Went digging through my freezers looking for stuff to "sacrifice" at Chub this year. Old stuff that didn't get used last summer in the tournies gets taken there and put out at frenzy time when the fish aren't picky.
Now I understand freezer burn and there was some of that. Then we get to this years question mark. Some processed big baits like mullet and macks are so "brined" that they don't freeze all the way hard even at like zero degrees. The mullets for the most part were ok and even some of the macks. Then some of the macks werent...
I'm old enough to know rotten when I smell it. I'm not talking about freezer burned dried out I'm talking about slimy and god awful shit that would gag a maggot. I don't get it.. How at zero degrees does something go off like that? All one brand that I won't post up... Can't be 100% certain but pretty sure we bought these packs at different places.
I'm wondering if they were "off" at the processor or if maybe they thawed on truck comming north then refroze before getting to dealer? Anybody had something like this?
Deep,
Although I did not have the same thing happen I did have a huge butterfish problem a few years back. I was working on an inspected charter boat and grabbed 6 flats of butters. I normally inspect them while in the "walk in" and I did this time but only looked at 2. While we are loading up the charter I am cutting chunks. While I am cutting I have all the flats open and thawing except 1 for baits. I get into the 2nd or 3rf flat and notice even though they are still frozen they smell like shit, and the meat is a disgusting yellow. I have to admit that the baits looked ok to me. the eyes were a little sunken but not bad enough for chunks. Anyway I notice the difference and quickly put all the yellow butters in different buckets. Obviously at that point we were 20 out and had no choice but to grin and bear it.
Once we got setup I didnt want to start off the night with crap so I begin with the good butters and we load up on tuna. Next is uncertain, but as soon I got to the other buckets the bite stopped. I am not sure if the bite stopped due to the chunks(i think so, but cant be sure as we all have seen the bite die off) but the one thing that changed was the chunks. the point I am trying to make is that the baits looked good until I cut into them. Can the bait suppliers make the bait look good or better by doing anything different? flash freeze after a thaw? Maybe there is a time frame in which they can do this and keep the bait looking good. I dont know. Sorry I could not give you a real answer
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