Could I Eat These Fish In SHTF
 

Ok, I need to explain this very carefully. My parents live out in the sticks on a large farm. For about 50 miles in every direction are other large old style farms. A lot of these have been around since the late 1800's. Starting in the first Great Depression drainage ditches were dug and networked throughout the country side. I remember as little kids we would walk along these great big drainage ditches and throw stuff in the water.

I was about 8 or 9 when I was down there playing and saw a giant Northern Pike swim through. It took my breath away it was so big. I was so confused. I didn't know there was fish in the thing. Years later I remember seeing some of these high school kids out on top of the culvert with .22 rifles plinking away at the fish that would swim by. They told me that the fish swam up the ditches to spawn from the rivers.

My dad has explained to me many times that these old farm houses had straight pipes that went from their toilets directly to the drainage ditches. In recent years the EPA has been cracking down. Not to mention that this is a DRAINAGE DITCH and everything from the fields gets washed into it.

Simple Question: Would you eat these fish in a SHTF scenario if survival depends upon it? How long into the future would it take for these to be edible if this is TEOTWAWKI and farmers stop spraying the crap into these fields.

Re: Could I Eat These Fish In SHTF
 

I would eat them if I had to. There's more concern from mercury than anything.

General rules are:

Eat younger fish. You'll want the big old breeders to replenish the stock and younger fish have less chemical build up.

Don't eat the belly flap. When I filet a fish I usually discard the bottom 25% of the filet. The part that covers the entrails gets tossed. This is where the mercury builds up in fish.

.....and yes, those pike are spawning in the shallows. Happens in early May here, water temps in the low to mid 50's.

Re: Could I Eat These Fish In SHTF
 

No kidding? Now that is something I'm happy I learned today.
Thanks for that.

BTW - I can't wait to do some bass fishing myself!
Very excited about this season coming up!

Re: Could I Eat These Fish In SHTF
 

An old saying among liveaboard boaters "If it isn't ugly and looks like a fish, you can eat it." Another way; feed some to your cat, if the cat dies, don't eat the fish.

Re: Could I Eat These Fish In SHTF
 

Be cautious if you live in the North East.
Hundreds Tons of PCBs and other nasty stuff dumped into the rivers.
Thanks GE - bringing good things to life. :sarc:

CT,NY,MA specifically.

ST

Re: Could I Eat These Fish In SHTF
 

Agreed...... eat no bottom feeders. Bass, Smaller Perch, Walleye, Crappie, Trout etc....all okay in moderation.

Beware of all catfish, and perch over 14 inches or so.

Re: Could I Eat These Fish In SHTF
 

If it's heavily polluted with sewage, wear gloves when skinning and cleaning the fish and cook welldone.

If the pike just swim to spawn they've probably eaten good food all their lives.

My grandfather told me that eating a carp from the Mississippi river was like eating a turd. He said that in the old days you'd see turds floating from sewage pipes going straight into the river. Giant carp would swim in and eat them. Meanwhile poor people would be casting fishing lines in the middle of the fish and turds. A lot of toxins may kill you over a period of decades. Starvation will kill in weeks.

Make sure your preps are in line...