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How long can you keep raw fish in the refrigerator?

1,959 Views | 22 Replies | Last: 17 hrs ago by Gunny456
Josepi
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8:12p, 7/26/26
AG
We caught a lot of crappie on Saturday morning and plan to fry it up Tuesday night. Do I need to freeze it, or will it be ok in the fridge? Lots of conflicting information on the internet. The quick Google answer says 1-2 days without freezing, but a lot of people say 3-4 days is fine.

I'd rather not freeze it but also don't want it to go bad.
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FIDO*98*
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8:20p, 7/26/26
AG
Put it in a bowl with a bag of ice on top and you'll be fine. Realistically, you would be fine just putting it in the fridge, but I would still try to keep it as cold as possible.
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Wearer of the Ring
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8:36p, 7/26/26
AG
Till about 3 seconds after your wife finds it.
I feel so much better since about 11 a.m. CT on 20 Jan. 2025
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fishnvet
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8:55p, 7/26/26
AG
A lot of fridges just don't keep the fish cold enough. The ice idea is fine, though. If it were me I'd shrink wrap the fillets as they will keep longer this way, and I'd keep them on ice chilled the entire time. I think that would help
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SGrem
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9:34p, 7/26/26
Bull pucky....

10 days. I tell all of my customers to keep enough fish that they can eat in the next ten days. Keep it fresh in the fridge for ten days then needs to be cooked and eaten. Of course its their trip and they can keep their legal limits but I dont recomend freezing fish. Fishing it way too fun to freeze fish. Eat em fresh within 10 days without freezing .

I have not bought meat at the grocery store since 1997. All wild game and fish. So i do this a lot. Whoever is saying 2 to 3 days .... pppfffffttttt. Sometimes I keep my fish whole in the ice chest and may not get to cleaning them for two to three days....

If you think your "wild caught fresh never frozen" salmon or sushi from Nova Scotia got here in 2 to 3 days then ive got some ocean front property in Arizona for ya.....
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CS78
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10:16p, 7/26/26
Highly dependent on how hot it gets on the front end. I've only had fish go bad once. Was cutting the cheeks off grouper and making a small pile as I cleaned them. Maybe sat out for 20-30 minutes. In the shade. Heat of summer. Few days later, that bag of cheeks was rotten while the fillets that went directly back on ice were perfectly fine.
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JLN90
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10:28p, 7/26/26
AG
Just fried some up that had been in the fridge for 5 days if that helps any.. you should be fine
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to JLN90 • 10:30p, 7/26/26
JLN90 said:
Just fried some up that had been in the fridge for 5 days if that helps any.. you should be fine


Report back in the morning.
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trip98
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10:33p, 7/26/26
AG
If anything put in fridge in a bowl of ice water and will keep it even a little colder than just regular fridge
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BlueSmoke
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7:42a, 7/27/26
Do you have a vacuum sealer? Helps quite a bit. Ziploc makes bags with a little hand-pump sealer that I have used in the past and it works well

Like this
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ought1ag
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8:03a, 7/27/26
AG
had a buddy in college keep some in a fridge for a couple months........i dont advise trying that.
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to maroon barchetta • 8:38a, 7/27/26
AG
maroon barchetta said:
JLN90 said:
Just fried some up that had been in the fridge for 5 days if that helps any.. you should be fine


Report back in the morning.

I'd be more worried if he had a salad with that fish
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EliteElectric
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8:47a, 7/27/26
I have vac sealed fresh fish and kept it in the fridge for a week then grilled it and it was fine. I only vac sealed it to keep my fridge from smelling like a fish market. You'll be fine
www.elitellp.net/

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FIDO*98*
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9:17a, 7/27/26
AG
I'd hate to smell a fridge with fish sitting in it for 10 days regardless if the fish is still good
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CS78
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In reply to Wearer of the Ring • 9:29a, 7/27/26
Some of yall didn't break your wife in right. Get them used to whole dead ducks in the fridge and some fish fillets are nothing.
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SGrem
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In reply to FIDO*98* • 9:54a, 7/27/26
Ziploc
Tupperware

Its not like its sitting in the display case at the bait shop.... its ready to cook.

Have bacon in a its wrapper in your fridge? Or hot dogs? Or sausage in a wrapper? Cheese in the resealable bag it came with? Come awn yall.... its not like its piled in there on the shelf....
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Gunny456
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In reply to SGrem • 10:09a, 7/27/26
AG
This 100 times. We keep our refrigerators really cold. (34) Leave meets/fish/pork wrapped up in there for three to four days all the time.
TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!
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S.A. Aggie
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10:25a, 7/27/26
AG
I've frozen fish in water in zip lock bags and it's alright. Not as good as fresh. I never freeze shark or king fish. They taste nasty afterwards.
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Gmanoutdoors
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6:53p, 7/27/26
AG
My rule is 7 days and I've never had an issue
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Hook63
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12:44a, 7/28/26
It easily keeps a week plus if it's really cold. I like it very close to freezing (some refrigerators can hold under 34, some can't). As someone mentioned above, in the fridge with a bag of ice on top works well.
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Gunny456
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In reply to CS78 • 8:39a, 7/28/26
AG
This is correct info. If you clean your fish and it's hot as heck and the fish is warm and you stick it in a fridge that is at 38-41 or so and leave it a week you are running a risk.
TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!
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O.G.
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9:16a, 7/28/26
Ben Franklin said, Fish and house guests go bad after 3 days. .....So does Vegas for that matter...
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Gunny456
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In reply to O.G. • 9:17a, 7/28/26
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