through the gills/mouth and tie off the stringer to any convenient rock/bush letting the roped fish swim/ remain alive in the water. However, recent evidence shows this method is actually cruel to the fish and the resultant “being caught” trauma sends out caustic internal chemicals inside the fish causing once-firm meat to break down quickly (changing the taste?). This process occurs from the moment a fish is caught until (once initiated) long after the trout expires. Better a sharp wrap on the fish’s head immediately to quickly arrest any unnecessary deterioration of the meat.

Additionally, (even though there is no real evidence backing this up other than observation) stringered, live, swimming trout (Golden trout anyway) may be able to somehow magically communicate their plight to other nearby trout – a warning to others not to bite in the vicinity of the caught area.
(I could be wrong here though.)

Carry a large gallon-sized baggie – expired trout then sealed up, tight/dry and kept cool inside same, either underwater under a rock, somewhere in the shade, or covered/stashed in a nearby snow field until cleaning time and heading back to camp.

How to Clean a Trout –
Some like the idea of filleting trout, some don’t… As trout are not that big and the bones come out clean when cooked correctly, I never do. If you want, you can Google search on various filleting methods, many of which include detailed how-to pictures. If like me and you’re not a fillet-er, there are two main techniques – both similar.

Take a knife (no Bowie needed here – a small, sharp, Swiss Army Knife will suffice) and insert 1/2 inch into the anus cavity (small hole) and cut up through the belly, towards the head. Some cut all the way past the pectorals, past the gill arch, and some stop just short of the pectoral connectors. Personally, I prefer the second way.
Create one small 1/4″ side-to-side slice cutting the little white connective tissue (base of tongue) ventral, between the gills and head, then take your thumb and insert into the gill ring, from the bottom front (not at the mouth), into the cavity under the remaining connected flesh, (the part still joined/under the pectorals).
Tug down and away, pulling out the gills and all internals. As you’re pulling this away, the pectorals should follow and pull away clean too along with the gills/ guts. If the initial cut was made past the pectorals, then these unwanted fins will remain/ stay with the fish. TIP: A good idea at cleaning time is to check the stomach contents to see what the fish was eating as this information may be useful in selecting a pattern to later on catch his/her buddies.

After pulling out all loose objects from the fish body cavity you’ll notice a dark vein that extends along the entire length deep inside of the fish. This vein must be cleaned/ removed. Using top of your thumbnail like the back of a shovel, scrape away this red/dark red vein, starting at the rear and moving forward. When you have all the blood remains loosened up, expose the underlying spine by simply shaking the carcass in the water removing anything that may be left over. A final good rinse, the fish is now clean, ready to cook.

Some anglers opt to leave the head and tail on the fish, some discard them. Keeping or removing these parts is all up to you. The choice usually depends in part on both the individual trout’s length and the pan size carried and available for use at the time.

As to where to throw the guts...Some prefer to chuck them in the bushes, out of sight - the idea is that ants, rodents, etc need to eat too/ will dispose of any nutrients quickly. Some throw guts back into the lake/stream as nutrients but be sure to throw them out far & deep - never visible from shore and certainly not at some place where water is usually gathered. Fast moving streams are also a great disposal technique. Different places have local regulations on this - ask.

As for cooking away from camp and bears - This entire post is only about Black Bears - not Grizzlies. BTW, have caught and cooked 1000's of trout in our regular "kitchen" at the campsite in the Sierra and never have had any bear problems with left-over food odors attracting bears. YMMV.