So what's a good one to buy?

I got into fishing again, in the past I always have eaten my fish fresh within a day or two of catching them, I don't ever freeze them. I've been getting a taste for Black Drummer recently and I think they are my favorite eating fish. I know lots of people have these vacuum sealers and swear by them. I want to get one but see that prices range from $59 at KMart to thousands of dollars.

Choice did a review on them last year. The Thermomix Vac u seal unit was ranked the highest. The K-Mart bit of kit did ok too, but the reviews are a bit hit and miss. As opposed to the freezer test, none of the units tested did that well on the fridge test.

I have a couple of sunbeam units but tbh i just use the double zip lock tough bags and displace the air by pushing the open bag into a bucket of water before zipping the seal.

99% of my vac sealer use is for fish.
I had the entry level Pac Food sealer for years. Great unit, but eventually failed.
I still buy my rolls from Pac Food.
Bought the MasterPro brand sealer from Myers or DJs. More functionality than the entry Pac food unit - the inbuilt cutter is awesome - but the vac seal regularly slips out of place. I do love the external vac port. I love to marinate meat in the 'Food Saver' containers.

I'm all for vac sealing fish. Feel a little bad about the plastic waste, though.
Good fillets/fish rely on being treated properly. Every fish that goes in the esky gets brain spiked immediately and bleed into a slurry.
If you haven't tried brain spiking (Ike Jimi) - you really should. There's even an app for it! Noticeable difference in the quality of the fillets.
I then fillet and vac pack when I get home. Lasts for ages.
I've vac packed and frozen tailor for many months, and thawed slowly, is still great. I once found a 12+ month old vac packed spotty fillet hidden in the freezer - was entirely edible. Not as good as fresh, but no one complained eating it.

Getting into 'old man rant' mode - I honestly think a lot of the fish that's looked down on, especially after freezing, comes down to how it's handled first. Look at the tailor run up at K'gari, and people leaving the fish on the sand etc. Quality of the fillets, after being frozen and thawed, is going to be less about them being frozen and more about them being 'mishandled' first.
I love fishing for Luderick too -same deal. Brain spiked and bled in a slurry. Filleted and vac packed. Thawed in the fridge etc. Still tasty as months later. OK, I'll accept that luderick aren't up there with snapper etc, but we still love them in my house. And, damn, are they fun to catch! 9ft noodle rod, luderick alvey, and watch that float sink - party time!

But back to the vacuum sealer. Certainly don't need fancy. After having the Masterpro (and not sure I'd buy it again), I'd look at one that has port for external, ie the Food Saver containers, for marinating, and has 'wet/dry' modes. For reference, the MasterPro model is $90 on Amazon (but the seal on mine is a pain). A mate has an Aldi one that does all that too, and sadly he regularly outfishes me, and his Aldi one has been going for years.

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damned67 said..

I'm all for vac sealing fish. Feel a little bad about the plastic waste, though.
Good fillets/fish rely on being treated properly. Every fish that goes in the esky gets brain spiked immediately and bleed into a slurry.
If you haven't tried brain spiking (Ike Jimi) - you really should. There's even an app for it! Noticeable difference in the quality of the fillets.
I then fillet and vac pack when I get home. Lasts for ages.
I've vac packed and frozen tailor for many months, and thawed slowly, is still great. I once found a 12+ month old vac packed spotty fillet hidden in the freezer - was entirely edible. Not as good as fresh, but no one complained eating it.

Getting into 'old man rant' mode - I honestly think a lot of the fish that's looked down on, especially after freezing, comes down to how it's handled first. Look at the tailor run up at K'gari, and people leaving the fish on the sand etc.

I am learning more about handling fish when they are caught, haven't spiked yet. I keep them alive in nets in rockpools and just before I go home I stick the knife between the back of their eyes, bleed them, gut them and fillet when I get home.

The whole process is what's sucked me in lately: collecting the bait, setting up my rigs, planning the conditions, tides, finding new rock ledges, cooking, making stock or burying waste in my vegie patch.

I want to start freezing as I tell my daughter about how delicious some of the fish I'm catching is and sometimes when she visits, I've got nothing for her to try. Been meaning to target Luderick, but too obsessed with hunting Black Drummer ATM.

Keep the skin on. Place the fillets flesh side together.

Not sure what your set up is like, or the logistics for that matter.
How difficult would it be to take an esky with you? Not a smart ass question, because sometimes lugging an esky with ice etc across rocks etc is a nightmare.
My concern would be the stress on the fish, in a net, in a rock pool (re: likely warmer water) - not from a hippy 'the fish have feelings' perspective - but what that stress is doing to the flesh ie release of lactic acid etc.
We like to brain spike as soon as they hit the deck (and confirmed as a keeper) for this reason. The right tools, and in the beginning, the app, make a massive difference.
I should add, if you're sticking a knife in behind the eyes, and it's killing them instantly (often the dorsal fins will flare), then thats brain spiking - but much easier with the correct tool than a knife.

Less ideal than an esky is the 'fish bags' - not too sure how they'd cope sitting on warm rocks? but, if you've got the spare coin, an investment in one might be worth it? If for nothing else to compare the quality of the fillets. But you're still lugging ice.

And yes, the planning is almost as fun as the fishing! assuming the planning pays off. And then there's the joy of buying new equipment etc!

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damned67 said..
Not sure what your set up is like, or the logistics for that matter.
How difficult would it be to take an esky with you? Not a smart ass question, because sometimes lugging an esky with ice etc across rocks etc is a nightmare.
My concern would be the stress on the fish, in a net, in a rock pool (re: likely warmer water) - not from a hippy 'the fish have feelings' perspective - but what that stress is doing to the flesh ie release of lactic acid etc.
We like to brain spike as soon as they hit the deck (and confirmed as a keeper) for this reason. The right tools, and in the beginning, the app, make a massive difference.
I should add, if you're sticking a knife in behind the eyes, and it's killing them instantly (often the dorsal fins will flare), then thats brain spiking - but much easier with the correct tool than a knife.

Less ideal than an esky is the 'fish bags' - not too sure how they'd cope sitting on warm rocks? but, if you've got the spare coin, an investment in one might be worth it? If for nothing else to compare the quality of the fillets. But you're still lugging ice.

And yes, the planning is almost as fun as the fishing! assuming the planning pays off. And then there's the joy of buying new equipment etc!

It's carrying all the stuff over rocks up and down steep cliffs for up to 2k that is the problem, tricky terrain and remote. Im exhausted when I get home. I try to keep it as light as possible when I'm Drummer fishing by myself. Also very handy to know what to let go and what to keep at end of session. I only take home what I can use.

When I'm beach fishing for salmon or going out with someone else I take an Eski.

I got fomo and got the KMart cheapie... It worked. I also just ate a big Drummer fillet for dinner, bloody beautiful fish.

usfa.org.au/crispy-skin-black-drummer-beurre-noisette-boulangere-potatoes-serves-2/

What's this app called?

App is called Ikejime Tool (on apple).

Lugging gear like that is torture - totally understand that an esky is out of the question (fish bag might still be an option -shoulder slung, but more weight). Doesn't help for Drummer, but when we go wading for flathead, we have use a boogie board, attached via a 9ft leg rope. Boogie board has an esky strapped to it, for both beer and fish. Attached to the esky are rod holders and drink holders. Makes it a dream.

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damned67 said..
App is called Ikejime Tool (on apple).

Lugging gear like that is torture - totally understand that an esky is out of the question (fish bag might still be an option -shoulder slung, but more weight). Doesn't help for Drummer, but when we go wading for flathead, we have use a boogie board, attached via a 9ft leg rope. Boogie board has an esky strapped to it, for both beer and fish. Attached to the esky are rod holders and drink holders. Makes it a dream.

I have an old 14ft sup that I attach an eski to, its a good setup with rod holders. I'll paddle it somewhere where I don't get to hear anyone say "got any fish, mate". But I only go out when it's dead flat, sunny, and no wind.

Thinking about the last sentence, that should have been today.