Had a couple decent sized eels die in my jug yesterday, Wanted to freeze them so I can make them into riggies in a couple weeks. What's the best way to freeze them? Could I just throw them in a tupperware container filled with water and chuck them in the freezer? Sorry if this has been covered before, did a search and came up with nothing.

I have froze them without without water and it worked ok. I bet freezing them in water would be better. When i rig them i try to do it before freezing them because it is easier for me. And after they are rigged i freeze them, they still looked pretty good the other day when i gave a couple of last years riggies to my neighbor.

My old surf partner RI Rockhound, freezes his eels all season and rigs as he needs them. They work either way.

Thanks fellas, guess I'll throw them in water and freeze them

I've always heard that you should also cover them with water, table or Kosher salt, the later being better. I guess it creates a brine that helps to preserve and also keep them from getting freezer burn. I was also reading that you can store at room temp in the same brine.

I have froze them without without water and it worked ok. I bet freezing them in water would be better. .

That is what I do. I do freeze the riggies in water and take a couple out that I'm going to use. Those I just throw into a plastic bag.

I usually rig dead eels, but I also use them the same exact way I use live eels... single hook in the head, no rigging...

Freezing fish in water "generally" preserves them better than air freezing. I've also wiped the slime off them, wrapped them in saran wrap, then put the individual eels in a ziplock bag.

Honestly, I don't think it matters much to the bass, but at the same time I think fresher is better.

Ryan try makin a brine an just soakin them in it but be carefull as to freezin an wrap them tight to prevent freezer burn. Plus freezin in a brine doesn't work as they rot in it in the freezer. Ron

I fish dead eels all the time... Toss them in the freezer... If your going to use them in a day or two then just ziplock them and toss in fridge.... No salt or brine.... The stinkier the better...
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i brine everything, skins, dead eels etc. with the exception of riggies which i just freeze in a ziplock bag dont want the brine "eating" my hooks

My old surf partner RI Rockhound, freezes his eels all season and rigs as he needs them. They work either way.

Ziplocs for short term...
Folgers plastic coffee fan for longer storage.... coil them up. fill with water and freeze the whole thing....

don't let the wife catch you, but the cryovac food save worked pissa. No freezer burn. :kewl:

You can just freeze them in a ziplock , thaw in cold water to rig them , refreeze them , fish them , refreeze them. They are tough as hell.

One year I froze eels ever the winter , thawed and rigged them in the spring. Fished them all season long (you just tie on a frozen riggie and toss it in the ocean , it will thaw quickly). In November that year I fished one on one of my last days out and caught fish on it. I then took it , put it in a ziplock abd refroze it over the winter again! The following spring I caught a bass near Quonny on Memorial Day with it!

zip lock works for me. two of my biggest bass on riggies (38.5 and 41 lbs) came on the same riggie almost a year apart. it sat in the freezer in a zip lock in between. second fish was hooked on the rear hook and did a number on it, otherwise it would have gone back in the freezer.

Don't put em in a brine if you plan on making riggies with them, makes em to stif and rigid and they lose their action. Even if you crack the vertebra they still don't swim as nice.

I cover my riggies with water and freeze em.

Unrigged eels I freeze in two or 3 packs just remove the air.
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