I dry my crappie filets between two paper towels. Never had a problem. I can thaw them out in 20 minutes if I decide I want fish for supper. Have kept some over a year and they were just as good as more recent catches. Shrimp will not work unless they are shucked. The sharp points on the tails will puncture the bag. The horizontal units will save you money on wrap. The vertical units will waste about an inch and a half of wrap on both ends of the bag.