Cooking Fish While Camping

This month’s FishVault fishing subscription box contained a JetBoil cooker that is a game changer for any serious angler or outdoor adventurer. The idea of catching and cooking a fish while you are camping, or adventuring, is truly one of the most primal and rewarding experiences. How those fish are cooked depends on your camping load. Here are three categories of camping and cooking fish.
 

Light Load

If you are a minimalist, traveling with just the essentials, then how to cook fish while camping can be as simple as starting a fire and putting the cleaned fish on a stick or perhaps a flat rock. Perspective influences taste. If you are hungry enough, this can be the best way to cook fish while camping. Cook until the fish is flakey and tender and savor every last morsel.

Medium Load

But most campers carry at least some “stuff.” Another classic method of cooking fish works if you are traveling with a few more items such as a small propane camping stove, aluminum foil, butter, and a lemon. Simplicity is often key to camping and wrapping a cleaned, headless fish in foil, along with the other ingredients is an uncomplicated way to prepare a meal that is a step closer to “home cooked.” The JetBoil system we mentioned earlier is small enough to fit into this category and keep your pack light while giving you some great cooking options.

Heavy Load

Here, the options for camping and cooking are staggering. Perhaps you are indeed, “glamping” and you have a cabin with a fully functioning kitchen. Or maybe you do the RV thing and drive your camp with you. On the opposite end of the traveling light spectrum, the best way to cook fish while camping can vary greatly and depends on personal taste. Taste also is a factor while keeping fish fresh while camping. One way to keep fish fresh while camping is find fish that are always biting or adapt to a flexible mealtime. Caught a keeper? Hungry? Let’s eat delicious grilled, baked, or fried fish. It can’t get any fresher.

Of course, fishing while camping doesn’t have to involve cooking fish. The practice of catch and release helps maintain any fishery. However heavy your camping load, follow standard camping rules regarding disposal of fish remains, extinguishing of fires, etc. And always follow the wise old guidelines, “take nothing but pictures; leave nothing but footprints.”

Always remember, from fishing to cooking fish at camp, each FishVault box is tailored to provide you the best gear and tackle to make your outdoor adventure more enjoyable and successful.