Freezing Fish

[yamaharider]

Now that I live alone, I must freeze some of my days catch. I am curious about how you guys go about freezing your fish. Some people tell me to freeze it in water not cleaned, as other say to wrap it in foil. Curious to read your views and opinions about this matter.

[AaronM]

Not sure what you mean by saying freeze in water not cleaned, but I always clean my fish then fill ziplock with water and freeze fillets in that, never had a problem. Just make sure you completely fill bag with water and and encase the fillets completely.

[deadeye]

I like to use a vaccum bag if possible. Otherwise I will get a good freezer bag and put the fillets in with some water tso they dont get burned. I dont like freezing whole fish because that means i got to thaw them out and clean them before they are cooked. It just easier to pull them out, thaw them and be ready to go.

[LakeDocktor]

I usually filet them out, put them in a covered bowl of water with a little bit of salt. I put them in the fridge overnight, then take them out and rinse them off really well, put them in a ziplock bag with cold water, squeeze all of the air out of the bag and they go into the freezer. I rarely keep more than I plan on eating within the next day or two just because I would rather have fresh fish versus frozen fish anyday.

[leech~~]

I do exactly as fishingfrenzy does. Clean, fillet, put in qrt ziplocks with water to the top, squeeze out any air,and freeze. Air is the killer, and we are still eating eye's from last spring!

[Jesse Drummer]

someone should call tip on leech!

i eat all my fish fresh! if i do have to freeze them i make shure they are in water completely! make all air go out and walla. i can have fresh fish in the fridge for up to 7 or 8 days. thats alot of water changes and bottled or filtered water.

[harvey lee]

I do exactly as fishingfrenzy does. Clean, fillet, put in qrt ziplocks with water to the top, squeeze out any air,and freeze. Air is the killer, and we are still eating eye's from last spring!

I almost always eat fresh fish but, If I do freeze some, ditto.

[leech~~]

jesse, shhh! I only got a few eye's this spring and really didn't get to eat them yet! Oop's got to go start the stove quick!

[snoozebutton]

We have a vacuum sealer we use. Keeps them fresh for as long as we've needed which usually isn't too long..

[Drewski]

I use a portable vaccum sealer. It works like a charm!

[Fishing_Ace]

fillet them, submerge 'em im water then stick them in the freezer, just make sure you dont break the bag before eating them, then they could get freezer burnt

[Sonicrunch]

Do you guys let them freeze on the lake, and then keep them frozen for a few days before thawing them and cleaning them.

[goose89]

Do you guys let them freeze on the lake, and then keep them frozen for a few days before thawing them and cleaning them.

I usually had a spare 5 gallon pale that I put some snow / slush from augering holes and put fish in there, prefferably in the house. I've also "dispatched" of them w/ a good blow on the noggin and laid on bottom of portable. Best not to let them freeze solid. Makes for slimy, 1/2 frozen, very difficult to clean fish the next day. Good luck.

[Sandmannd]

Food saver for me. I don't let them freeze on the lake. Usually use my ice well to keep them swimming till I leave.

[Christopher Quast]

Fresh or I give them away unless I am planning on a fish fry in the near future.

[Jesse Drummer]

i never let them freeze on the lake! not easy to clean and they just do not taste that great.

[jigging-matt]

I don't let them freeze. I used to fill the bag with water and freeze it, but started using one fo the portable vacuum sealers. they work great, haven't noticed any difference in fish after thawing. You can get a real reasonable one at the grocery store in the aisle with the baggies. It is a little hand held one that is only $3.98, and it comes with a few bags. Tried it this year and it works great.

[dan z]

put them in a pan with a dash or so of after cleaning let set in the fridge for a couple days with water eat some, if thier are ne left they get vaccum sealed if were outta bags they get froze in water and ziplock bags

[TruthWalleyes]

put them in a ziplock bag with cold water, squeeze all of the air out of the bag and they go into the freezer.

exactly what i do, never have fish go bad!

[TruthWalleyes]

i never let them freeze on the lake! not easy to clean and they just do not taste that great.

I will never let a fish freeze again after my experience earlier this year! Keep em Alive and fresh i say!

[Deitz Dittrich]

I keep what I know I will consume in the next few days. Very seldom will ever freeze fish.. but if I do, they go in a vacuum bag.

[paceman]

I also just fileet them through them in a ziplock, fill it with water and freeze them. I also don't let them freeze on the lake if I can help it. I hate cleaning frozen fish.....

[B@ssmaster]

I never let them freeze on the lake, they are always in a pail with a little lake water. They stay alive and chilled until I clean them. As many have said, that is way easier. Nothing worse than trying to fillet a slimy, thawing fish. The fillets that won't be eaten right away get frozen in a vacuum sealed bag. Never had any fish get freezer burn that way! Rinse them will, dab the fillets dry (to prevent the juice from getting sucked into the vacuum sealer) and seal them up. Sometimes I put the fillets in the bag, but don't do the final seal right away. I put the open bag in the freezer for an hour or so to start the freezing process, then finish the sealing. This prevents the juices from getting sucked into the sealer. Or letting them sit outside when it is -25 for a little while does the same thing.

[The Donk]

Get a burlap sack and set them in your fishhouse on the floor, then they wont freeze and you get the slime contained to the bag. An old timers trick, but it works dang good. Fillet and water freeze for me, too.

[rodmaker]

Purchase a food saver. They are awesome for fish. They keep very fresh for at least a year.