Mushy salmon

[knotoncall]

I seem to be having a problem keeping my salmon flesh firm after a bringing it home & freezing it. I'm in Edmonton so from the time I catch it, bury it in ice in a marine cooler & finally freeze it could be upwards of eight days. Last yrs Coho was really soft. Sockeye this yr some good some not so good. What am I doing wrong & or any suggestions?

 

[tubber]

You need to eat it fresh, freeze it in BC, or only take home the ones you catch on the last 2 days of your trip(catch and release in other words). Bleeding and gutting your fish immediately may help, but 8 days is way too long in any cooler.

 

[walleyes]

You have to freeze it on that end.. Find a marina with freezers to stay at this is a very important. Keeping the fish cold while out on the water for the day while you're catching them is very important. Take a cooler with lots of ice in it or if you have a live well circ the water frequently. when you get in to shore clean fish thoroughly. And get it in the freezer as fast as you can. Last year I bought a vacuum packer and vacuum packed and froze them rite at the marina. We live north east of Edmonton another 130 miles and some times take 2 days to get home our fish is always fresh and firm tasting. It is also important to pack it well in good coolers for the ride home. I usually get a hold of some dry ice to pack the fish home with.. In some cases we have taken a small freezer with us when we went to locations with no freezer.
It costs a lot of money to go there and get the fish you may as well spend a little more and have you're fish in top shape,, it only makes it more worth while..

 

[totally tyee]

Once the fish or fillets are frozen solid the longest recommended time out of freezer is 24 hours.

You should freeze or flash freeze before heading back to Edmonton.

TT

 

[Last Chance]

Agree with Totally Tyee. Or, you could just move to BC!

 

[knotoncall]

Discouver oil on Vancouver island & I'm outta here!! Seriously though I appreciate the input. I might add that I never run low on ice in the cooler & was under the impression the commercials pack fish for that long. Correct me if I'm wrong. I find the big springs havn't been affected by whatever I do or don't do but mainly the coho. Maybe I should buy one of those small upright danby freezers & a small generator. Boats sure enough able to pack it on the cockpit. Didn't think you could process the salmon before transport or are you talking about vacuum packing the fish whole?

 

[walleyes]

Yes you just gut, scale, take off the head and freeze the whole fish. They can easily be identified. I don't think a freezer in the boat is necessary but keeping them froze on the ride home is,, That's what the dry ice is for. If you don't open the cooler they will stay froze in a good cooler for quite a few days. The dry ice will actually freeze them if they are not already froze..

 

[knotoncall]

Where do you get dry ice if I'm say fishing on Van Ilse, Nootka or Campbell River?

 

[wolf]

In B.C. you can only cut a salmon in half and keep the tail on and mark the fish in a bag spring #1 a,b,c,d you cant process them into small chunks not like days of old when canners were going 24 hours a day in the marinas.

Your best bet is to freeze as the guys on here said if you put fish on ice the water acually saturates the fish that why its getting mushy it is acually starting to rot the enzimes are breaking down same goes with hanging meat to "age" it.
If you do put on ice put it in a bag first and try and draw out as much air as you can.


Good luck Wolf

 

[walleyes]

Most of the grocery stores have dry ice. We were fishing out of Couger Creek 4 years ago and staying in Gold River, we picked up some dry ice at the, I beleive it was the IGA but can't remeber. Camble River would most deffinetly have dry ice around.
If you can't get it were you are staying get it on you're way home as soon as you can... Beleive me it is well worth it..

 

[marula]

I get dry ice from "Iceco" in Victoria and it costs about $2.00 /lb. http://www.icecosales.com/

Occasionally I sent a few fish on the bus to family in the interior and 5 lbs will last a couple of days, longer if you add more ice At -80c, the fish is very solid and froze upon arrival.

 

[nine eyes deep]

I find it makes a difference in the meat quality when you catch them a put them staright into a cooler with ice.

 

[TheRock]

Another option is you can drop all your salmon off at a St. Jeans depot on Vancouver Island. They will Can, smoke freeze, package ect. and they will then ship it directly to your house! Even frozen salmon, here is there link http://www.stjeans.com/frozen.htm
However they are some what pricey.. but might be worth it for you? Catch your fish here, enjoy your fishing holiday, travel home with out any worries about preserving your catch. Then all your fish arrives at your front door processed ready for eating or directly to your freezer. Probably what I would do.

 

[SeaWolf]

In Campbell River you can get Dry Ice or Salt Ice at Campbell River Seafoods on the Old Highway in Campbellton, not far from the intersection to Gold River or Port Hardy.

 

[Dogbreath]

St Jeans I would never recommend to anyone I'd ever want to speak to again.

A shoddy outfit all around IME.

 

[walleyes]

The problem I have with these places is, how do you know it's acually you're fish you're getting back from them.. Hell you take in 50lbs of salmon to get canned how do you know who's you're getting... No thanks, I'll take care of my own stuff..

 

[PinchMe]

Agree... St Jeans took in my 18 pound Spring, I received 6 lbs of hot smoked back with TWO tail sections after waiting 6 weeks! Definitely not all my fish, if any???
Throw your catch in salt ice max 24hrs, bag, flash freeze and ship in dry ice, eat within 45 days for best results.
PinchMe

 

[Klob]

St. Jeans screwed me twice. That was enough. There is a smoke house that also cans in Qualicum Bay that is feeding on disgruntled St.Jeans customers.

 

[salmon9]

I haven't had a problem with St Jean's but is sure costs a bunch to have 3-4 decent size fish canned or smoked.

 

[TheRock]

Surprised to hear St. Jeans is getting a bad rap. I'v used it serveral times and was very happy. Have several friends who use St. Jeans for years and are very happy Excellent product, there smoked canned is delitious! and there Hot smoke, West coast style is a killer you can't stop eating it. I trust them with my fish, they have an excellent faucility and proffesional proccess.