# Can you feeze cutbait



## NDhunter7

Is cutbait as effective after it is frozen for a week or two?


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## Sasha and Abby

Works fine... not quite as good as fresh.


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## proguide

You can freeze cut bait and get it to last for a month or two with virtually no noticeable difference between it and fresh. The key is freeze it a quickly as possible and keep it flat so you can get it out of the bag easy. When you are using it keep it packed on ice because once it is thawed it cannot be re-frozen and it will become mushy as you use it.


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## NDhunter7

Thank you


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## Backwater Eddy

I mostly prefer frozen cutbaits, and here is my reasoning for doing so.

I like to catch my bait ahead of time, suckers, Goldeye, Mooneye..ect.. and keep them alive tell I cut them.

I scale them quickly and cut them in appropriate sized chunks. Why scale? Scaling is an Old chefs trick and fresh fish when scales exude more oils from the meat to the outer skin, adds better scent. It also helps to eliminate the potential for a fish scale fouling the hook point and causing you to miss a strike.

Once scaled and cut to size I slide them juice cuts into Zip-Lock bags or saved up ice cream containers made from waxed paper in quantity's fitting for a half day trip or full day trip. I feel the blood and scent gets better dispersed on the baits this way, and when well sealed prove to work just as well as fresh, or even better.

You also lessen the mess and fly's in the boat this way, and in the vehicle. I also think the frozen chunks disperse the scent better and in a more times sequence producing a longer lasting scent trail.

With cutbait it's all about the best scent you can provide. If done properly frozen is effective and convenient.


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## bluesman

I recall having some shad guts. I was fishing for flatheads and every time I didnt't catch one I'd throw them back in the freezer. I used the same shad gut all summer and did not catch a single flathead. My brother was not using them so I know it wasn't the bait. They just weren't there. shad guts are tough. Not like chicken liver.


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## specialpatrolgroup

Anytime I have tried to freeze goldeye, they turn to mush when defrosted, any tricks to this? Maybe freeze them whole or alive?


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## Backwater Eddy

Pre-scale, pre-cut, and freeze fresh Mooneye/Goldeye as quickly as you can after being caught, preferably in a zip-lock or an sealed container like an ice cream pail.

Freeze up in trip sized portions, as refreezing just makes the mush factor worse.

The cells of the flesh tend not to explode as badly while freezing this way, cells expand and burst from freezing and that is why it gets mushy.

A trick I use is add a handful of Solar Salt or Pickling Salts to the pre-cuts prior to freezing. This will also reduce this cellular bursting. Salt often can be a stimulant to feeding and ads in scent dispersal in the water.


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## dirtymike

Another way to do it and you wont get as smelly on game day. Say you are taking out your new girl or wife hates the smelly hands during fishing. I will pre bait many hooks than freeze them. When fishing and you need to rebait all you need is a pair of needle nose pliers to put your fresh hook and bait on the leader. This way you never come in contact with the bait, and you can keep your bait frozen till it hits the water. Or almost frozen anyhow. My wife gets to keep her hands clean and I dont have to stop what I am doing and put bait on for her. While frozen the bait stays firm and like mentioned before is kinda a time release scent.


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