Ive just gone to my bait freezer to remove some bait for my session tomorrow, only to find the freezer has been turned off....

Obviously its everyone else's fault and deffo wasn't me who turned it off by accident..... The freeezer is in the spare room which the missus also uses Ona daily basis to dry/straighten her hair....one plug off the double socket if for the freezer and the other for her hair appliances.

I don't know how long the freezer has been turned off for, but it was fully defrosted....

My boilies are cool to touch and fully defrosted... on inspection they seem fine with no evidence of mould etc....

Are these ok to use...i think they will be fine....but i know if i have a few blanks on the run....it will always be in the back of my mind the boilies are spoilt.....

Can anyone please put my mind as rest..I've got nearly 50kg which might be going in the bin...and a big loud “discussion”with the wife on who's paying for them if there to be binned.... ive took out 5kg for tomorrow and they are now hanging in air bags ready for toomorrow....and I've gonna refreeze the other 45kg......

I hope i do catch as since lockdown my syndicate has been fishing its head off....

Thanks in advance for any replies.....

Ps I'm there any device i can fit the plug socket to stop this happening again

In reply to Post #1
If they still feel cool on a today like today I would say they are fine!

Give them a good roll in the liquid and let them soak it back up! back in freezer if you can find one, otherwise you could just air dry them, perfect weather

Some baits you are better off leaving them out prior to use anyway

Let's hope you catch a few

In reply to Post #1
Just glug the lot and then re freeze them if you are worried

As above post lol

In reply to Post #1
They will be fine, if they are off they will be mouldy, just turn the freezer back on and refreeze them

In reply to Post #1
Change the socket to one with no switches on it, then whack a big “do not unplug” label on there... Also, freeze a cup of water, then put it in the freezer sideways on, if it's ever empty then you will know what's happened...

Thanks for the quick reply's...much appreciated...

Ive just purchased a plug safe cover thingy from eBay.....

Ill let you know if they work...ive just refreezed them when the freezer gets back to temp.....

Thanks again....

In reply to Post #6
Vacuum pack them, get a cheap one with bags off Amazon, chuck a little liquid in and bobs your uncle. You can defrost and refreeze a vacuum packed bait many times with no detrimental effect versus a bait just frozen in normal bags.

In reply to Post #7
Cheers pal....tbh i have 10kg of bait packed in 1kg bags vacuum packed.... i bought a cheap one fron Jml direct when i use to make my own boilies.....

The other baits are still in the original sealed packaging from DNA baits....I'm sure all will be ok...

What liquids would you recommend for s7 & SLK.....i generally don't use liquids on my baits and these have done well for me straight out the bag....i did get dome fish hydro liquid with them but not found it to make them any better TBH.....

In reply to Post #8
I only put a liquid in on baits i refreeze, normally a small amount of dip.

Vacuum packing makes a massive difference that's why the food industry use it on things that are stored long term, a vacuum packed bait will look and smell better even after a week defrosted than anything taken out of a freezer in a normal bag, no freezer burn for starters.

I've 100kg of AH in a freezer, i know for a fact that it will look feel and smell exactly as it did when delivered even in two years time as long as the storage temp is constant.

If I have any baits left over from a session they always goes back in the freezer for prebaiting.

In reply to Post #9
Looks like I've got a busy few evenings vacuum packing my bait....i find its best to do it to frozen boilies so you don't squash them when vacuum packing..... thanks again for the advice

In reply to Post #11
I use to vacuum pack my shelf life boilies, the 14mm boilies use to be miss-shaped almost like dumbbells which can be a edge.

In reply to Post #11
I use to vacuum pack my shelf life boilies, the 14mm boilies use to be miss-shaped almost like dumbbells which can be a edge.

Quick update....

I didn't catch..but got the only run on the lake after only having my rods out for an hour...and lost the fish to a hook pull... which i cant blame on the bait as that done its job...just my rig let me down.....

Getting loads of attention by the small tench..which also gave me confidence the bait is ok...

I have gone extra cautious with the freezer....got a socket safe which covers the switch on the plug ..which should prevent it being turned off accidentally...and bought a sensor with alarms should the freezer go
Below a preset temperature...i have 2 sensors in the freezer both the alarms set....if it happens again I don't know what else i can do.....

In reply to Post #14
I'd just plug it back in and refreeze them mate. You'd be surprised just how many times some shop bought bait has been frozen and then refrozen

In reply to Post #15
I regularly defrost S7 boilies take them to the lake then return any unused to the freezer for use again, they have always been good to go next time around and fish still love them 👍.

If mould free, then re-freeze. I'd have no concerns personally.

Thanks for the reply's chaps....ive not been out fishing for a few weeks....seeds planted with the fun prevention officer and will wait for the “I don't fancy doing anything this weekend do you wanna go fishing” and the stuff will be packed before she finishes the sentence.... I generally put y surplus bait in the lake in my few spots unless there is other anglers on the water then I feel this is bad etiquette if they are fishing near by and will re-freeze once and use them next time out or use them for my salt cured baits.....

In reply to Post #1
It could be worse. My freezer conked out whilst I was on holiday due to the heat and I got back to find a freezer full of mouldy bait. Threw out 27.5kg, including 15kg of Hydra K I was saving for a holiday.

In reply to Post #19
If you had vacuum packed it it would of been ok,

In reply to Post #19
Now add 20kg of meat and imagine the smell from our house last summer...

In reply to Post #20
Don't worry they will be vacuum packed this weekend and in future all new baits will be vacuum packed in 2kg bags

In reply to Post #20
Good to know. Can fit more in the freezer too I guess. Just need to get a vacuum packer . Would it preserve shelf life as well?

In reply to Post #21
Mmm, lovely. I wouldn't be too bothered about the meat, was gutting throwing away my bait though.

In reply to Post #23
Wouldn't do them any harm. I have had vacuum packed baits defrost and be left out for a week, opened them up and they looked and smelt as they did when delivered fresh, just dont leave them in the sun.

Soft bait will misshapen slightly but reshape once you open the bag slightly, great for forcing liquids too.

I bag mine up 2KG at a time so I know exactly what's been used each session and what's left, bags are reusable too

In reply to Post #24
No not the meat... The combined smell of rotting boilies and meat 😂😂 well at least I got new freezer 😂

In reply to Post #10
Mine always end up in my glug bucket and when I have the time and around 5kgs it's used for pre baiting a week before I go.