Fish Diet

[LucG]

I headed out to the camp and fished a few back lakes in the area this weekend. One lake for pike, and one for trout.

 

First lake all we could pull up were perch, nothing with any size. But I knew there were alot of pike with at least a couple big 15 - 20 pounders. Then out of nowhere, I must'nt of had my head turned for 10 seconds, my brand new jigging rod disapears down the hole. Despite having 3 other lines around that hole, and using the Fish TV, we were unable to relocate my rod which was prob at the other end of the lake by then. Before leaving we did end up cathing a couple small pike.

 

The next day we targeted trout. We did really well catching our limit in about 4 hours. Which brings me to a few questions:

 

1. While claening the trout, I examined the stomach contents. One had a fresh frog. Would the trout have dug him up from under the mud or something? Has anyone every seen this before?

 

2. Second question is about storing fish. I've allways froze my fish in water because I was told it help prevent freezer burn. Is this correct. What is the best way to freeze fish.

Edited February 16, 2010 by LucG

[Roy]

It's not the cold that burns fish or meat in a freezer, it's the air. If you have a good quality vacuum bagger it'll save you from a lot of wasted meat. Another way is to cover the fish in water. Lots of folks use milk cartons, drop their fillets in and fill with water. They won't burn when encased in ice and the cartons stack nicely. That being said, I seldom freeze quantities of fish....Just keep the amount you can eat right away. They'll be tastier that way and you'll also have some free room on your possession limit to get out fishing again.

[Leecher]

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Yeah what he said

[johnnyb]

x3 on the fish storage/quicke eating philosophy

And yes, I've seen a laker spit up a frog as well....apparently it's common for fish to dig'em out of the mud. I guess not enough frogs are good at covering their butts

[MuskyGreenHorn]

Everyone else has got my answers covered. Guess thos etrout are already cruising teh lakes edges waiting for the ice to break up.

[Oggie]

It's true, I've never seen anything freezer burn faster than fish and talk about changing the taste! There's a reason why fresh fish costs more than frozen. If you really need to freeze it do what the others have suggested. Ice around the fish helps to reduce the freezer burn.

 

Dan O.

[TJQ]

My parents used to freeze fish in milk cartons all the time... we don't usually freeze much.. it never makes it to the freezer. I think the coolest thing I ever saw cleaning a fish was live crayfish in a pike belly. man were they happy to get outta there!!

[dheitzner]

A good vacuum sealer is worth its weight in gold (or fish.)

[LucG]

Great! Thanks for re-assuring me. I've allways froze my fish in water,but someone I know made a comment on how it was best without. And who better to ask than the OFNers.

 

Thanks again.

[smitter]

I saw a big speck in the Elliot Lake area spit up a frog in the winter time, strangest thing in the world if you ask me.

[redneck666]

I saw a big speck in the Elliot Lake area spit up a frog in the winter time, strangest thing in the world if you ask me.

 

no mice or nothing? lol i've seen a mouse spit up by a few different species before..... they actually use mouse fly's up in the yukon area for specks (maybe you knew it already? lol).

[pike slayer]

ya exactly what the other guys said for freezing.

 

lake trout and specks will go up even into a foot of water in search of all sorts of critters and creatures. ive caught lake trout in 5fow(got a nice one in that depth today) and ive got specks in shallow as 3ft. i've got both casting into shore in the spring. yesterday i got a speck with a live cray fish in it. they eat all kinds of stuff.

[Sinker]

This was in the belly of a 12" brookie. I've seen them with salamanders in thier bellies in the winter. I always fish shallow, and stir up the bottom for specks. Their curious, and they'll eat anything.

 

 

 

[canadadude]

no mice or nothing? lol i've seen a mouse spit up by a few different species before..... they actually use mouse fly's up in the yukon area for specks (maybe you knew it already? lol).

Mice fly's are the beast thing going in Labrador, but there specks are monsters

 

I agree with most on here that a good quality vacum sealer is by far the best way to freeze fish, great for doing roe aswell for rainbow fish'in. The thing is freeze the roe first then vacume seal it, it'll be as nice as the day you caught it.

[dave524]

Mice fly's are the beast thing going in Labrador, but there specks are monsters

 

I agree with most on here that a good quality vacum sealer is by far the best way to freeze fish, great for doing roe aswell for rainbow fish'in. The thing is freeze the roe first then vacume seal it, it'll be as nice as the day you caught it.

 

Good sized resident Browns can be pretty voracious feeders after dark, frogs , crayfish and on a flyrod , used poppers more designed for panfish at times with success.

 

ditto on the vacuum sealer, get a good one, pays for itself , not only for fish, home garden produce and roe , but buying in bulk meat on sale and longer term freezing.