Vacuum Sealers for Fish, food, Game

[Administrator]

I know some of you use vacuum sealers for sealing your fish. I was wondering what sealer you use? We are looking at one Cabelas has on sale right now, http://www.cabelas.com/product/Bargain-Cave/Home-Pet/Cooking-Food%7C/pc/105591780/c/105779880/sc/105775380/Cabelas-12-Commercial-Grade-Vacuum-Sealer/1661927.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fcooking-food%2F_%2FN-1102828%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_105775380%3FWTz_l%3DUnknown%253Bcat105591780%253Bcat105779880&WTz_l=Unknown%3Bcat105591780%3Bcat105779880%3Bcat105775380.

But wondering what features you like that your sealer has. Thanks in advance.

[Jay Thomas]

Hi Nancy:

IMHO, vacuum sealing harvested fish is the best method to care for harvested fish during fishing trips. I take a generator with me on trips where there is no electricity just to ensure that I can vacuum seal those harvested fish designated for going home. About 7 years ago I purchased a FoodSaver vacuum sealer and its been on every one of my fishing trips since. I also use it at home to vacuum seal steaks whenever I do a bulk buy. I like the 20 foot continuous plastic rolls that permit me to cut any length storage bag (e.g. occasionally for a northern pike). The only drawback for FoodSaver rolls is their cost. FoodSaver does have sales on these bags and if you do a bulk buy (e.g. 30 rolls), the price per roll is quite reasonable. Unfortunately, FoodSaver won't ship the bags to Canada. Consequently, I have to have the rolls shipped to an American colleague and then make my own arrangements to get the rolls.

Jay

[Oarin]

Hi Nancy, I also use Food Saver. I've taken it on numerous trips and it has always kept the fish fresh until we eat them. There are other cheaper bags you can buy that work, but in my opinion they're not as good. My wife(an innie, not an outie) and I use it often for many other bulk buys. In my opinion, if you have a freezer it's a no brainer. Oarin.- Thanks again for starting this site!

[JigginFool]

I agree.  I have a Food Saver brand and only use Food Saver bags.  The bags are more expensive but I do find on line coupons and also receive specials directly from Food Saver once in a while.  I process my own deer and every piece of meet gets vacuum sealed, last year I did 4 deer and the meet keeps for ever, well until we eat it since it's almost gone.

[johnny walleye]

Im with Jay on this one ,stopping short of cutting the skin off ,I place saran wrap between the flap .
sharpie works great to to write on the bags

[RHYBAK]

Hi Nancy:

IMHO, vacuum sealing harvested fish is the best method to care for harvested fish during fishing trips. I take a generator with me on trips where there is no electricity just to ensure that I can vacuum seal those harvested fish designated for going home. About 7 years ago I purchased a FoodSaver vacuum sealer and its been on every one of my fishing trips since. I also use it at home to vacuum seal steaks whenever I do a bulk buy. I like the 20 foot continuous plastic rolls that permit me to cut any length storage bag (e.g. occasionally for a northern pike). The only drawback for FoodSaver rolls is their cost. FoodSaver does have sales on these bags and if you do a bulk buy (e.g. 30 rolls), the price per roll is quite reasonable. Unfortunately, FoodSaver won't ship the bags to Canada. Consequently, I have to have the rolls shipped to an American colleague and then make my own arrangements to get the rolls.

Jay

Jay
I buy my rolls at COSTCO.

They sell them in a bulk box of six rolls and they happen to be going on sale this week or next.
You can't beat the COSTCO price.
Other than that Canadian Tire sells them also but way to costly.

[Jay Thomas]

Jay
I buy my rolls at COSTCO.

They sell them in a bulk box of six rolls and they happen to be going on sale this week or next.
You can't beat the COSTCO price.
Other than that Canadian Tire sells them also but way to costly.

Hi John

I couldn't find a price on Foodsaver rolls on the Costco web site today. If I'm not mistaken, I believe the box of 6 Foodsaver rolls at Costco includes 4 rolls 11" X 16'  and 2 rolls 8" X 20'. I don't often have a requirement for 11 inch wide Foodsaver rolls - I don't catch big lakers like you do in the Muskokas. Eight inch wide X 20 foot long Foodsaver rolls are my favourites.  When I looked up the price of Foodsaver rolls on the Foodsaver Canada web site, I could buy 12 eight inch X 20 foot rolls for approx $9.40 per roll. I chose 12 rolls because that quantity would qualify my purchase for free shipping. I still have 12 eight inch wide rolls remaining from my bulk purchase thru Cdr Bluegill back in 2011 (at approx $7.50 per roll).

Jay

[Dog]

those that use vaccuum sealers and have gotten stopped for inspection, do they make you brake the vacuum seal as part of the inspection process? It'd be a real pain in the arse to have to fire off the generator and redo that on the side of the road while in transit....

[Jay Thomas]

Hi Nate:

While I don't cross into the USA with fish, I do cross the provincial border into Ontario where both the possession limit as well as the length limits are different than in Quebec Zone 13 west. I vacuum seal all our fish, designated for home, individually (one fish per bag) with the skin on. The bags are transparent enough that no one would have any difficulty identifying the species of fish in each bag. I also try to keep each fish being vacuumed sealed straight in the bag (would facilitate a length measurement should the need ever arise).

Jay

[Dog]

@Jay Thomas good deal, thanks for the idea. I have a feeling @SgtCrabby or Unc may be bringing one with him this year...

[RHYBAK]

Dog you lucky guy.
You're heading back to Kipawa this year.
Pack your warm clothes.

When are you going....

[SgtCrabby]

As far as I know, Dog meant next year (2015).
I do not have enough stuff to get hot at the end of the year

Pour autant que je sais, Chien signifiait l'année prochaine (2015).
Je n'ai pas assez de trucs chaud pour aller en cette fin de l'année 

[Dog]

Dog you lucky guy.
You're heading back to Kipawa this year.
Pack your warm clothes.

When are you going....

ooops... my mental calender resets after each canadian fishing trip, so by "this year" I meant, this year's fishing trip or the 2015 as Sgtcrabby stated... I think this may be the first sign of a problem. haha

[JigginFool]

Bought more 8" vacuum sealer bags since they are on sale, $6.99 per roll if you buy 4 rolls and free shipping.    Just in case someone is interested.  http://www.foodsaver.com/FSFSBF0541-DTC.html#prefn1=fsvSize&prefv1=8-inch&start=5