Has anyone found the secret to freezing bait shrimp / finger mullet? I’ve tried and tried again but when winter rolls around and I thaw them out I get soggy shrimp that practically slip,off the hook. Should I try brining them before I freeze them? Surely someone on here has figured out a good recipe for freezing the little buggers?
Freeze them covered in water.
Charleston City Papers Best Guide of 2014
Just like eating shrimp, covered in water. Note: hard plastic containers are best. Shrimp horns poke holes in ziplock bags. Should be good for a year at least.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
How long are you trying to keep them frozen? I always “soft” freeze my Shrimp a few hours before a trip to firm them up some and keeps them cold longer. I find they stay on really well for the initial cast. Also shells on and double hook them through the shell twice. If I have bait left over, if they were kept COLD, I find about a week loosely packed in a zipper bag is about all they are good for. For me, fresher is always better.
Buy deli containers of whatever size you want, load with shrimp up to about 3/4, cover with water, freeze. I don’t know how they do for bait, but I know they eat well even after a year. Had some last night … 
Asian grocery stores have “soup” containers they sell in bulk. Super cheap, durable and hold about a pound of shrimp with water. I get them from H&L supermarket at the corner of Rivers ave and 526.
The containers work for other things. Store a fuel/water separator in the boat, nut/bolt storage, etc.
-Albemarle 248xf “Chella”
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8-10 years ago, in a pinch, in December, I bought some frozen finger mullet. They were vacuum sealed about 12-15 in a pack. Took them out to 100’ and caught several red snapper on them, so the critics decided they were okay. Ahhh… Those were the days we could keep red snapper…
The big, plastic coffee can containers work great, too. My dad would call them 5lb shrimp bricks and last a year easily!
Years ago an old-timer told me his trick for freezing mush-proof mullet.
He froze them in water in a Zip-Loc bag, as mentioned above. His “trick” was to add salt to the water-couple of Tablespoons per quart.
I don’t know the science behind it but it works.
Should work on shrimp, too. I’ve just never tried it on shrimp because I always eat 'em!
Good luck and let us know how it works.
2006 17’ Sea Hunt Triton w/ 90 Yamaha, formerly a 1991 15’ Key West Explorer w/ 60 Johnson.
I read thread a while back that said not to rinse or store fish fillets with fresh water, but to use saltwater. Something about the texture of the meat. Maybe it’s the same with shrimp.
If you’re lucky enough to be fishing, you’re lucky enough.
Take the head and tail spur off and vacuum seal
Yup, vacuum seal shrimp. Mine are still good eating from shrimping season last year.
Having a deep freezer is also important. Frost free freezers go through a warming cycle to melt the frost, then freeze again. This is what contributes to freezer burn.
I use kosher salt with a little water make a brine put some on the bait and bag them up. they keep their color and toughen up a bit.
242 robalo 300 yamaha