how dark is to dark?

[Lepper]

Just how dark of a fish is too dark? Been catching some little fishies.... (okay some are big) and wandering how dark of a fish do you keep? We kept some jacks to smoke, and the meat was pink/white.. any ideaers?/

[excuse me]

Before bonking a marginally colored fish while trying to decide if its too dark, carefully hold it up high with one hand gently under the forward pec fins and the other hand around the fishes tail wrist. Look right at the area between the lateral line and the belly. If you can see yourself reflected on the side of the fish then keep it. If you hear a bunch of groans from btstanders then release the fish.

If there is ever any doubt then err on the side of protecting the primarily native fall chinook runs on our north coast streams by carefully handling and releasing the fish. It will go make more big native fish to catch in the future and save you from pale tasteless meat and dribbling useless eggs. Thanks.

[Lepper]

the eggs aren't useless...... and i'm fishing south coast....

but thanks for the reply...
dave

[fatfish]

How dark is too dark? Well I remember an article that stated that if you would not submit your picture with the fish to Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine for a cover picture, the fish is too dark. When in doubt, release the fish; you'll feel like you did the right thing in the long run.

[sliverslinger]

there is a way you can tell what kindof meat the fish has without cutting it. behind the teeth in the top jaw there is a triangle of soft flesh. if that spot is bright pink then your meat is red or bright pink colored, if it is white, let the fish go. the bucks will hold their color longer than hens.
this is how i tell.
good luck .
try it once and you will see that it works :cheers:

[Thumper]

Oooh Silverslinger that is so cool!!!! Gonna try it. Never too old to learn a new trick.

[Hummingbird]

SS2001,
Now that's a good tip! Things of this nature really make ifish a nice site to learn.
I have been on this BB for a couple years now and have learned a wealth of knowledge about fishing.
This tip makes it worthwhile.
Maybe Jennie could start a contest for best tip of the week. It sure would cut down on some negative stuff that sometimes gets going around. Tight Lnes and los of Pink Triangle areas to ya! :grin: Tom

[will_e_fish]

That is a good method of telling the color of flesh but, I hate those cuts from the sharp teethwhen checking it out. It took me a while but I have learned not have my fingers in their mouth while bonking them. Usually if it is dark then it is too dark and gets put back.

[wet-net-32]

Pink triangle, Hmmm.... sounds like a good moniker. :hoboy:

[Deepslayer]

Good tip Silver! I definitely agree with you on the bucks. I have seen some pretty dark bucks that have had excellent meat. And I have seen some slightly dark hens that weren't fit for catfood!

[sliverslinger]

graemlins/1zhelp.gif what is a moniker? graemlins/stupid.gif

[MasterCaster]

sliverslinger2001 is your monkier :grin:

MasterCaster is my monkier :tongue:

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

[Steelheader69]

I actually have two ways to tell. First off, I check the belly. If belly is white, that's one good indication. If it's black, or turning black, usually means fish is going bad. But one of my primary ways to tell is the feel of fish in my hands. That has yet to be wrong. On bucks they should be very firm throughout. Hens should be firm through tail, and marginally soft in belly. If they are mushy at all, fish goes back in. I've caught chromers that were soft that I kept and meat was bad. Have caught well marked river fish in spawning colors that were firm and nice and bright inside colorwise. But I've held enough to figure out. I'll have to try the color scheme mentioned above to boot. Sounds good as well. But mine has yet to do me wrong.

[crabbait]

SS2001 - You beat me to it. I have used the roof od the mouth test for awhile now and so far have had excelent results.

Anybody ever hear of a Dexter chromer? That's what Kampy called one we saw last weekend and I swear it said "Goodyear" on it. graemlins/berry.gif :hoboy:

[ 10-21-2002, 06:01 PM: Message edited by: crabbait ]

[graybeard]

Aw heck! Cut the sores off them and throw em in the smoker. :grin: graemlins/stupid.gif