Like many of you, this year I am planning on catching/freezing alot of fish. This is the first year I have owned a high-capacity freezer.

My question to you is this: What is your preferred method to freeze fish? What do you think works the best?

My Father, coming from the commercial fishing industry, has always maintained that Glazing is the best method for storing fish for more than 1 month. For those of you who dont know, Glazing is freezing the fish as is for 20-30 mintues to get it cold but not frozen through, then dipping the cold fish in a tub of prepared icewater. Then you put the fish back in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to let to new cold water freeze on it, then repeat 3-4 times until you have a nice solid coat of ice containing the entire fish.

I know this method works well and is still practiced my many commercial catcher-processors.

Is there anyone who has recently fished commercially on the board that can update us with any new techniques in the industry?

Do any of you have a better way or comments about this method?

Thanks to my fellow fishing brethren-

There is an article in the latest Trout Salmon Steelheader the explains a method that appeared to be the home version of flash freezing...looked pretty involved though,

I've been using the Foodsaver vacuum sealer and it does a pretty good job. The key thing is to pat dry your filets before you vacuum. It makes for a tighter seal and no water or fish slime gets in the vacuum. Plus you can cut the bags to fit any size of fish.

Before I got the vacuum packer i would freeze the fish in water. I used ziplock freezer bags and would load the fish, fill with water and then zip it 99% closed and squeeze and fold it to remove all of the air and as much extra water as i could. It works better than glazing and its easier

I usually wrap the fish lightly in plastic wrap, then freeze it SOLID. Then, I unwrap it and run it under the faucet briefly to glaze it. Freezes on there almost instantly and gets rid of any ice crystals that could prevent you from getting a good vacuum. A little involved, but the fish keeps forever.

Seems like it would be difficult to glaze something that is only partially frozen.

Food saver vaccuum bags. Dry the fish, then place a folded piece of paper towel near the open end of the bag, across the full width. This paper towel stops an fluids from getting into the seal area. Seal twice, top and bottom of the bag. I never have fish longer than about 3 or 4 months. We eat it, smoke it, or give it away too fast for it to go bad.

I process my fish into steaks or whatever and then pre freeze them on a cookie sheet for an hour before vacuum sealing.Solves the moisture problem and the fish keeps it shape better.I think I got the idea from the manual That came with food saver.

I used to do the same thing as wooly booly till I got the food saver , thing works great.

Foodsaver Vacume packer is the ticket. I was the fillets in cool water, pat dry with a paper towel then cut and pack the bags. My fish lasts a very long time. We usually eat it, smoke it, can it or give it away within 3 months but when you thaw it out, the meat is good to go.