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I was joking on the front page about releasing a 50 pound chrome chinook, because our freezer is full.
Gary Benson just called and said, "Don't do that!!!" He explained that he has his salmon canned in one pound cans and gives them away, with custom labels of his own, for Christmas. (Might be a good idea to be on his Christmas list!!!)

Anyway, our freezer is full. What do you do with all of your fish? We are thinking of getting another freezer, and we are watching the class ads for one.

I have given some salmon away to some of our kids friend's parents. (Did I put the apostrophes in the right place there?) ..and they were thrilled! They acted like they had won the lottery! So, giving away fish is nice.

Do you smoke and have it pro vac packed? Canned? Smoked or not smoked? Can you smoke fish that has been previously canned?

We have found that we do better when we smoke frozen fish, rather than smoke it and then freeze it.

I mean, here we are, with nice vac packed spring chinook in the freezer, still. What would you rather keep? Frozen fall or spring? I know my answer!

I'd like to hear your ideas and what you do with your fish once your freezer is full. Do you continue to fish and retain? Do you give it away? Do you release?

Jen

 

[Small Fry]

I try and rotate my fish in the freezer. I rarely smoke fresh fish. I take the stuff that's been in the freezer out and smoke it. we vacuum pack it ourselves. We give smoked salmon home made Jelly and spiced pickled green beans out as Christmas gifts.

Just my 2 cents

 

[[email protected]]

YUM! I love spiced green beans.
Want my address?

 

[Small Fry]

Trade you for a new sticker. I need one for my new truck. Send me your address. We just finished making a new batch last week.

 

[Threemuch]

I try to use everything I catch. I do give some away, but I try to limit that, and if I can't use the fish, I let em go.

We eat fish 2-3 times per week, so that cuts it down pretty good.

If you think about it, when you give away fish you caught, you are really commercial fishing for free. If you don't like commercial fishermen, that's a problem, because you are one of them. If you do, then you are taking away their potential customers. That said, our methods are generally more selective, and have less environmental impact, and the quality of the product SHOULD be better, if you do a good job of handling them.

Smoked, canned, pickled, baked, broiled, fried, grilled, it's all good. If your freezer is too full, EAT MORE FISH!

KB

 

[fishbait]

Jen, I release more fish now than 10 yrs ago, especially Tillamook fish. Give fresh away and then run the smokers and give vac packed gift packages to freinds and family. But, did just buy another freezer for the tuna and sardines that I put up. So many fish, so little time and space.......

 

[RIPPLE]

If anyone has too much salmon on their hands, please e-mail me, I am here to help you. :wink:
:grin: RIPPLE :grin:

 

[[email protected]]

Anyday, Small Fry! I just got a brand new box of stickers!

 

[Herring Impaired]

I freeze the springers, and smoke the fall fish...

Plenty of people willing to take it off my hands, so I can avoid having to buy a new freezer.

 

[CAGEY]

I vacume pack both the fresh and smoked fish and then freeze same. I usually have no problem with getting rid of all i want to. Family and friends and neighbors are all eager to receive some. A gift of some nice filets last week got me a nice rum and choc cake in return. Not a bad trade. Iam a little stingy with a springer.

You can alsways give some to Husker and Waterdog as they seldom catch or have any fish to eat.

Be nice to those who are fishless. :laugh: :laugh: :tongue:

 

[Sea Jypzee]

I smoke a lot of the salmon I catch. I take it to work occasionally for co-workers to enjoy (sorry to the ER patients who have to come in and smell smoked salmon on all the nurses and doctors though :laugh: ).

I also give smoked salmon and a case of canned tuna to all my family members at christmas so I too tend to go through it fairly quickly.

My freezer is currently full as well, but I'm making more room in it gradually. :grin:

 

[dawhunt]

I smoke it for xmas presents,
Bob

 

[Riverliver]

:grin:

My boss brings smoked salmon in all the time to work as a snack. :smile:
Another manager went to Alaska,then cooked lunch twice for us with his catch.

Nothing better then having salmon at work. Yummmmmmmmmy Maybe next time they will bring beer. hahahahahahaha :cheers:

 

[clearview2u]

Hmmm since I STILL have not had the pleasure of a catch I don't seem to have that problem.

 

[the bear]

i give away alot of fish and im not competing with the commercial fisherman one bit, there are retirement communitys all over with folks that are on a fixed income that cannot afford the cost of these fish,i know my wife works in the homecare field and you should see there face when you give them some nice spring chinook filets :grin: also fun to sit and listen to a few of there stories and tell a few ,these people are lonely and would appreciate the little bit of time and effort you show for giving them a piece of fish if you think im wrong,well then im sorry because i am and will keep doing it,,,,,,,

 

[JohnB]

We have several fruit trees in our yard that yield more than we can can/freeze/give away. A few years ago we found a group that comes by, picks the fruit, and then distributes to the needy. One time I had a freezer full of salmon like you and offered it to them while they were at our home. Now we have made it a tradition to pass on our keepers to them. I bet there is a second harvest/ food donation organization in your area that would jump for joy with your donation.

BTW we release most of our fish and only keep the ones that appear to not be able to survive after the release.

Nothing like helping others in need as far as Im concerned.

My $0.02

[ 08-30-2003, 08:23 PM: Message edited by: JohnB ]

 

[Fish4Fun]

Like others have stated here, we only keep a few fish and release the rest. I rarely give fish away, and never give wild meat out. The rule in this house, if it isn't going to be eatten up then don't kill it. My folks taught us that lesson 40 years ago and I still live that way now.

 

[Spoiled Daddy]

I just sent about 50 lbs of vaccum packed filets to Eastern Washington to my favorite brother and sister-in-law. :cheers: They take very good care of us and it is the least we can do in return!


SD