Spring is here, meaning hunting season has turned into fishing season. Rods are ready, hooks are sharpened and the grill is prepped. I need some fresh fish to have a perfect meal near the fire pit. Although many anglers plan the same fresh fish dinner, many will never experience it.

Most will fill their creel, not because they do not catch fish, but because their catch never survives the trip home.

Catching your limit is just the start of having the perfect fish dinner. Before preparing your catch for family and friends, you must survive your day on the water and the trip home. Far too many days’ catches are lost to the trash can or composite pile due to poor handling after being successfully landed.

Most fish have delicate flesh, which is why they are so tasty. However, this delicate flesh is prone to quick deterioration, which can happen in a few hours or less if not taken care of immediately. Proper care starts when you unhook the fish and decide to harvest instead of releasing it.

The best way to keep your fish fresh is to keep it alive. Placing your fish in a live well will prevent deterioration as the fish is still alive and swimming. This is easier if you are fishing from a boat with a built-in live well. However, a fish basket or makeshift live well made from a cooler and bait pump can work as well. The key to using your live well is making sure there is enough room and oxygen for the fish, as this will keep them from dying prematurely.

If you are wading or on the move, a live well is probably not an option, but you still need to keep your catch fresh. Most anglers will turn to a stringer. Whether a traditional chain style or a simple string looped through the gills, a stringer is one of the most common means of toting your fish while moving. Unfortunately, a stringer is not the best means of keeping your fish fresh. Even if kept submerged, fish will usually pass while on the stringer. The fish will be banged up and dirty if you move and drag your stringer.

Neither of which improves the future quality.

Instead of a stringer, consider using a creel basket or pouch. The goal is no longer to maintain the fish’s life but to provide the best streamside care possible, thus ensuring better results at the table. When using a creel, consider the following tips for the best results.

Dispatch the fish as soon as possible. A live but dying fish experiences unnecessary stress, which can impact its flesh composition and taste. By dispatching your fish early, you reduce the chances of stress and adrenaline-induced damage.

If possible, clean your fish by removing the guts and gills, as this helps reduce the early growth of bacteria. Keep in mind that in many places, including Pennsylvania, it is illegal to fully process fish or dispose of entrails while streamside.

Place the fish in your creel on top of a damp grass or paper bed.

Once your day of fishing is over, it is time to transport your catch home. If you are close, keeping it in the creel may be all that is needed. If you travel further than a few minutes, you will need a cooler, some ice and a little more attention.

Placing your fish on a bed of ice will keep the temperature low, reducing the chances of bacteria taking hold. It is important to keep the fish from laying in the water, so either make sure you have a high-quality cooler that will prevent the ice from melting, place the fish in plastic bags before icing or open the drain on your cooler to remove water as it forms.

Following these simple but important steps will help ensure that your next catch of the day also becomes a special meal that evening, which everyone can enjoy as much as you enjoyed catching.