Can you freeze fresh whole fish to filet later?
Feb 2, 2021 10:12:43 #
Feb 2, 2021 11:33:16 #
FS Digest wrote:
This good sized shellcracker got gut hooked and died.
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by dyson2490
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by dyson2490
I'm sure you can, but I wouldn't do it.
Feb 3, 2021 14:18:53 #
Kelley King
Loc: NC
I think you should gut it first. I see what appears to be whole fish in the market that I know have been frozen but they are gutted. When I have sold fish I caught they required I gutted first.
Feb 3, 2021 14:19:48 #
agatemaggot
Loc: iowa
Ice fishing here in Iowa your fish are gonna freeze before you head home. many times I got home in the mmiddle of the night and left the fish in then trunk until the next afternoon with no problem.
Feb 3, 2021 14:25:04 #
captjim
Loc: Antioch Ca
I am sure you could freeze and filet later. I would gut them first. I also think that the specie might make a difference. Some fish when frozen will be very soft when thawed. Might make it harder to get a nice filet.
Feb 3, 2021 14:26:12 #
fchanadeljr
Loc: n.e. Pa. wyoming county
I recall a few years back catching a 24" chain pickerel, I put it on the ice and hours later when stiff as a board put it in some over flow water, within minutes it was swimming.?????? so who knows.
Feb 3, 2021 14:31:53 #
fchanadeljr wrote:
I recall a few years back catching a 24" chain pickerel, I put it on the ice and hours later when stiff as a board put it in some over flow water, within minutes it was swimming.?????? so who knows.
I did the same thing with a few carp that hit a jig while saugeye fishing
They were froze stiff and had traces of blood seeping they their scales.
Kicked em back in the water and several minutes later they swam off.
Feb 3, 2021 15:26:17 #
I would gut them first. It also helps to cut their gills and put them head down in a bucket to bleed them, you should do that as soon as you decide your going to keep them regardless of whether or not you are going to freeze them.You can gut them before you freeze them .
Feb 3, 2021 15:34:23 #
Ben Bragg wrote:
I did the same thing with a few carp that hit a jig while saugeye fishing
They were froze stiff and had traces of blood seeping they their scales.
Kicked em back in the water and several minutes later they swam off.
They were froze stiff and had traces of blood seeping they their scales.
Kicked em back in the water and several minutes later they swam off.
I did the same thing with a burlap sack with catfish in it. Put the sack in an old refrigerator on the porch that I was using as a freezer. The next morning I put the solid frozen catfish in a big tub of water to thaw them. When I came back later to clean them, they were swimming around. Mule.
Feb 3, 2021 15:43:32 #
Gary Northrop
Loc: Richland WA
I've frozen many ungutted fish and cleaned them later with no problems,
including walleye, bass, steelhead and salmon. Just don't let them lie
around at room temp before you process them, obviously.
including walleye, bass, steelhead and salmon. Just don't let them lie
around at room temp before you process them, obviously.
Feb 3, 2021 20:12:19 #
FS Digest wrote:
This good sized shellcracker got gut hooked and died.
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by dyson2490
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by dyson2490
I've done it lots of times but the fish were alive when I put them in the freezer. Don't think I'd do it with a fish that had been dead for a while. Fish deteriorates so quickly.
Feb 3, 2021 22:09:37 #
I use to freeze fish in water,but better way is use food saver sealers,or similar type sealer sealing in bags.fish stay fresh tasting for a LONG time.always ,always ,gut fish and make them clean as possible before freezing. Worth the investment in sealing machine and time cleaning your catch, catching fish is first enjoyment,eating them is another!
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