is it ok to freeze these for later cut bait? been catching a blue million of them instead of crappie.
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freezing skip jack
- Thread starter WTM
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I know plenty of people that do it, yes
ok ill look i just figured you could cut em jn half and theow them jn a zip lock bag.
Vacuum seal if possible. If not possible wrap in Saran Wrap and freeze
yeah i was using a 1/4 roadruner and still couldnt get it past them. there is a huge lake fly hatch going on and they are on a feeding frenzy.
finally gave up and hit some bluegill feeding on them.
If they are like herring that I used to catch and freeze in saltwater, it's best to salt brine them before freezing so they don't get too mushy when thawed.
thats the way the chatt cats dude on youtoob does it but another guy said that salt would pull all of the fluids out of the fish.
so do you rinse the salt off before you freeze?
i think the chatt cats guy does it to make the ice slurry colder. they must spoil quick.
I am unfamiliar with skipjack. I was mainly freezing pogies (menhaden) and occasionally threadfin herring. Both were extremely oily fish. I would freeze the pogies whole very neatly in vacuum packs. They were used whole as well for tarpon when the water temps made dead bait the only way to catch a fish. I never had a issue with them not being stinky enough but they stay together better when brined first.
The threadfins were just bagged and frozen in a block because I would dice them up and use them to chum snappers up to the surface in deep water. I never cut any of them before freezing though.
The threadfins were just bagged and frozen in a block because I would dice them up and use them to chum snappers up to the surface in deep water. I never cut any of them before freezing though.
Never rinsed them. Just take out of the slurry and freeze.
I have never had much luck with freezing them and them actually holding together once thawed out. I will catch a ton of them in the spring and freeze them but I go through them really fast cause they are mushy and fall apart. About the only good part that stays together is the head of them after being frozen. Maybe try the salt thing on some of them and some of them just freeze and label so you can see which ones work better.
Keep 'em cold. Best to drop on ice as soon as you catch. Skipjack begin to go soft in a hurry. If you're going to use them quick ... within 3 months I'd say, there's really no need to do much except throw them in a baggie and freeze.
If you want to keep them longer, I'd say up to a year, vacuum sealing recommended.
Truth be known, I've caught cats on skipjack that's been in freezer two or three years. But like anything, the fresher the better. Really just boils down to how hungry/aggressive the catfish are.
If you want to keep them longer, I'd say up to a year, vacuum sealing recommended.
Truth be known, I've caught cats on skipjack that's been in freezer two or three years. But like anything, the fresher the better. Really just boils down to how hungry/aggressive the catfish are.
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A real kingpin shrink wraps his grouper...
Soft Talker
Well-Known Member
They are indeed Herring. From hook straight to salt water ice brine, Let them draw their final breath of salt water. Freeze accordingly.
Yup that would be it wrapped up in my work towels and probably wrapped up in a trash bag.
