Questions about transporting fish home after fishing trips?

[Kinetic]

So I'm heading away next week for my 1st ever 'destination fishing trip' to Port Hardy for 4 days.
I gather you're only allowed to travel with 2 days catch do I'm wondering what is the best way to process fish over those 4 days and travel home with it.
We're taking 2 big igloo coolers that we're going to fill with sea ice and our accomodations has a fridge/freezer.
I guess with large Chinook it's best to fillet and leave tail on then store each in a bag.
How are you guys storing Hali and Ling?
I guess if it's big enough same deal, fillet and leave tail on?
Any tips or tricks would be appreciated.
Cheers

 

[fishin solo]

Imo look for a place to seal and flash freeze them if you can and just pickup on way out of town throw in cooler with ice. That's my plan for my bamfield trip this year. Way easier and no messing around dealing with fish when home just straight to the freezer and done

 

[Trophy21]

Fishin solo has it dialed! If you can't do that, Ice all fish well in cooler belly ice and keep white meat in bags with ice all around. When home either have it processed or portion and vac pack into meal portions yourself and freeze. Done coerectly it will last!

 

[ExFlyGuy]

So I'm heading away next week for my 1st ever 'destination fishing trip' to Port Hardy for 4 days.
I gather you're only allowed to travel with 2 days catch do I'm wondering what is the best way to process fish over those 4 days and travel home with it.
We're taking 2 big igloo coolers that we're going to fill with sea ice and our accomodations has a fridge/freezer.
I guess with large Chinook it's best to fillet and leave tail on then store each in a bag.
How are you guys storing Hali and Ling?
I guess if it's big enough same deal, fillet and leave tail on?
Any tips or tricks would be appreciated.
Cheers

We've used Hardy boys in the past to have ours vacuum packed and flash frozen. It's relatively cheap and they are fast and accommodating.

 

[ericl]

The onsite processors are flash freezing the fish. It produces an extremely high quality product. You will never be able to duplicate the quality of flash freezing the day it was caught. I have found all that processing at home after the trip to be unpleasant.

Otherwise gut & gill, place a layer of salt ice, the lay the fish back down. Pack the body cavity fish salt ice, repeat layers as needed. It will keep a week easily.
Don't skimp on ice. Make sure the is is "fluffed-up" like snow otherwise it will bruise the fish.
bottom fish can be filleted/bagged as mentioned if kept submerged in ice. Let melted ice drain.

 

[N2013]

I had a spring done last year on a trip to Kyuquot, never again. $2.50/lb and a couple of the bags weren't sealed well. Nice presentation, easy to identify, but I wasn't happy with it. I'll happily process my fish when I get home and save the money. I can see why others may choose to have it processed for their travel options or work commitments, but the day after I return home, is also fish processing day. Bring on the flies and cats!

 

[Sentinel]

Correct me if I am wrong but technically speaking, portioning, vac packing and freezing is against the rules until you reach your normal residence unless it is done in such a way species, number of fish and length can be easily determined.

 

[scott craven]

Correct me if I am wrong but technically speaking, portioning, vac packing and freezing is against the rules until you reach your normal residence unless it is done in such a way species, number of fish and length can be easily determined.

I believe you are correct

 

[fishin solo]

Unless they have a processing license. Which I believe most do these days

 

[tincan]

Not sure about that. I believe that if you take your fish to a certified processor they can process your fish any way you like (ie. small 1/2lb chunks if you want) and you can then transport that fish back home without breaking any rules. If someone knows otherwise please advise. I have had this done on many trips to Renfrew, Tofino, etc. where they have processing operations right in town exactly for that purpose. I would like these companies are operating within the rules and are informing their customers of any regulations with travelling with their catch.

As for the best way to transport fish from a quality perspective I'd say:
1) bleed and ice slurry every fish you catch immediately
2) vac pack and flash freeze your catch at the end of each day
3) on travel day home put all of your frozen, vac packed fish into your cooler and close it up and don't open it until you're home. I don't put ice in my cooler either as IF it starts melting on a long trip it will actually thaw the fish out more quickly than if there was no ice whatsoever.

Correct me if I am wrong but technically speaking, portioning, vac packing and freezing is against the rules until you reach your normal residence unless it is done in such a way species, number of fish and length can be easily determined.

 

[Fish Camp]

Size slot restictions may not allow transport of cut up fish.

 

[scott craven]

From Fisheries website

Before packaging your fish, always ensure the species, number, size, and weight of the fish can be readily determined.
When packaging your salmon catch, if a maximum size limit applies, the head and tail must remain attached until you prepare and consume your catch, arrive at your ordinary residence, or deliver your catch to a registered processing facility.

The head of your salmon can be removed only if the length with the head off is equal to or greater than the minimum legal size of that species for the waters in which it was caught. Leave the tail attached so species can be determined. For example, if a Chinook salmon is caught where the minimum size limit is 62 cm and it is filleted and packaged for transport, one of the fillets must have the tail attached and be at least 62 cm long. If necessary the fillet can be cut into two pieces; the tail must remain attached to one of the pieces. The fillets should be placed side by side in one bag making it obvious that they represent one fish, and the bag must be clearly labelled with:

1. the number and species of salmon - e.g., "one Chinook"
2. the number of fillets - "two fillets"
3. the number of pieces - "four pieces"and
4. the angler's name and fishing licence number

 

[Gong Show]

I read that as if a fisherman is packaging their own fish.

It does state: or deliver your fish to a registered processing facility.

 

[BigBoat]

Not sure about that. I believe that if you take your fish to a certified processor they can process your fish any way you like (ie. small 1/2lb chunks if you want) and you can then transport that fish back home without breaking any rules. If someone knows otherwise please advise. I have had this done on many trips to Renfrew, Tofino, etc. where they have processing operations right in town exactly for that purpose. I would like these companies are operating within the rules and are informing their customers of any regulations with travelling with their catch.

As for the best way to transport fish from a quality perspective I'd say:
1) bleed and ice slurry every fish you catch immediately
2) vac pack and flash freeze your catch at the end of each day
3) on travel day home put all of your frozen, vac packed fish into your cooler and close it up and don't open it until you're home. I don't put ice in my cooler either as IF it starts melting on a long trip it will actually thaw the fish out more quickly than if there was no ice whatsoever.

My experience is the same as tincan's. Certified processors are "trusted" by the authorities to process the fish for transport. They will provide paperwork with license numbers and fish count and species. Technically, I suppose they should label each package to match the fisherman's catch card to the package, but I am not sure they go that far.

One tip I learned recently is the availability of ice packs that are meant to act as dry ice substitutes. They apparently maintain a sub freezing temp to keep items frozen. We tested these with visitors two weeks ago and they worked as advertised. The web site is www.arctic-ice.com. Look for the Tundra series product. I personally don't believe they are as effective or long lasting as dry ice, but for transport from point A to B they seemed to do the trick.

 

[Sentinel]

I wish there was a way to legally process yourself as I like cutting my own and have a nice vac pack machine also. $2.50 a # for the service is too high for this cowboy. It is very nice just to put it in the freezer when you get home and be done with it though. Oh well, on ice it shall be.

 

[bones]

In a cooler head off, bellies full of ice the drain plug out.
If longer than 3 days. Head off fillet it to the tail but stop...... Flip it over.d fillet it to the tail but stop. If done right so far should have 3 pieces. Break the spine off at the tail. Lay 2 sheet wax paper between and freeze. When home break apart and vacuum pack them frozen, if you want to half the fillets... Sawzall em in half so you get quarters