We had our first fishing trip of the season yesterday. The wind had been howling only the day before which is not a good thing, for where we fish it stirs up the mud, discolouring the water, putting the fish off the bite.

Fortunately the water was fairly clean in most places we fished, though we didn't get the early start we hoped for as some fool (me!) left the bait behind. When we finally got our lines wet, things started going off straight away. Gummy sharks, flathead, a ling, one big whiting, a couple of rock cod and then something took off on my rod. After a short struggle up came a 2 kg (5 lb) snapper, Victoria's premier sporting (and eating) fish.

At the end of our trips, we always divide all the fish between us, so that someone who has not been lucky or doesn't fish well, doesn't miss out. But I had a snapper. Everyone wanted it, but there was no way this one fish could be divided up fairly between us. So in the final washup, the boys decided that my fish being worth more than theirs meant I got a lesser share.

I'm okay with that.

When I got home, D's eyes nearly popped out, it's not often I can bring home such a treasure.

"We can put it in the freezer for Christmas Eve."

"No way, I want us to eat it, how often do we get a snapper?"

She fixed me with a steely stare, "You know how important Christmas Eve is."

In some countries Christmas Eve is much more important than Christmas Day and D is from one of those countries. No meat is served for dinner only fish, however I wasn't done with yet.

"What about J, he's a snapper fisherman, he always gets one for Christmas Eve."

D knew I was right.

"If we eat it, you can't tell anyone."

So now we can eat the fish ourselves, but I'm feeling vaguely guilty. What would you do? Eat a wonderful fresh fish or freeze it to share in seven weeks.

I'm in a quandary.