# How do you keep your catch while on the water?



## fade2black24 (Jul 11, 2020)

Looking for ideas on keeping my catch while out fishing. Would prefer a cooler to throwing a stringer over the side, but open to ideas. Found a thread on here but it was over 8 years old, what's the new hotness now?

My first thought is a decent soft side cooler I can fit behind the seat, maybe a 24-30 can cooler.


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## dhf125 (May 5, 2014)

fade2black24 said:


> Looking for ideas on keeping my catch while out fishing. Would prefer a cooler to throwing a stringer over the side, but open to ideas. Found a thread on here but it was over 8 years old, what's the new hotness now?
> 
> My first thought is a decent soft side cooler I can fit behind the seat, maybe a 24-30 can cooler.


I c&r now, but when I was keeping my fish I used a soft sided cooler as you mentioned. I brought ice packs with me to keep the fish cold. It is definitely problematic storing the fish in the small confines of a kayak. Also, if it is a hot summer day and you are out all day and you catch some keepers early in the morning, trying to keep them cooled down all day. To me the stringer over the side would cause a lot of drag while paddling.


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## john32wb (Dec 20, 2014)

dhf125 said:


> I c&r now, but when I was keeping my fish I used a soft sided cooler as you mentioned. I brought ice packs with me to keep the fish cold. It is definitely problematic storing the fish in the small confines of a kayak. Also, if it is a hot summer day and you are out all day and you catch some keepers early in the morning, trying to keep them cooled down all day. To me the stringer over the side would cause a lot of drag while paddling.


I use a stringer and troll for walleye on Erie by hand paddle and it does weigh you down a bit once you start picking up 3-4 fish but isn't enough to slow me down below trolling speed. Fish are always alive when I get to shore which is a bonus. My kayak is only 10' so the stringer really my only option due to space constraints too.


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## mike oehme (Aug 17, 2014)

by a yeti cooler or equivalent and throw some ice in it. It will keep your catch cold until you're ready to cut them up.


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## Kenlow1 (Jul 14, 2012)

Sounds like he is fishing from a yak, probably no room for a hard sided cooler?


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## fade2black24 (Jul 11, 2020)

Yeah, I am. I found a smaller soft side cooler that fits well behind the seat that will work. Thanks for the ideas.


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

They make floating coolers. We use them for floating the rivers and keeping drinks cold


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

I just toss a small igloo cooler on the back of my yack. . If the fish are to big I'll use a stringer. 
Couple bottles of frozen water an good to go.


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## sjwano (Sep 13, 2018)

I was using a mid size Engel Cooler which barely fit behind my seat and left no room for tackle crate. It was nice as it has built in rod holders and was big enough for most fish your keep inland. But I found it didn’t work for Erie walleye (a good problem to have) and wanted room for more tackle, so I switched to a soft sided cooler backpack I found on amazon. I think it’s brand is something buffalo. It’s 30 quarts and it’s tall, can fit a 36” fish easily. Has straps so I buckle it to the back of my seat and throw frozen bottles of water or half bag of ice for the day. It stays out of the way being vertical and works well enough. Just toss fish in and close. It’s not going to keep fish cold three days but is plenty till you get on land to filet. Bonus is that it was under 30 bucks. There are similar coolers made to fit the bow shape and hatches of several kayak brands but all I’ve found sre pretty expensive. I can post a pic/link if interested.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Cooler 100% unless very cold conditions. Dead fish that gets warm ruins the meat.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

Depends on time of year and water temp.... cold water stringer or fish basket, warmer water cooler with frozen gallon ice jugs and fish submerged in ice water


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## sjwano (Sep 13, 2018)

If it fits, cooler is nice. But you either need a bigger kayak or to clear space. And if you’re keeping crappie, a smaller cooler is fine. But good luck fitting a cooler that holds salmon, steelhead, or walleye on most kayaks. Insulated cooler bag all the way.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

For my 14' native slayer kayak, I have a bag cooler that fits perfectly in the front.
Fit 6 seat trout, 1 redfish and two flounder plus ice, water and snacks.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

ironman172 said:


> Depends on time of year and water temp.... cold water stringer or fish basket, warmer water cooler with frozen gallon ice jugs and fish submerged in ice water


I tried to do the fish basket. It's nice if your sitting in one spot and/or not moving alot. But if your moving alot that thing is a pain to paddle with. 

When I fish the dog days of summer I keep a cooler full of ice in my vehicle as well. I'll come in an unload some fish if needed.


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## codger (Aug 16, 2020)

Saugeyefisher said:


> When I fish the dog days of summer I keep a cooler full of ice in my vehicle as well. I'll come in an unload some fish if needed.


Now, that's a problem I would love to have.


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## silverbullet (Apr 14, 2004)

I switched over to a soft sided cooler. I throw a bag of ice in it and it will last for the trip. One thing I do though is after I land the fish I will put it on a stringer and bleed it, then after 15 minutes or so I’ll drop it into the bag. Seems to work very well for me. Everyone has different room so a hard sided cooler will work if you have room. My old kayak had storage in the hull I turned into a fish box.


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