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 Post subject: Best Ways to Keep Fish
PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:52 am 
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Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 3:34 pm
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Location: Central Texas
Hello. I've been going back and forth from stringer to ice chest when it comes to where to keep the fish I catch to take home. For me the stringer is okay but fish don't stay alive all day and if I happen to hook a keeper fish in the gills it sure doesn't last long on the stringer. I do have a 48 quart Igloo cooler that fits cross ways in the rear tank well (fits perfectly) but it takes up a lot of room and adds
quite a bit of weight by the time I put ice in it. I fish central Texas fresh waters and south Texas coastal waters. Our summers get hot. I know Hobie offers a fish bag as do others but honestly fish bags don't work well exposed to Texas summer heat.

Questions for the community:

How do you keep fish? Also what are your pros & cons on stringer vs. fish bags vs. ice chest vs. other option?

Thanks!


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 3:57 pm 
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We had used a cooler at first, but, like you, found it too large as well as prone to catch wind.

We added insulation to the front hatch bin and the hatch cover -- using reflextix/foam. This has worked well for our needs -- holding ice for a day's fishing and keeping the deck clear. When we keep fish, we do so to eat them, and so keep smaller fish, which fit into the hatch. We also gill/bleed the fish before placing them in the ice.

Another option we use on our tandem island is using hot/cold mylar grocery bags. We line a mylar bag with closed cell foam (fold a piece of foam in half); then place another mylar bag inside that (with the foam, as sandwich between). This has proven to be an inexpensive method that has kept ice even overnight. The larger mylar bags are a few dollars and are large enough for nearly all the fish we keep. These bags fit inside the front hatch, so again, keeps the deck clear (and out of the sun). They also make it easy to carry to the fish cleaning area.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2019 5:49 am 
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Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 3:34 pm
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Location: Central Texas
itiming wrote:
We had used a cooler at first, but, like you, found it too large as well as prone to catch wind.

We added insulation to the front hatch bin and the hatch cover -- using reflextix/foam. This has worked well for our needs -- holding ice for a day's fishing and keeping the deck clear. When we keep fish, we do so to eat them, and so keep smaller fish, which fit into the hatch. We also gill/bleed the fish before placing them in the ice.

Another option we use on our tandem island is using hot/cold mylar grocery bags. We line a mylar bag with closed cell foam (fold a piece of foam in half); then place another mylar bag inside that (with the foam, as sandwich between). This has proven to be an inexpensive method that has kept ice even overnight. The larger mylar bags are a few dollars and are large enough for nearly all the fish we keep. These bags fit inside the front hatch, so again, keeps the deck clear (and out of the sun). They also make it easy to carry to the fish cleaning area.


Thanks for the feedback! I do have a fish bag and I think I'm going to start using it but keep it under the front hatch. I like the idea of lining the hatch cover with reflextix.

I did just purchase some Cooler Shock ice bags so looking forward to testing them out. I've heard really good reviews on them. We'll see.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 7:35 pm 
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I have an Engel 35 in the rear of the boat and am happy with that. Note: a Yeti 45 is 38 quarts and made in the Philippines and the Engel is American made and 3 quarts smaller than a Yeti 45. If that kind of thing matters to you.

In the cooler weather and to bleed the keepers I like the hoop style stringers: https://www.austinkayak.com/Large-Stain ... 9597P.html


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 4:52 am 
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Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 3:34 pm
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Location: Central Texas
Clay34 wrote:
I have an Engel 35 in the rear of the boat and am happy with that. Note: a Yeti 45 is 38 quarts and made in the Philippines and the Engel is American made and 3 quarts smaller than a Yeti 45. If that kind of thing matters to you.

In the cooler weather and to bleed the keepers I like the hoop style stringers: https://www.austinkayak.com/Large-Stain ... 9597P.html



Thanks. I actually looked at that Engel. I ended up going with a $15 Igloo (48 quart) that fits perfectly across the back of a PA14 which still leaves me with half the rear tank well to store a bait bucket, drink cooler, etc. I filled the lid of the cheapo Igloo with foam and attached a vehicle sun shade to the top of the lid to help reflect the sun and I'm shocked at how well it holds ice.

For stringers I bought some large stainless safety pins https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ET03REM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and made stringers using paracord. Makes a good stringer for fish under 10 lbs.


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