Cleaning and Freezing your catch
 

I have a question for you guys. IF you are going to keep it, how soon after you catch a fish to you bleed or gut it. I like to bleed it right away. I cut the throat and make a good slice at the base of the tail. I leave it like that on a bed of ice till I am done for the day/night. I then clean/gut it before i take off. Again laying it on the ice. I do not bury the fish in ice because it seems like it damages the flesh..I like to leave the head on as long as possible, once i get home I filet it up and again leave the skin on. Even if I am going to cook it without the flesh i leave it on till i am ready to cook...The last part of the season I started freezing my filets in water (skin still on), just enough to cover the filet in a freezer bag with as little air in the bag as possible. It seems to keep the freshness better. I just want to know a general idea of what others do, like how soon after do you bleed and clean your catch...

Hey we gotta talk about something fishy:rolleyes:

I bleed and gut as soon as I catch!! Then you need to put in a brine of salt water and ice, that will bleed it out and really cool it down fast!! (salt water and Ice is 10 times colder bthen ice) Then I put in the ice. When I get home I finish the rest, skin on some and off on others.
Then I vacum pack with my machine with no water or anything. I have had fish for over a year that taste better then any fish you can get in the store!!

I agree if you are going to freeze vacum pack is the way to go. Works great for bait too.

Thanks to that machine I'm eating yellow fin that tastes as fresh as the day I caught it in April.

If I am going to keep the fish I bleed and gut it as soon as I unhook it. I will then get it into a cooler with salted ice. I will leave the fish on ice or refrigerated for at least 24 hrs before I fillet it. I then fillet and skin and then put in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up. After the fish is firm I vacuum pack it.
I must say that the vacuum sealers work very well and I have kept fish for 9 months and it was fine.

If I'm gonna keep it , then I bleed it , gut it , ice it asap. I fillet it whole, head and tail on. I gotta get a vacuum packer.

vacuum packer
 

I bleed, gut and put on ice immediately.

I do not keep enough fish to last more than a few months after the catch.

I would like to get a vacuum machine. Some are expensive. Any recommendations for an economical machine.

Thanks,

I have the Food Saver brand. It havs been great for 4 years now!! I think they like $100

I will say this they do a great job!! But the darker fish like Mackrel, Blues ect ect... Still get fishy after 6 months or so. But your Fluke, Cod, Sea Bass, Scup ect ect.. :ast for well over a year.

Should of asked for one for Xmas!! :D

I'll second the Food Saver:D It really sux:cool:
I have about 20# in my freezer.

5/0

Vacuum sealer is the only way to go.They can be had very cheap these days.

I also have the Foodsaver brand, "as seen on TV". Mine has worked fine for the last 5 years. It has definately paid for itself over the years.

I filet it
 

wash it in ocean water throw it in a walmart bag in the freezer you go till ready to eat.