How do you store your fish?

[Team M&M]

I realize that many people store their fish in many different ways. Im talking about storage in the freezer. I use ziplock freezer bags filled with water, but I've been thinking of buying a vaccum sealer machine and was wondering if anyone else uses that method? I've also seen people use plastic 1 gallon milk jugs and cut the top out and leave the handle on it. They place the fish in these and fill with water.
Any other ways to store fish out there for the long term in the freezer? If you do it differently, I'd be very interested to hear how.

[fishhead4268]

I use my vacum machine, would be lost without it for sure. Sometimes I even marinate my fish or game then seal it and it is delicious when its time to eat it, matter of fact I marinated some crappie in lemon pepper from the first batch I caught and we ate it for breakfast with eggs and homefries on Sunday and it was awsome!! Food saver is the way to go plus you dont have ziplocks full of ice taking up your freezer space because you can seal them flat. I put a papper towel in before I seal them so the juice doesnt get all over when I hit the seal button. Good Luck

[Big_Red]

Food Saver here too! Tried the others, none work as good or keep fish from freezer burn.

[DENNIS WILLIS]

Food Saver all the way. Like Fishhead4268 said, don`t take up near as much room in the frezzer and when you cook them they taste almost as good as fresh ones.I`ve done wore two of them out and the first one I called the company and for 40.00 they sent me another one out and did not even have to send the old one it.I allways leave mine in the frig. over night to thaw them out.Give it a try.Dennis

[whackmaster]

hey fishhead....do you keep the paper towel in the bag when you seal it ?

[hogster]

Fishhead i also put a paper towel in before sealing.Sure does keep the sealer cleaner.Whackmaster i leave the paper towel in the bag,it soaks up the juices and makes for a better seal and less mess.I just fold it up the same width as the bag and insert it after the fish close to the sealing area.

[NIMROD]

I fish so much and give away so many fish. I use the cheap method , zippered plastic bags with water added to push out air. I can mark these bags with the date too.:D

[rangertee]

I fish so much and give away so many fish. I use the cheap method , zippered plastic bags with water added to push out air. I can mark these bags with the date too.:D

Ditto what NIMROD said. When I head to the fish cleaning house, I have an ice chest with my fish, electric knife, big tupperware bowl for final rinsing and cleaning the fillets, paper towels, quart size zip lock bags already marked with date and type of fish. To me it would be a hassle to tote an electric sealer along and have to set it up, clean it up and store it also. If you wash them fillets real well, put em in the baggies, fill with water, squeeze out the air by pushing down on the bag while zippin it closed, with no air bubbles, them fillets will be good for at least a year. If space in the freezer is an issue, then maybe the sealer would be worth it, but I have a deep freeze at the lake and at my house. I also make up some bags that will feed just my wife and I and label them accordingly. No wasted fish that way. I'd say the best way is whatever works for you. That's my two cents

[WhitePerchJerker]

I have a vaccum machine but I still put my fish in a freezer bag and cover the fish with water.

[cook]

Vacuum seal for me,also.
About half the bags are already breaded and ready for lake crisco:D just thaw enough to seperate and drop in.

Not sure if it makes a difference,but I always puncture the seal when I remove from the freezer.Allegedly,the vacuum will pull the juices(flavor) from the fillets as it thaws.Makes sense to me.