You worked hard to catch those crappie. A little work is also required to insure the best eating
by Tim Huffman
First, it is no secret among crappie anglers that your fish always taste best when cooked fresh, before they are ever frozen. We also know, however, that’s not always possible. What do you need to do to ensure that your frozen crappie filets taste almost as good as they are fresh?
- Wash and rewash your filets well in plain, cold water to ensure that all blood and oil is removed
- Label your bags on a flat surface with a magic marker including the date and the number of filets, before you fill the bags up. The bags are hard to write on when they are wet or full of water. Labeling helps you know exactly when they went in the freezer, and that they don’t remain there too long. It varies but generally you NEVER want to keep filets frozen more than one year, preferably a lot less.
- Add water to the bag before freezing. This helps prevent freezer burn. Some anglers even prefer freezing them in water over a vacuum sealer.
- Squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing. The “zipper-style” bags are more expensive but much easier to seal.
More on this and other great tips available in the book “Limiting Out for Crappie.”