Keeping Fish Cool

[SWAMPFOX]

I went bream fishing Thursday at Orange Lake near Gainesville, Fla. and did pretty good. But I need to come up with a better way to keep my catch cool than tossing them in the live well. After I cleaned them, I ended tossing several because I didn't feel safe eating them since their flesh was more gelatinous than firm.

I fished from about 7a to 5p and with the water temp at 78, I guess that's expected when they spend that much time in a live well. I was able to get them iced down around 6p but obviously the damage was done by then.

Lesson learned, I won't be depending on my live well to keep my catch safe. I'm thinking to pick up a decent Yeti type cooler and load it full of frozen ice packs to be able to put them on ice immediately.

Anyone else got a better idea?

Thanks.

 

[Shadow11]

Nah man. A cooler of ice has worked for me for 40 something yrs. My dad did the same. My grandpa probably did the same. I don't know anybody else before them.

There was a game warden last year that didn't like me having 3 trout in my cooler, that I caught earlier that day, and having 3 on my stringer where I was fishing when he pulled up. He told me I needed to take the dead ones out of my cooler and put them back on the stringer next time I went back to the truck.

I have friends/relatives that like to gut them before moving onto the next spot, or driving home. They think they taste better or something. To me, they're just fine as long as they're on ice. I've even waited until the next day to clean em, and they're just as good... as long as they're on ice.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

If you don't want a cooler taking up room in your boat, just fill your livewell with ice in the morning instead of water.

 

[SWAMPFOX]

I like the idea of putting ice in the live well. Now I gotta figure how to keep the warm lake water from filling in to the live well.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I always keep a cooler in the boat when it's hot. Fish come straight out of the water and onto the ice. I've tried the ice in the livewell, but it melts pretty fast it it's hot. It don't have to be a Yeti, either. A Coleman XTreme will do just fine.

 

[NCHillbilly]

If you don't want a cooler taking up room in your boat, just fill your livewell with ice in the morning instead of water.

Or run 100mph down the lake and blow the cooler off the back deck.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

Or run 100mph down the lake and blow the cooler off the back deck.

I owe you a Coleman.

 

[oldfella1962]

Nah man. A cooler of ice has worked for me for 40 something yrs. My dad did the same. My grandpa probably did the same. I don't know anybody else before them.

There was a game warden last year that didn't like me having 3 trout in my cooler, that I caught earlier that day, and having 3 on my stringer where I was fishing when he pulled up. He told me I needed to take the dead ones out of my cooler and put them back on the stringer next time I went back to the truck.

I have friends/relatives that like to gut them before moving onto the next spot, or driving home. They think they taste better or something. To me, they're just fine as long as they're on ice. I've even waited until the next day to clean em, and they're just as good... as long as they're on ice.

Nothing against the game warden - and I'm not a mathematician - but 3+3 = 6 no matter how you slice it.

 

[Pig Predator]

Nothing against the game warden - and I'm not a mathematician - but 3+3 = 6 no matter how you slice it.

The daily limit is 8 in Georgia.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I owe you a Coleman.

You don't owe me nothing. Except your presence and company at a certain camping trip here in a couple weeks.

 

[fishfryer]

I went bream fishing Thursday at Orange Lake near Gainesville, Fla. and did pretty good. But I need to come up with a better way to keep my catch cool than tossing them in the live well. After I cleaned them, I ended tossing several because I didn't feel safe eating them since their flesh was more gelatinous than firm.

I fished from about 7a to 5p and with the water temp at 78, I guess that's expected when they spend that much time in a live well. I was able to get them iced down around 6p but obviously the damage was done by then.

Lesson learned, I won't be depending on my live well to keep my catch safe. I'm thinking to pick up a decent Yeti type cooler and load it full of frozen ice packs to be able to put them on ice immediately.

Anyone else got a better idea?

Thanks.

No better idea probably but one I’ve done for a long time. You don’t need a Yeti, the cheapest ice chest and a bag of convenience store ice will keep your fish in excellent shape for a day of fishing. Catch a fish that you want to keep, put it on the ice. Keep the water drained off and fish will keep more than one day. I personally like to clean them by day two. Don’t make stuff too complicated or expensive.

 

[bird35]

I use a fish basket that I tie to the boat. I just pick it up when I use the big motor. By the end of the day the fish are still alive. When I dock I put the fish in a cooler with ice that has been in the truck. This works for me to keep the fish fresh.

 

[Dennis]

Mine come out of the water and straight on ice. That seems to work best for me.

 

[Ruger#3]

Putting them ice is the technique I use. I have a backpack size soft cooler with a plastic bag liner I use when kayaking.

 

[Coastal Tiger]

Check into installing these on the lids of your livewell. Simple and easy and actually work really well. Toss in a frozen water bottle or 2 and the fish will still be trying to jump out of the live well when you get to the house.

https://thmarinesupplies.com/products/v-t2-livewell-ventilation-system

 

[flconch53]

I like to ice any fish. But especially the ones that come out of warm water. Firms them right up and as a consequence they are easier to fillet