I catch fish, I cook fish, I eat fish, I sell fish, I sing about fish, I poeticize about fish, I eulogize about fish, I fantasize about fish, and now I write about fish.

As I said, the fish available off the coast of Newport Beach these days include broadbill swordfish, albacore, bonito, redfish, mackerel, lobster, halibut and, on occasion, Chinook salmon.

The first step toward great fish is preservation. After a fish is caught—by hook and line, only--it must be eviscerated (gutted) while it is still throbbing on the deck. Then, it should be kept as cool as possible. If neither ice nor refrigeration is available, a blanket of wet burlap sacks is adequate for several hours.

Caught and handled this way, the fish will please the most discriminating palate. Unbelievable as it may sound, however, the final product can be further enhanced. In fact, fish does not have to be consumed on the day it is caught, or as soon as possible. Aging can improve it.

"Aging" simply involves submerging the fish in crushed ice for three or four days. Provide adequate drainage and add ice daily as needed. The chemical action refines the fish, just as aging meat, cheese and wine enhance those products. The flavor is heightened, the texture becomes more pleasing, cutting and filleting is easier, and cooking is simplified. However, unless properly processed as soon as the fish hits the deck, aging will prove detrimental.