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In the past I've taken mine home whole and put them in the freezer. Catfish and bass that is. It's a pain because I've got a 10lb cat in the freezer I have to thaw.
Do you all clean them at the place you catch them, bring them home and immediately clean them, or freeze them whole?
I've been thinking about a portable cleaning station and cleaning them at the place I'm fishing and bringing home just the filets in ziploc bags.
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I only clean crappie, but I put em on ice and clean em the next day. Don’t know the scientific reason, but little to no blood this way.....plus, no flop.
Do you kill them first or straight onto the ice then the next day cuttem up
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For me it depends on the lake I'm fishing, because some lakes I fish do not have any cleaning facilities. Those are usually brought home on ice or in the livewell with added bottles of ice. Otherwise, I clean them at the cleaning station and put the bags of fillets in a cooler w/ice for the trip home. Since most of the lakes I fish are 1-2hr trips (each way), an empty cooler is generally brought along for transporting the fish (or fillets) and either a bag of ice is bought on the way home ... or ice paks or bottles of ice are brought along, in the cooler, from home.
The ones I bring home are cleaned right then, and soak overnight in fridge before being frozen or cooked.
From livewell to ice. I did it just tonight, and actually thought about knocking them in the head, but in the end just put them on ice.Quote:
Originally Posted by BAFishBarn
Ok good info all around. I guess once I get in the crappie groove I'll bring a cooler and ice along. My jon boat doesnt have a live well, just a fish basket! Haha.
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I bring mine home and fillet them while they are still flouncing. Then the wife does the rest of the cleaning and putting them in water and freezing them. She also does all the cooking up of them. All I can say is they taste mighty good. I like the crappie the best they just can't be beat.:twocents
I fillet my most time when I get home. If too tire put them on ice fillet them next day.
LittleJohn
Ice them. Either directly to a cooler of ice on the boat or ice them once home. Have waited up to 2 days to clean, just keep ice on them and drain any water. I think the blood goes back into the veins and internal organs when on ice. Much easier to clean when cold imo
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I have always covered my fish with ice and clean'em when I get home as noted next to no blood; however we caught a few cat's this weekend and before we left the lake went ahead and cleaned them. Well on the ride home I told the wife I'm sure glad I don't have to clean fish when we get home!
Put in ice brine immediately(saltwater) for freshwater in livewell and then to ice(covered in ice not just a 2 liter bottle tossed in with them) and to cleaning table as soon as boat is washed/cleaned and put away. If camping they go straight from livewell to cleaning table.
I like mine on ice a day myself , a little slimy but it is really easy to fillet a firm cold fish and like stated no blood on my fillets either .
works best if they are put on ice while alive I might mention .
When I catch them in the summer here, I put them in the cooler on ice when caught. In the winter they go in the live well and ice is put on them for the trip home. Fillet at home.
Clean as soon as I get home put filets in bowl with salt water let soak overnight rinse next day put in freezer bag cover with water get air bubbles out put in the freezer. Rinse live well and let it drain as soon as fish are taken out. Take scraps to the back of the farm for wildlife to eat.
Ice the fish down...go home and fillet them the nest day....makes it a lot easier
Well seems like everybody has the same idea. So when I get to ketchin some crappie thats what I'll do. Bring a cooler full of ice and ice them for a day. Thanks everyone!
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Livewell to Knife for me.
Buried in a cooler of ice for the trip home, filleted, egg dip,dry breading,(some ate)the rest laid on a cookie sheet in the freezer to quick freeze,than vacum packed,6-12 fillets per bag.
No need to unthaw the fish for deep fat fryer,oven,or pan frying, just pry the fillets apart with a butter knive and cook,freezer to the table in 15-20 minutes.
We plug the livewell and fill with ice just like a cooler. The fish are already chilled when we get home or to a cleaning station. The livewell takes a couple big bags, but it lasts all day.
What ever the situation calls for but most days I put them on ice for the ride home and clean that day or next. If I'm away from home camping or vacation I clean fresh on the tailgate ice down or not. Most agree iced down is best.
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I normally clean mine the next day or 2, keep under ice, but do not drain.
^^^^what he said^^^Quote:
Originally Posted by "G"
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I too put mine on ice and filet next day. Much firmer and easier for me.
I almost always work the next day so for me its from lake to live well, plug til I get home and fillet soon as I park, put em in saltwater couple hours or overnight. Clean up and cover the boat.
It's a little messy but gets the job done in the time I have plus I hate dealing with ice.
What's the deal with putting them in saltwater?
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Saltwater over night???
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I've read a few people putting them in saltwater for a while or freezing them in water. Is it to get any fishyness out?
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Same question was asked back in 2008 .... here's my "reply" (copied)Quote:
Originally Posted by BAFishBarn
"soaking in salt water is to dissolve the blood. I've done both ways, and don't really notice a difference. I learned to soak them in saltwater, from my Grandmother ... and I think it was her dislike of "bloody" meat that prompted her to use this method. ;)
The filets will tend to get a little "slimy", if left to soak very long. Rinse them good, before freezing, and that shouldn't affect their taste.
On the ones that I didn't soak, or the freshly caught/cleaned ones, and those with some blood remnants still in/on the meat ... (even after a rinse job) ... they did not taste any different than the soaked ones."
Sounds like the majority ice them down before cleaning. I will have to give that a try. I ALWAYS clean my catch as soon as I get home. The only reason I can think of is because that is the way my dad does it, so natural that is how I was taught. I also soak the filets in salt water for two days (water is changed each day) before they are bagged and frozen, but again, that is how I was taught.
Usually soak mine in salted ice water as well. Rinse before freezing if not eaten. For the same reason as you, that's what I was taughtQuote:
Originally Posted by A_LOTA_NOTA
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Today when I get home after 5 ....iced em last night after 10 PM
I don't usually ice mine, but I clean them the next day. I have a spare fridge in my shop and I have a large covered plastic container that fits on a fridge shelf. I put them from the live well to the container when I get home, then in the fridge. Much easier to clean cold fish. My cleaning table and sink is right next to the fridge, so the rare time I have more than just a few, I only take out 3 or 4 at a time. I filet them and put the filets in a bowl with a little ice, until they are all cleaned. Then I wash the filets, bag them in the quantities wanted and put them into the freezer or hold some out to fry. You can wait a couple days if needed, they will be fine.