Bait-Neck question.

Harford Crabber · October 06, 2024, 12:19:58 PM

I've been buying 40 lb boxes of chicken necks from Richardsons Farms on Ebenezer Rd for a few years. One of the few places you can still by necks unfrozen. I like to get the box home, take out a couple hundred necks to bait up 1200' trotline and then put the rest (about 650-750) necks in 1 gallon ziplock bags of about 50 per bag and freeze them. That way I can thaw a few at a time as they're needed.

This year all the necks I've bought from Richardsons have been good quality, about medium size good for trotline, not more than a pound or 2 of nubs, but the skin left on the necks is unbelievable. I'm pretty sure Richardson's gets the necks already boxed up and I believe the brand is Country Pride? In years past I've never seen this much useless skin plus it's a real PIA pulling it off the necks, especially since "skinless necks" is written on the outside of the box. The last 3 boxes have had over 4 lbs. of skin (weighed after being pulled off of necks) plus more wings than I've seen in previous years.

I'm curious if others have experienced the same problem from other suppliers?

Wallco99 · October 06, 2024, 12:44:34 PM

That is another version of "shrink"flation. All companies apparently are doing it. My necks from Taylor Farms chicken are coming that way too. Aggravating to say the least. I think i weighed 5-6 lbs of skin, and another 3 lbs of blood. Not to mention, the few heads and wings that are thrown into each box.

Logical1 · October 06, 2024, 12:56:07 PM

I get 40# boxes of necks from Save a Lot and have not had any issues. Hardly any skin and only one head in all the years I have been buying from them. I will be getting a box in the spring, I will let you guys know how they are when I repackage them into quart bags.

Wallco99 · October 06, 2024, 03:41:02 PM

How much are you paying for that?

mbrage97 · October 06, 2024, 05:19:38 PM

I bought two boxes from Richardson's this year and had the same issue. At least three pounds of skin in each. I pack them 100 to a gallon bag for line baiting and lost 75 to 100 necks per box compared to prior years. I started buying 40 lb boxes from Weis late this season. They are bigger and no skin. I can break the larger ones in half for the line or save some for traps. I don't remember the supplier name on the box.

Harford Crabber · October 06, 2024, 06:19:03 PM

I started buying 40 lb boxes from Weis late this season. They are bigger and no skin. I can break the larger ones in half for the line or save some for traps. I don't remember the supplier name on the box.

mbrage97 Were they frozen when you bought them? Which Weis store?

mbrage97 · October 06, 2024, 08:42:10 PM

Quote from: Harford Crabber on October 06, 2024, 06:19:03 PMI started buying 40 lb boxes from Weis late this season. They are bigger and no skin. I can break the larger ones in half for the line or save some for traps. I don't remember the supplier name on the box.

mbrage97 Were they frozen when you bought them? Which Weis store?

They were frozen and usually are (but not always). On a whim mid-summer, I asked the meat guy if he had a box and he said they did. I sent him to the back to grab them. $29 for forty lbs. I have gotten them there on and off for years. I get them at the Joppa & Bel Air Rd location. I believe you can order them at any location. They tend to keep it on the down-low, but will do it. To me, Weis necks are made for pull traps because they are big and fat, but most can be broken into the 1.5 inch pieces I like for my line.

KC_Jones · October 07, 2024, 08:58:51 AM

I get mine from Clyde's Sport shop on Hammonds Ferry Rd ($39.99 plus tax) and I have seen the same thing this year. I'd say I got a couple pounds of skin in each of the two boxes I bought this year.

I started buying from them a couple years ago when the local butchers just stopped getting them. "You're on the wait list" and then it never shows up. Clyde's always has tons. They are all frozen, but I work with it.

KC_Jones · October 07, 2024, 10:18:13 AM

The last box was still in our recycle at home, so had the wife check. The ones I'm buying are from Pilgrim's Pride in Colorado

crewstation · October 07, 2024, 12:24:06 PM

Bringhurst Meats in Berlin, NJ. I also noticed the quality shrinking, so I did a little measuring with a food scale a couple of weeks ago. After trimming off the skin, I was left with 29 lbs of chicken necks. The rest was 7 lbs of skin, 3 lbs of blood, and I guess a pound ended up seeping into my driveway or evaporating.

Wallco99 · October 07, 2024, 02:25:57 PM

Quote from: crewstation on October 07, 2024, 12:24:06 PMBringhurst Meats in Berlin, NJ. I also noticed the quality shrinking, so I did a little measuring with a food scale a couple of weeks ago. After trimming off the skin, I was left with 29 lbs of chicken necks. The rest was 7 lbs of skin, 3 lbs of blood, and I guess a pound ended up seeping into my driveway or evaporating.

The plastic coated box weighs a pound. I think they count that now too.