What's the best way to keep crappie firm and flakey? I've been going from the livewell to the cleaning table to ice to the freezer. Do I need to go to ice before the cleaning table? Other thoughts?

Thanks!

I filet them, wash them up in cold water, then put them in quart freezer bags full of water with all the air squeezed out, then to the freezer. I mark the month and year on the bag before putting the fish or water in it.. Always firm and flakey after applying corn meal and cooking oil.

I (almost) always put fish on ice at the end of the day and clean the next day. IMO they are much easier to filet and there is less blood in the meat. I still soak in salt water in fridge for at least another day before freezing in freezer bags with water and NO air bubbles in the bags. Not too hard to squeeze out air, but submerging in a pot of water totally accomplishes the feat.

I keep fish on ice in a cooler on the lake then dump the ice into the fillet bucket as I'm cleaning the fish. I've been using the fish washer bucket too. Fillets come out really nice if you run it a couple minutes.

cooking time and temp have a lot to do with the finished product.
I think 365 is the ideal temp , do not over cook, they don't take long. Lots of people say when they float , they are done. IMHO
that works for catfish nuggets , crappie are done as soon as the cornmeal changes color.
you mileage may vary

MO

I always clean crappie the next day after being on ice all night. They are much firmer and cleaner to filet, it seems like you get more meat off the fillets when they are cold and firm.

Then bag when up in quart freezer bags with no air bubbles.