For trout, I clean the fish (leaving the head on) and season the interior with various spices (lemon pepper, chili powder, garlic powder and oregano are a few I've used). If I'm packing margarine or clarified butter I'll put a dab of that on the inside too. Then wrap in foil and cook right in the coals or, if no fires are allowed, in my pot over the stove. When you unwrap the fish the skin peels off with the foil. We eat it on Trisquit crackers with a dab of Rooster Sauce. Yum.

Bass I usually fillet and cook in Crisco shortening, with some sort of coating (usually a mixture of bread crumbs and flour with lots of spices in it). For my Henry Coe Park trip earlier this year I packed in corn tortillas, fresh cabbage and dried salsa. Fish tacos in the outback!

I agree that fresh-caught fish always taste better than store-bought or, God forbid, frozen. There is tremendous satisfaction in feeding oneself using his or her skills and guile in a backcountry setting. I tend to release most of the fish I catch, but I see nothing wrong with saving a fish or two for the skillet.