Good morning! I searched the archives but didn’t find any info. New to kayak fishing but it seems to present the same problem for us as surf fishing . . . keeping fish cool/fresh all day in the hot sun without ice. Any suggestions? Insulated fish bags without ice? I don’t like the idea of dragging caught fish along in the water behind a kayak. What methods do you use? Thanks in advance for any info and suggestions.
keeping them alive on a stringer …
– Last Updated: Jun-08-10 10:56 AM EST –
...... untill you can get them on ice or right onto the cutting board is about all I can think of ... short of packing them on ice immediately .
What type/size fish is it that you are wanting to keep for the table ... how many ??
Small fish like Bass and panfish don't need a very large ice storage cooler , a large Playmate and a bag of ice can hold a number of them .
Larger fish like Stripers need to be iced out right away in a suitable size ice chest , etc. .
I'm just sitting here wondering what the specifics of what you are thinking about are ?? What kind of fish , where you'll be when you catch and keep them , and how long you think you'll have to hold them before cutting up ??
You have to keep them cold once they kick the bucket , that's all I know . When we chose to keep fish , we determinw that before we go and ice and cooler are gear that goes along . One way or the other , sooner or later , the fish get on ice before they croak .
Keep 'em cold
Off the hook and on the ice. There are a number of lightweight ice chests that won’t take up much room or add much weight. The cheap styrofoam coolers are better than nothing. Use a bungie to keep from losing the lid.
KEEPING FISH FRESH
I use a floating fish basket tied along side.
Works for me.
keeping fish cool
Thanks for info. Size of fish . . . when we’re down in Florida, we’re catching sea trout and redfish, the occasional 3-foot bonnethead shark or black tip when fishing from the rental house dock and would be the same if kayak fishing. When surf fishing, we use a cart to carry a cooler/ice down to an isolated part of the beach. I’ve been trying to figure out some way to get away from the cooler (plus kayak fishing) and thought maybe some of you with kayak fishing expeience had come up with some mathod that had escaped us.
fish bag
– Last Updated: Jun-29-10 5:04 PM EST –
Lots of folks use an insolated "fish bag" There is a company that makes them shaped to match the bow of your kayak. A few frozen water bottles & you should be good to go. Just google insulated fish bag & you should get several hits.