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Hi all,
Just curious how most of you handle your catch to keep it fresh and tasting good from the lake to the frying pan...Do you just put them on a stringer and bring home, do you fillet them at the lake/pond, do you bleed them and put them on ice, just put them on ice, or just put them in a bag or bucket of water?...etc... I am new to Crappie fishing and am looking for the best method of getting my Crappie from the water to my kitchen... Thanks
I last fished in LA and Mississippi. I had great live wells in my boat but I always carried a cooler full of ice. When I caught a fish it went in the cooler and not the live well. When your done just put the cooler in the vehicle and head home. They are good for at least a day. Take it from someone who has to fish but can't stand the heat down there, it's the only way to do it.
Thats what I'll probably do, put them in a cooler/on ice. Thanks for reply.
I keep them in the livewell until I take the boat out. Then I take my drinks out of the cooler and throw the fish on the ice for the ride home. It is only a 30 minute drive but I don't like to feel like the first thing I need to do when I get home is to fillet a bunch of fish. The ice buys you a few hours and can tell no difference in meat texture/taste over fresh.
I hear ya, Ice it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dutch552
Definately ice. I have no live well on my boat but if I did I would not use it for storing fish. They would still get flipped into the cooler. I just buy a bag of ice and lay it in the bottom of the cooler.
My buddy has one and when you get several in there they die anyway. They sit in 80 degree lake water for several hours dead. I would have a hard time eating them after that.
Darin
Put them on ice like everyone has already mentioned. That is the only way to keep them fresh.
Depends on temps. In early season livewells do fine, but as temps soar an ice chest full off ice is better. Just don't let them set in water under ice long. Keep water off your catch when on ice. When we reach shore they are filleted , rinsed , bagged and placed in ice to keep them fresh. At home you should cover with water push out the air and freeze . Unless you plan on cooking with in 3 days. Then keep dry in bag covered with ice and cook within the 3 days.
I have a walleye boat so the livewell is HUGH. I plug the hole on the side of the boat and fill the well full full to the top with water. When I leave the lake I drop in 6 frozen qt. Gatorade bottles to cool the water on the fish. When I get home I have to drain the water and let the fish die some. They are WAY TOO FRISKY in that cold water. I fillet the fish and put the fillets in water in a large pot in a fridge until I cook them, which is usually within the next 3 days or so. Any longer than that and I'll change the water on the fillets. After about 5 days I'll vacuum seal and freeze the fillets if I havent cooked them. Soaking in that cold water turns the fillets slap white and the meat is as firm as as you'll ever get it.:)