The Washington times., 1906-12-23
HOW TO KEEP TROUT
WHEN THERE'S NOICE
Fisherman Says Wet Cloth
and Dry Paper Are
Much Better.
NEVER OPEN FOR SHIPMENT
Not According to Nature to Have Air
Hit Inside-SuggestiO for
Anglers.

Il remember reading years ago some
traditions possibly open 20 criticism az
coming down from time immemOTiaI and
commonly believed. that trout should be
eaten on the day on which they are
caught and when / say that trout De
kept over night and cooked next day TO
be at their best l am aware that almost
every angler will say that this claim
is absurd, unless they speak from their
own experience" says ". W Blair. III
the New York Press.
when trout are first brought in they
are usually soft and pressed out Of
shape. and Il they are immediately
cleaned and put In the frying pan or
spider the tail ends will invariably curl
up and often be underdone. But II they
are cleaned and wiped dry. and lhe
dish in which they are placed set on "a
cold cellar floor. the fish on the next
day viii have resumed their natura
shape. The flesh will be hard and solid
and they VIII lie in the spider as straight
as shingles, and a trout 10 be at its
best must be evenly cooked
Ice Destroys Flavor.
81 also believed and followed for years
that ice should be used for the purpose
OF transporting trout. but that is also
unnecessary; IN fact. the presence Of
Ice destroys 10 a large extent the DELI
cate flavor OF the FISH.
In many places. particularly in Mex
leo, il IS customary 10 wrap wet fan
mel cloth around a pitcher or jar nf wa
ter with the result that by reason OF
the gradual evaporation from the Vct
cloth the water IN the jar would be
kept cool and even reduced in temnera-
ture, and as an experiment we applied
the same principle in the keeping OF
trout, with the result We have never
had a FISH spoil or become tainted al
though kept for several days. can
therefore recommend the following
plan.
Never Clean Hold Overs.
Never open or clean a trout for
shipment. Al is not according 10 nature
that the air should be allowed 10 touch
the inside Of the fish and the little sac
OF blood at the head of the stomach
VIII very frequently cause the fish to
spoil or become tainted, even after il
! is placed On the spider
The angler usually desires 10 take
home his catch Of the last two DAYS.
and possibly the third. which can
readily be done II the weather has been
cool, ano he can do so by adopting the
following method;
Select the FISH which il is desired TO
take home wipe them dry with a soft
cloth and place them unopened IN a dish
/ upon a cool cellar noOr. II the cellar
is not sufficiently cool a cake Of ice 10
cool the air may be placed within one or
/ two feet bat must never be allowed to
touch the fish. When IL Is desired IN
pack the FISH Tor transportation again
wipe them dry and then pack them in
the following manner.
Packing for Shipping.
Take four OF five thicknesses Of or
dinary wrapping paper. or If that can
not be obtained take newspapers. in
close the trout in the paper and tie
up the package Then take vyoolen
cloth or flannel, for which an ordinary
blue flannel fishing shirt will answer
every purpose, soak it thoroughly in
cold spring water, then wiring the water
out. as far as possible. and wrap this
cloth or flannel threee or four times
around the package Of trout, and then,
~ St8tf 20 prevent TOO rapid eYapOra-
tion. wrap three or four thicknesses of
paper again around the bundle. and the
package is complete and need not be
examined until home is reached II a
cloth cannot be obtained, the mess
which grows in the beds Of streams.
known as sphagnum moss. viii answer
the purpose almost quite as well, only
the water, as far as possible, must be
pressed out of it. and there is also
another way Of keeping trout upon the
same principle. Soak the fish basket
in cold spring water, using It as an
evapOratOr, then put three or four thick
nesses Of paper inside and MI il with
trout, then wrap five or six thick
nesses Of paper around the basket
Il am not prepared 10 say that the
plans which I have suggested would be
adopted with equal success with regard
10 other fish, for l am aware that some
fish-nOtably the black bass-caunot be
preserved for any length of time with
out the use of ice"
4aTHE