Freezing Crappies?

I am looking for any advice on freezing crappies. I have my limit and want to save them till my brother gets home from the middle east, but he will be gone for almost a year total. We usually cook them right away so any recommendations would be great. I have a Food Saver, but sometimes the seal leaks and I believe thats because of moisture. Any advice is always appreciated.

I freeze them in water. A year is a long time though. I would go fishing either when he gets back or right before if he doesn't have time to.

Put the slabs in cheap zip lock bags and freeze them over night. Next morning take them out and put them in vacuum bags. With paper towel wipe inside the bag where the seal will be.

Crappie is good canned too. I dont bother removing the ribs when I can it. I do cut the skin off still. Pack it in pint jars with a half teaspoon of salt. I add water. Get the air bubbles out with a butter knife. Process for an hour and a half. To cook I like to drain the jar, dump the fish in a bowl. Add one egg. Add mashed up good saltine cracker crumbs so its a little thicker. Make patties and fry it in a skillet. Use a low heat and a lid so it cooks completely. Any fish with the yellow or red meat removed is good like this.

I freeze my fish and small game in milk jugs or 2 liter pop bottles in water.
Cut the top off, put meat in, fill the rest of the way with water, and freeze.
I write the contents and the date on the outside with a permanent marker.
No freezer burn at all.
Allow to thaw at room temperature.

Thanks for the information. I did not plan on saving them for a year, but I will be on a shorter trip and getting home hopefully within days of him. I just thought it would be a quick treat when we both get home. Otherwise we would just catch some fresh ones.

Yes to vacuum bags and freeze the fillets first. Air is your enemy.

I just vacuum seal mine. If the fillets are damp and I’m guessing they will be I typically take a piece of paper towel and roll it up put it in between the fillets and the open end of the package before sealing. All the moisture gets sucked into the paper towel.

Zip lock freezer bags and fill them with water. MAKE sure the fillets are completely under water. THEY WILL LAST FOR years. I have cook stripers and walleye that have been frozen for 3 plus years . tastse almost as fresh cleaned.

Them plastic ice cream container’s work well too. Put crappie in and fill with water, snap lid on and put your information on lid with a marker. Can use them containers year after year and the fish will stay good for a couple years like that.

When we were really Into catching perch we never cleaned them we just paced them whole in to those waxed milk cartons filled with water and froze them.

Like the other guys on here I freeze mine in water, a year isn't a problem. You just need to make sure that all parts of the fish is UNDER the water in whatever you choose.

Fillet then freeze

Filled and freeze in water

Put in the vacuum bag. Squeeze the air out. Fold the top over. Freeze.

The next day run them through the vacuum packer.

I do this same thing with anything wet or that has blood.meat,corn pheasant,, grouse and fish. Water kills vacuum packers.