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I usually use fish baskets when using my small jon boat. I am really wanting to stop pulling them out of the water to change locations. Room inside the boat is precious so I want something to fit in a small space. I was wondering about an 5 gal Igloo Water cooler with a lid. Throw ice in the bottom and throw the fish on top. The specs say 3 day ice retention. Think this will work for a day trip?
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Should work, I use several blue ice packs in different sizes. They stay froze solid all day. I haven't purchased ice in decades, always reusable blue ice.
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I use one of the igloo cube coolers in my 1436 it seems to be more space friendly than a regular cooler
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The problem I see with that is only the bottom layer of fish is actually on the ice getting or staying cold. The other layers are still maintaining the body heat and are insulated by the other fish between them and the actual ice.
The 3 day ice retention they claim would be filled with Ice and not opened again. Used those types of coolers for a long time doing electrical construction. There wasn't much Ice left after a work day. They were not being opened either.
Fish baskets will continue I guess
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Kayak inshore guys use these and they serve well
Urban Cooler Tote / Insulated Totes, Tote Bags, and Wine Totes / Holden Bags
Now that will get some serious thought!
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I use a med size cooler with 4 quart jugs of frozen water and a large bag of ice from the store. Alays lot's of ice lft and left over ice goes back in the freezer for tomorrow. All the fish pretty much end up under the ice. Been a few time's I dumped the cooler, ice, fish and all in the kitchen sink and cleaned the fish the next day. They were still covered with ice.
I just dont have floor space for even a medium size cooler. I was hoping for something tall and narrow.
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I'm sure it will be fine for all but the hottest of days. I live in MS and for years just used a 5-gallon open bucket with no ice, (just a little water) in my 14ft jon boat. Especially in the winter/spring/spawning time. I always kept a 40qt ice chest in my pickup. When done for the day I would dump the bucket into the cooler.
Don't over think it. A similar cooler and some block ice (freeze quart size water/gatoraid bottle or fill a tupperware container (lid off) and dump in). After you get a layer of fish, just lift the 2 or 3 chunks of ice to the top and layer some more. I like the simply lid of the igloo playmate.
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I think that will work most days. Maybe put a frozen gallon milk jug on the bottom in the middle and put an unopened sack of cubed ice in it. Put fish around the gallon jug and start layering the cubed ice out of the bag as needed.
Ok a little more time here, the bag I used on my kayak was from BJ's but similar to my post above . I carried several umbrella bags from front of grocery stores to drop fish in prior to putting in bag to reduce a little slime. Kept a 2 litre of water frozen in it and kept fish great for day trip. Easy to rinse out and hang upside down to dry.
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Use the water cooler and put in a jug or two of frozen water and then add water to the cooler. The cold water will surround all the fish and keep them perfectly chilled through an through. Experiment to see how much ice and water will last how long and make adjustments as needed.
"gene"
I feel that the cooler, ice, water will be better than a fish basket that sits in the hot surface water. I think I will give it a try.
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I have not put a fish in a basket or a stringer in 40 years, always a cooler with ice. Fish clean better when they are ice cold.
Drinking cooler will work . No different than frozen bottles on bottom of cooler and some fish not touching bottles . :twocents
I know you said floor space is at a premium, but what about one of the marine coolers that can also serve as a seat? I have one of the big ones (girlfriend got it at work), but maybe a smaller one like this Robot Check?
I use a soift cooler that they sell and SAMSand other big box stores. Fill it with ice and a little water. Doesn't slide or tip over and keeps my fish cold as long as I am on the water.https://www.samsclub.com/p/mm-insula...p_product_1_10
Plus lots cheap.
that igloo would work ok , you will want to freeze tall plastic bottles of water ,maybe 2 liter ? so the fish can rest around the sides and still have cold vertically almost to the top of the cooler .
A ten pound bag of ice fits perfect,right to the bottom of our 28 quart egloo fish coolers. I never break the bag just lift it up drop in a fish set it down on to of them....repeat.
put your fish on top of the ice .....never let them lie in water
That water jug will work just fine. But I would fill 3/4 full of ice and add water till a slush. Catch fish and submerge in ice bath. Instant death and will be fresh as could be. If ever saltwater fishing use saltwater to make slush with.
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I don't understand the logic behind this statement. The fish on top of the ice, especially if there are several layers of fish, will never get real cold and preserve them at there best. Fish buried in a ice/water bath will obtain maximum coldness and retain maximum freshness especially at this time of year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mosquitopat
"gene"