Bunker Question

[Still Running]

I want to save some bunker for vacation. Should I just freeze them whole or cut them up. Also is there anything else I should do to them. I would like to use them for crabs, Fluke and Striper's. I am told its hard to find them down in Ocean City MD. Thanks for the help.
Rick

[CapBob]

Freeze them whole.........easy to cut frozen with a good knife

[fishon42]

I would assume you would freeze them whole. Then again, I really dont think it matters.  

[IrishAyes]

I would fillet an amount that I think I would use for fluke. Put them on a disposable tin and put kosher salt on them. That will tuffen them up. If you freeze them, they will be soft when thawed and come off the hook very easily.

The ones for crab bait. DON'T MATTER, JUST FREEZE. 

[Still Running]

Salt them and the freeze them Joe?

[PeggyLee]

Rick, I would freeze them hole in bags of two maybe three.They get kind of soft and musshy in a short while.Then you could keep what you want and use what you need per day. Good Luck, AJ.

[IrishAyes]

I put mine in the freezer, yes. They say it is not necessary if you salt them enough.

I put them in the freezer more for a lack of any other place to store them.  

Forgot to mention. Check them in a day and drain off any liquid. Can add more salt then if you want.  

After a day or two, I put them in zip locks.

[fishon42]

Freeze 2 of them in a medium size zip locked bag, with 4 shots of Grey Goose Vodka added.

[Luna Sea 5]

they will be useless for stripers as they eat fresh bunker, but for fluke and crabs, they are perfect.  Get a bunch of newspaper and wrap 2 in each whole.  The paper will prevent them from sticking to each other.  I would do this all the time when I buy a flat of bunker for crab bait.

[Still Running]

Thanks Guys

[fishon42]

 

[Bucktail]

Rick,

When I ran the B&T we used to pride ourselves on not only having the freshest bait but also the freshest "frozen" bait as well.

If you want good quality frozen bunker you need to freeze it as soon as possible after you net or snag it.  From the boat to the freezer you must make sure the bunker are immediately placed on ice and (if necessary) drain the slime and excess water from the cooler periodically.

When you get them home, freeze them whole.  If you can, try to place the fish in such a way that it is touching as little as possible.  If handled correctly, you will be surprised at how well they thaw out.  And yes, you can catch stripes with them.

As far as fillets, Joe has it right.  Man!  We used to fillet and salt a lot of bunker!  Mackerel too.  I remember getting ready to close at 9pm after working since 5 that morning only to get a call that the boats had bunker and they'd be at the shop soon.  Lots of fun being up all night filleting and salting a truck bed full of those little slimers!

-Bob