best way to store caught fish until cleaning?

[Yopy]

I usually just throw them on the ice and pick them up at the end of the day, which is what i did today. But now i have alot of bluegills that are frozen/kind of thawed out. Wondering A) what should i do about the fish i have and B.) what should i do in the future to make cleaning fish easier.

Thanks

[marcus]

l let them freeze and then thaw them in the sink before I fillet them. works for me. I have seen other s who try not to freeze them not sure why that would make a difference.   

[gulp]

Put them back into a bucket of water after frozen and they will come back to life. Best way is to get a cooler and half fill with water. Keep fish in there and when you are ready to go home drain and go.This will also keep your fish out of sight from lookeloos. Make sure you mark you cooler as fish only you won't like the way a beer or pop tastes that comes out of it next summer. Good luck and stay safe.

[gulp]

Marcus if the fish freeze the ice cristals cause the meat to start to break down then you thaw to clean and refreeze causing the meat to be broken down more. Just makes them a little less firm for cooking.

[tonebea]

Marcus if the fish freeze the ice cristals cause the meat to start to break down then you thaw to clean and refreeze causing the meat to be broken down more. Just makes them a little less firm for cooking.

Exactly. I don't like to freeze, thaw, and refreeze any food. It's just not as fresh.

[Ranger_bound]

I like to hear the beat of flopping fish in my bucket...

[esox_magnum]

Water in a bucket in the shack for me, I hate cleaning froze fish and the crowds a pile of fish on the ice attract.

[campfindit2]

Make a live well out of your jet sled. Frozen northerns are extra slimey.

[MEMAGGIENCOMET]

I think your live well may be bigger then my bait tank lol.  I just throw my fish in a 2 gal bucket with a couple of inches of water in it. I hate cleaning frozen slimey fish.

[scmelik]

I put water in my bucket after the first fish, that way they stay alive and if I really get into the fish I can weed out the smaller ones for bigger ones if the opportunity presents itself, or if I only catch one or two they can go back down the hole at the end of the day.

[slipperybob]

Holy buckets...I mean sleds! 

[UFCreel]

Water in the bucket. No slimy fish when its time to fillet them. Amazingly most will still be alive. After a full nights fishing. but have let them freeze too with no taste difference. Just think most commercial fish operations blast freeze their fish before it gets to market.

[pikeking]

Water in the bucket is the best. No frozen fish when it's time to start cuttin' Frozen fish never tastes the same...

[MnSportsman]

We put snow in a bucket. Just a bit to cover bottom. then as we catch more fish. we put in fish to cover the snow & repeat. Snow/fish/snow/fish
 Works fine for us.

[Rat-Man]

I buy those Styrofoam bait buckets when they are on sale, ones that fit in a 5gal bucket then put them in it, keeps them from freezing.  Any big fish I give to my nephew to clean, he doesn't  mind.

[Desperado]

similar to PikeKing's method
mix snow and/or slush (or the shavings from augering the hole) in the bucket with just enough water to make it the consistency of a  convenience store Slushie

[Barleydog]

Another vote for freezing in solid water.  A tablespoon of baking soda in the water never hurts!

[Iceassin]

I've left them in a bucket in the garage, froze solid with snow over them for up to 3 days before cleaning. Bring 'em in,thaw out with water in sink,filets in bowl of water to the freezer...always taste good to me

[gulp]

Love the pike in a sled pic. Thats got to be a new one for most.

[marmooskapaul]

I keep mine in my flip over in an empty 40lb salt bag. That way I don't have an extra bucket or cooler taking up space. Throw the salt bag away at the end of the night and clean the fish [alive]. I'll throw some snow in it to keep the fish wet.
Paul

[bucketbass]

i never minded fileting any fish frozen or thawed out .......usually by the time i get to cleaning they are close to thawed and easy enough to clean.....i only fish for perch walleye and some gills here and there but to skin a boney fish looks like the sled idea isnt bad..... how do you get that much water in a sled??

[greenbackhunter]

I use an icewell for smaller fish, and for holding larger fish for pictures. Works pretty slick.

[MT Hank]

When I fish for perch, salmon or crappie I drill 2 or 3 holes in the ice connecting them but not all the way into water. Then I punch a hole in the bottom of each with my knife, they fill up with water and I have a natural livewell. Works great and I can cull the smaller ones at the end of the day. And if they are small enough to get through the hole I punch in the bottom I did not need to keep them anyway.

[MelroseHawkins]

Doesn't have to be that difficult.  Just have your 5 gal bucket in the shack & throw the fish in. If in for a while, put outside the door of the shack. If they start to freeze then bring them back in the shack.

[Waynesburgjay]

Drill a few holes and save the slush to pack around the fish usually keeps them from freezin' solid

[adkwiley]

I'm not a fan of the slime that forms when the frozen fish start to thaw

[IceBalls]

I can't believe none of you guys use what I've used ever since I was old enough to fish.....a simple FISH STRINGER !!  We just punch an extra hole and keep 'em alive and kickin' till the end of the day.  The best ones are the metal "chain type" with separate clips for the fish. 

[topher7694]

I can't believe none of you guys use what I've used ever since I was old enough to fish.....a simple FISH STRINGER !!  We just punch an extra hole and keep 'em alive and kickin' till the end of the day.  The best ones are the metal "chain type" with separate clips for the fish. 

Holehawg has one of those we used last year, and I built one for myself cuz it worked so nice !

[holehawg]

Holehawg has one of those we used last year, and I built one for myself cuz it worked so nice !

lmao and i lost it....

[Rat-Man]

I keep mine in my flip over in an empty 40lb salt bag. That way I don't have an extra bucket or cooler taking up space. Throw the salt bag away at the end of the night and clean the fish [alive]. I'll throw some snow in it to keep the fish wet.
Paul

   



Hey---sounds like a great idea, even better then the Styrofoam bucket deal and I have to get salt for the water softener too.