How to freeze fish in Islamorada

[Windigo]

Booked a couple charters out of Islamorada FL and decided to start planning on success. Never flown to fish before.

Say we’re lucky and get a bunch of fish in the box. I can buy a cooler no problem and just check it with the airline to fly home. But how do I get a good freeze on the fish in a hotel room mini fridge?

Do hotels in the keys generally let you use their freezer like a game cooler? Do guides generally have a hookup, or am I gonna have to try and get the ice cream truck driver drunk enough to do me a favor?

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Booked a couple charters out of Islamorada FL and decided to start planning on success. Never flown to fish before.

Say we’re lucky and get a bunch of fish in the box. I can buy a cooler no problem and just check it with the airline to fly home. But how do I get a good freeze on the fish in a hotel room mini fridge?

Do hotels in the keys generally let you use their freezer like a game cooler? Do guides generally have a hookup, or am I gonna have to try and get the ice cream truck driver drunk enough to do me a favor?

Dry ice is always an option but usually the guide can get a freeze on it for you. Depends on the hotel but some smaller ones with bars/restaurants attached would probably help you out as well.

 

[def90]

If you have already booked your charters I would call them and ask them..

 

[Rich M]

Yup. Ask the guide and the hotel.

Fwiw, it is not that common.

 

[Windigo]

Yup. Ask the guide and the hotel.

Fwiw, it is not that common.

Wouldn’t be the end of the world if it doesn’t work out. This is more of a trip with some fishing rather than a fishing trip.

 

[Windigo]

If you have already booked your charters I would call them and ask them..

My charter’s response on the phone was “no problem, do it all the time”, which is great, but it’d be nice to have a backup plan

 

[thinhorn_AK]

My charter’s response on the phone was “no problem, do it all the time”, which is great, but it’d be nice to have a backup plan

In AK they sell fish boxes which are styrofoam lined cardboard and they will deep freeze stuff and pack it in there.

I’d be shocked if a serious fishing destination like Islamorada didn’t have something similar.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

I fished there and crushed it on Grouper (just happened to be lucky that the season came in when we were there).

We were aboard the Floridian boat.

Also caught Barracuda (not good eating - too bony I think).

Call around to find a place that “flash freezes”. Shouldn’t be that hard. And they’ll know about the waxlined cardboard fish boxes.

Good luck - keep us posted with your haul.

I really wanted to hook into Tarpon but that didn’t happen. Big iguanas everywhere were a hoot too.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Will_m]

There’s a couple fish freezing/shipping services down there. Should be able to google them up.