Harvesting, processing and the yearly plan

In short

• The main harvest is in October and November, when the water is 8–14 °C (46–57 °F): the fish are calm and the meat chills easily.
• The pond is let down slowly, 10–20 cm a day, through a grille; the fish gather in the catch pit.
• 3–7 days in clean running water, without food, purge the muddy taste.
• Fish are stunned with a blow to the head and bled at once. They are never left to suffocate in air or on ice.
• Cleaned fish at 0–2 °C and into the pot within 1–2 days, or into the freezer at −18 °C (0 °F).
• Fish eaten raw, marinated or cold-smoked is frozen first (H53-05 Salt fish).

What's inside

Chapters

1. When and how much to harvest
2. Preparing for the harvest
3. Harvesting step by step
4. Keeping fish alive and the muddy taste
5. Stunning and killing
6. Cleaning and processing
7. Chilling and storing
8. Overwintering and preparing for next year
9. The year's plan and balance
10. Common mistakes
11. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Yield calculator
• Date calculator
• Harvest log
• Yearly pond balance
• The pond's year calendar
• Freezer labels