{"id":5368,"date":"2019-03-11T14:56:35","date_gmt":"2019-03-11T13:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/?p=5368"},"modified":"2025-08-25T10:18:59","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T10:18:59","slug":"how-to-prepare-fish-for-your-flight-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/how-to-prepare-fish-for-your-flight-home\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prepare Fish for Your Flight Home"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 7<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

We all know the story. Your fishing trip is, you had an amazing time, caught loads of fish, but now, you don’t know how to bring it home. Is there anything more frustrating than missing out on the fish you fought so hard to catch? Perhaps you didn’t know how to freeze it? Maybe you didn’t package it properly, so a TSA agent had to confiscate it. Well, today, you’re going to learn all you need to know to prepare fish for your flight home.<\/p>

\"A<\/figure>

First thing’s first, you absolutely can<\/strong> package fresh fish for a flight. Just bear in mind that, in order to get your fish on a plane, it will have to be frozen<\/strong>. <\/p>

How do you ship fresh fish?<\/h2>

There are a couple of ways to go about transporting fish home. You can bring it with you on the plane<\/strong>, or you can have it sent by a processing company<\/strong>. Not every location has a company that can do the latter for you, so you should know how to prepare and package fish on your own. We’ll cover both options, so you can choose which one works best for you.<\/p>

Transporting Fish Yourself<\/h3>

For obvious reasons, transporting the fish yourself will require a little more work than giving it to a processing company. But, if done right, you’ll have no trouble enjoying your catch at your very next dinner. Your preparation starts the moment you book the fishing trip. You’ll need to let your charter captain know that you’d like to have your catch filleted and prepared for shipping.<\/p>

An infographic with icons and text outlining the steps needed in packing fish for a flight including \"cleaning and filleting, freezing with dry ice, weighing, and packing\" in white on a blue background<\/figure>

Why is it important to let the captain know about shipping? In some locations, you’ll be required to put numbered tags on each fish you catch. The captain (or deckhand) will be the one assisting you with tagging your catch once the trip is over.<\/p>

Most captains will fillet your catch, but few will package it properly. Also, be aware that some captains charge an additional fee for these services, so you’d best discuss that before you get on the boat. In case the captain doesn’t provide this service, you’ll have to fillet and prepare the fish for your flight.<\/p>

Filleting and Packaging<\/h4>

If you already know how to fillet fish, or you have a guide who will do it for you, scroll down to the “How to Package Fish for Your Flight Home” section.<\/p>

How to Fillet Fish<\/h4>

Before you package your catch, you’ll first need to fillet it. The first step is, of course, to kill the animal. Depending on its size, you can do this by a blow to the head, piercing the brain with a sharp object, or by snapping its spinal cord. There are obviously other ways, but these three are the most humane. <\/p>

As soon as the fish dies, its blood and gut bacteria will start to multiply. Keeping the fish on ice<\/strong> will slow this process down, but you should still remove the intestines as soon as possible to ensure that the meat remains in good condition.<\/p>

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Next, you’ll want to bleed the fish<\/strong>. Bleeding is important, especially if it’s a larger animal, like a Mackerel or Tuna. The best way to do this is by making a small incision below the throat and then pull the guts out with your hand. If you’re squeamish, you could make a larger incision, and spoon out the guts, but this will make bleeding last a little longer. To prevent ammonia from tainting the flesh, remove the head, tail, and major fins. Okay, now you’re ready to fillet.<\/p>

To fillet your fish, place your knife just under the gills, and slowly cut into the fish until you reach its backbone. You can also use the incision you made for gutting to reach the backbone. Once you reach the backbone, flip the fish on its side, and start cutting toward the tail. Keep your knife as close to the bones as possible to avoid meat wasting. Repeat from the other side. Note that you can also cut from the tail upwards. You’ve now filleted your catch, good work! Now it’s onto preparing the fish for the flight. <\/p>

How to Package Fish for Your Flight Home<\/h3>

The first thing you should do after you fillet your fish is freeze it<\/strong>. You won’t be able to do this right away, so keep the fish on ice until you reach land. Once you’re back on land, freeze your fish solid using dry ice<\/strong>. Fish preserved in dry ice won’t thaw, and the packaging won’t leak, either. This is why airlines allow you to bring it in your baggage, sometimes even as a carry-on.<\/p>

\"Two<\/figure>

You’ll want to limit the weight<\/strong> of the fish you’re carrying but, at the same time, leave enough for the TSA officer to recognize the species. This could just be the skin, but sometimes, you’ll need to keep the head, too. Place your dry frozen fish into a well-insulated container<\/strong>. A cooler is also fine, but some airlines might count it as additional luggage and charge a fee. These containers usually go for no more than US$20.<\/p>

Here are a few guidelines to follow when you prepare fish for a flight:<\/p>