Fish processing

[JasonGotaProblem]

I've been seeing a lot of posts about getting fish processed and the cost and difficulty thereof. And I've been confused by it all, but hesitant to try to ask why people don't do it themselves for fear of sounding condescending or something. I'm asking from inexperience. Let's be clear.

I guess i kinda figured it was some low per-fish fee, and maybe y'all are rich and just don't mind paying. But then I learned its by the pound and more than I thought.

So what stops you guys from doing your own? I dont imagine rolling seas make it easier than dry land but to me cleaning a fish is the easy part, and bigger fish are easier than small fish. I just bring a cutting board, a knife sharpener, and a gallon of water for rinsing.

Again this is one of those moments where I stop and figure that if smart people with decades of experience aren't doing something that i think sounds easy, its often me who is misunderstanding the situation. on dry land i can still turn a snook, snapper, or redfish into skinned filets in 10 minutes or less per fish and if i do a few back to back the time per fish really drops.

I know why people like my brother who let the second cast it out and hand it to him when it's time to reel it in will pay someone else to clean their fish. But....


What am I missing here?

[Swami805]

It's more about convenience and processing a few hundred pounds of fish can be a daunting task.  Worth the money to many to get a perfect processed product, vacuum packed to take home. Having done it both ways it's nice to not have to deal with it after an extended trip. 

[pjstevko]

It's more about convenience and processing a few hundred pounds of fish can be a daunting task.  Worth the money to many to get a perfect processed product, vacuum packed to take home. Having done it both ways it's nice to not have to deal with it after an extended trip. 

This....

I used to work at a processor in college so it's not for lack of skill that I chose to use a processor after my trips...

It's worth it to me to not have to spend hours cleaning a couple hundred pounds of fish after a 6-7 hour drive home. And then you have to try and figure out what to do with a hundred pounds of heads and guts....

My time is worth more to me than the cost to process!

[Brewcrafter]

Jason - Legitimate questions!  What Swami said, 4X.  On my trips (with reservations) usually after we get off the boat, have breakfast at a small local diner, the fish are processed and ready to go, and easy to keep cold on the 2 hour drive.  There are some cool videos here (the last one that shows the process from boat offload to processing and really kind of shows the scope of the challenge).  And the level of packaging is unquestionably far superior to anything I could do at home and preserves the catch in great condition.
https://www.fishermansprocessing.com/videos.php

[Swami805]

The processing thing is relatively new with the advent of RSW systems on the boats. Used to be they'd drop your fish in the holds and freeze them with spray brine. You get off the boat with a load of popsicles. It would take a few days or more for them to thaw. I'd bring home a truck load and have friends come and help. A total PIA!!

[Keta]

When you have a 800 mile drive home it is nice to have your catch processed professionaly and I have trouble cutting 200-300 pound fish.  I do my own when fishing in Oregon.

[JasonGotaProblem]

I had this enthusiastic doubt that the issue at hand was a lack of skill among AT members.

But I see people talking about not targeting the big fish that are biting because catching a 200# fish will add $400 to your trip cost. And i get it, but that sucks.

Mix and match? Have them process all but the biggest ones? Do those yourself?

There's a part of me thinking I'm in the wrong industry. Seems like there's lots of money to be made processing fish.

[David Hall]

 To me its a cost Vs equation. It is expensive but consider the funds we shell out for gear, trips, boats and everything else that goes with that, paying for processing doesn't seem so bad does it? When I fish or hunt locally I do my own but when I travel Its a great convenience to me to let someone else do it. 

[Midway Tommy]

I guess I'm not as fortunate as some, I don't have the $ for that sort of life style. I've only had a guide once in my life and had fish cleaned by someone else on that one trip, mainly because it was a fly-in to way north Manitoba/Saskatchewan. If I had to pay for guiding and having fish processed I only be able to take one decent sized trip a decade.  Freshwater fishing may be a little different, but I've always, with my wife's help, cleaned and packaged our own fish. BTW, she generally catches her fair share.   

[Cor]

The first thing I did when I bought the place where I now still live 26 years ago, was to build a convenient sink outside with light to clean, and pack fish.

I still today clean and pack my own fish and never would it cross my mind to pay someone to do it for me.   However, as I have often said my situation is very different to yours.

I have stood cleaning fish till past midnight at times, after a long day at sea or on the rocks, that's no fun!!  Fileting two Yellowtail and packing it away is no problem, even if it's late, but 100 LB Tuna is.

I can quite see that after a day on a large comfortable boat, with some mates to socialise, it is a lot more pleasant to have it done and forego the benefit of some cash in the pocket.

[steelfish]

I guess I'm not as fortunate as some, I don't have the $ for that sort of life style...........but I've always, with my wife's help cleaned and packaged our own fish

-- yep, that my current situation as well, but no lakes or freshwater here just a big saltwater lagoon called Sea of Cortez 

I still today clean and pack my own fish and never would it cross my mind to pay someone to do it for me.  However, as I have often said my situation is very different to yours.

I can quite see that after a day on a large comfortable boat, with some mates to socialise, it is a lot more pleasant to have it done and forego the benefit of some cash in the pocket.

I cannot blame the guys that paid to have their fish processed with the best techniques that will keep the fish to taste as fresh as the day it was caught, its all about the wallet and the amount of fish.


I have had good days where I come home with a good share of YT, leopard groupers, spanish macks, corvinas, triggerfish which made me keep filleting till 1am or later after come home happy but tired, main reason is to fillet the fish and cut the fillets to fit on many small freezer bags, that way you just have to take one or two bags for a dinner or to share with relatives & friends.

this Ice chest means hours of filleting and selecting portions on each small freezing bag

[ExcessiveAngler]

Jason for guys like you and me that catch a couple fish a day, this is not a problem at all!
But lately, I've noticed more and more that a lot of people don't even have a place to go clean their fish, especially after jumping off one of these big boats, I constantly see you guys talking about here!
I couldn't even imagine, being on one of these boats and then trying to clean 30 or 40 fish possibly, no freaking way brother! Will
But honestly, I can tell you this!
You can make a small fortune, if you would like to drive around and offer butchering/processing services!
However, this does have its Achilles' heel!
You'll be getting called out the most grueling hours and requires a seriously strong back, leaning over for hours, cleaning fish, out in the weather!
There are plenty of people that still do this, but it's definitely not for the faint of heart!
I have degenerative neck and back disease, have all kinds of neck and back problems!
I'm literally dying after one fish lol!
And although, I love to catch and eat fish!
I truly hate cleaning them, most likely due to all the pain involved!

[Keta]

Every port in Oregon has at least 1 fish cleaning station, some have 2.

[boon]

I've gotten (modestly) pretty good at it through vast amounts of practice. I can break down most "table" fish we catch around here in a couple of minutes tops so even a substantial catch of fish only takes me an hour or so.
It also suits me that I'm regarded as the fish processing guy, so everyone else does the rest of the post-trip chores like washing down the boat and gear.

[Keta]

It also suits me that I'm regarded as the fish processing guy, so everyone else does the rest of the post-trip chores like washing down the boat and gear.

Me too, I cary a toolbox full of knives and sharpening stones.