all my life - and I am old! I keep them alive in water when caught (on a stringer/basket/live well), or ice them. Crappie ALWAYS get iced immediately! Clean as soon as I can. Prefer filleting/skinning - even hand sized bream (my fav!)! rinse the blood out of the fillets. put filets in a pan in salt water and run a trickle of water over them for 30 min. Freeze in a bag or milk carton in water. Thaw slowly/in a pan of water. fry in beer batter. Beer batter is flour, heaping teaspoon of cream of tarter (KEY! Keeps oil out of filet!), black pepper and beer. Batter consistency should be same as whole milk (do I REALLY have to specify?!?! LOL!) buttermilk. when thin tater chip filet floats in hot grease it is done. Serve with scalloped potatoes, baked beans, garlic bread and ice cold beer! Meal fit for a King - ME!
