Freezing panfish
 

I wanna pull about 100 blue Gill out of the pond. Typically I do this over a couple times through the summer and have a fish fry with 20-30 fish each time. But due to being gone with training so much this summer. I haven't gotten to pull very many out.

I usually cut the head off, gut them, then scale them and cook them whole that way.

What's the best way to freeze these so they last for a couple months?

-Jake

Fillet them and vacuum pack them 10 fillets to a bag. That's what I do with the ones I catch in TX. If they are over 7 inches long you can get a decent sized fillet and no bones or scales to worry about.

I don't have a vacuum sealer. I really should for the amount of game I cut up.

Generally I wrap stuff in freezer paper, then sometimes seal in freezer bags as well.

-Jake

Put in freezer bad and fill with water they will keep up to a year that way

So just freezer bag, cover with water, then freeze?

-Jake

I know a lot of people that do that. some use half of a paper qt milk carton instead of bags, freeze them standing up then they lay them down and they stack well.

freeze in a block of water no matter the container.thats the way the old folk in my family did it

For only 3 months...I catch a lot of fish Jake all year long..Just put them in a zip lock,,if it's only 3 months..I catch alot of crappie in the winter..I mark the date on the baggie and eat older ones first..If its only 3 months no problem..then I take them out and thaw in saltwater for a couple hours..The main thing..I keep mine in the deep freeze..The bass can have worms so I set my deep freeze at 6 below zero...they reccomend 10 days of this will kill any parasites you may not have seen in your fish..Just a safety measure that's all.

Much less space than a block of ice..I've done both..but if it's only 3 months not necessary

Good to know Chuck.

I'd been using the ice block method.

I haven't froze any this year. Just been catching 10-15 at a time and eating that day.

-Jake

Yes sir..Here's 50 nothing under 9 inches {-;

Looks like allot of cleaning Chuck

Yes sir..that was when I had kids in the house...Now they are gone and it's hurricane season { Power could go out}I don't stock up..Maybe 2 meals...I plan to go to that same spot soon w a flyrod..now 20 gills would be good.