With short seasons, do you freeze some for later in the year?

You need a vacuum sealer. Only way to keep freezer burn off freezer bag fish is if none of the fish is touching plastic.

Even with a vacuum sealer red snapper only keeps fresh for about 3-4 months IMO. Friends wrap them in saran wrap before sealing. So I give away what I don't think I'll eat.

Old school way was to freeze them in zip lock bags with water. I'm not going to suggest that to you here for not wanting to start a big fracas. But I've eaten snapper/grouper 2 years later after doing this and it tasted fresh as just caught. And no freezer burn.

It’ll work, as long as the meat isn’t touching plastic like I said above. There’s an art to vacuum sealing correctly. Otherwise it’s just a ziplock bag. Hard to explain.

Thanks for your comment. I've been using the above method for many years and never had freezer burn.

Thanks for the comment, but your second paragraph seems to contradict your first.

I don't think so.

The first paragraph means I vac seal and the snapper only seems to keep for 3-4 months ... for me anyway.

The second paragraph points out that I used to freeze them in a zip lock bag of water and the fish lasted much longer.

Is it OK, to freeze them in fresh water?

You can use fresh water but salt water is better. The trick is when you thaw them you need to snip the corners of the zip lock bag and sit them to enable the water to drain out. You don't want them the sit in the water.

It's kind of a PITA which is why I vac seal what I'll be able to eat and the give some to friends and family.