Can Cunjevoi Be Frozen?

[girlie]

We often use cunjevoi off the rocks and wonder whether it can be preserved for later use. Can it be frozen like chook gut or would it deteriorate when defrosted? Any ideas?

[Captain Spanner]

I've never done it. You could try salting it to toughen it for bait but i dont know if the fish will still like it. or freezing it in a tub (ice cream container) of salt water to try to stop it from drying out and freezer burning.

[hottyscotty]

can cunje be taken out of the area?

[arpie]

Hi girlie

Whenever cunje gets washed off the rocks after really rough seas, it usually turns up on the high tide mark of any beaches nearby. So, I always grab as much as I can (go down with a saw & cut it open on the beach & put it in a plastic jar with well fitting lid) and freeze it. I only keep the top half of the cunje (nipples). Or put the other stuff in another jar, as berley. You can also add some salt to it, to make it a bit tougher, too.

It only deteriorates after defrosting if left in the sun ...... it ferments & will blow the top off any container that you have it in.

Freezing it in small containers is the way to go, as it keeps really well when frozen & you only need to take out as much as you think you'll need.

Some coastal areas in Sydney are 'no take' areas from the rocks, so it would be interesting to see if, when it is washed up on the shore after big swells, whether you can 'gather it' or not. If left on the beach, it goes rotten & stinks something horrible anyway, so you would be doing them a favour to gather it anyway!!! It smells pretty 'off' at the best of times, but has a fairly 'sweet' smell when fresh. The older it gets, the 'squishier' it gets & doesn't go on the hook well at all.

i've never had any with freezer burn yet! When the fish are 'on', they will take any that you throw at them!

GOod luck

Roberta

[girlie]

Thanks for that Roberta, just what I needed to know. There's heaps of it here on the mid north coast and with the recent rains it's sometimes the only bait available (always like to use fresh bait, crabs, pippies, worms, etc.) So will keep some in the freezer from now on for emergencies.