Cooler or Stringer?

So what do you guys all do with your catch? Put it on a stringer and keep your head on a swivel for the seals, or is there a cooler set up the works for an OK Prowler?

I went out for the first time last weekend to Redondo, and didn't think it completely through. I ended up just tossing them under the boat, figured the water might keep them half way cool and I wasn't out more than an hour.

The best advice I can offer when it comes to storing your your fish is to not drag your fish in the water(while in the ocean or anywhere sealions hang out).  Many people just keep their catch on a game clip and throw it behind them, while others have some kind of a catch cooler bag.

alot of different options, stringers, game clips, catch bags, catch coolers.

I use a mesh catch bag and keep it behind me most the time but will hang 'em in the water occasionally to keep em wet and cool. Keep it snug to the side not dragging a few feet behind ya like youtr trolling for the landlord... i will pull it in the yak if i see any seals showing any interest, never had any problems.

Here's a recent thread about the catch cooler bags.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,6619.0.html

I just picked up 3 of the Precision Pak YakCatch3 bags.  I tossed the inner liners as they are not very durable but the rest of the bag is great and even with the liner removed it doesn't leak much.  It has great attachment clips and fits in the back of my adventure like it was made for it.  Three sheets of techni ice and fish arrive at the beach cold!  Plus its big enough for a limit of oregon rockfish/lings, or salmon with room to spare.

Can you say PIMPED?

I don't know if I'm quite ready to rock something this extravagant yet but let me tell you, having an actual cooler to store your salmon in results in a much better processed meat.  kykfsher was rocking this little beauty last weekend.  It was so nice, I had him paddle my fish around too once the sun came out.   

-Spot-

I have cooler envy

Hobie product designers.... I'm waiting

Damn..Nasa cooler!!

That's where not having a ctach bag sucks, Salmon fishing. I usually just get back to the truck as fast as possible but would be nice to stay longer and try for 2 more often

I definitely need to upgrade my system.  I HATE stringers.  I have lost fish too many different ways.  I'd consider one of those game clips.  But still whacking and stacking them in a chilled environment is the best way. 

But let me offer an alternative line of thought.

It is ALWAYS better to take care of your fish correctly and it will result in a better product.  How much better?  Well it depends a bit on fish and really your taste.  Alaskan Natives prefer their salmon and whitefish heads buried underground for at least a week.  lol.  True but maybe not pertinent here.

This is a intersting read: http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/aku/akug89005.pdf

What it basically says is if you leave you fish at X deg (like 50 or 55 deg) for Y hours, it is the equivalent of Z days on ice.

So one example is Ocean run Coho.  Has a shelf life of 10 days on ice.  But this report says if you leave it out at 50 degrees for 12 hours,it is the equivalent of eating a fish that's been on ice for two days.  that's fresher than just about anything you will find in your grocery store.  Now it doesn't say anything about how much better tasting a fish with 10 days of shelf life is over one with 5 days for example.  Smoked, I bet no one can tell the difference.  Same for canned.  Sashimi, probably can tell. Grilled? Depends on the seasoning. 

It's sort of like when I freaked out when in England, someone pulled some meat out of their cupboard.  In Japan we rarely chilled leftovers, just covered them with a net to keep the flies off. 

If you really want to go insane and take care of your fish, I hear from fanatics in Japan is that you bleed them both at the gills and the tail area in water.  then you cut the tail area so you severe the spine.  then you insert a thin stainless steel wire into the spinal column and it immediately shuts down all systems on the fish.  So if you aren't doing "that" you aren't doing it to the maximum.  Well that seems like too much work...Ok, how about 2 hours out of ice?  12? 24? 

The point being we often worry about things that don't really make a material difference.  Even if its saving a few bags of ice.  I have no issues with going out on a half day trip in 50 to 55 deg weather and just using a burlap bag or towel over the top keeping it wet.  Especially if I gut the fish right away.  Remember, i live in ALASKA though!

But it is a whole lot easier to play it safe and keep everything nice and chilled.  All I am saying is don't freak out or not keep fish because you forgot ice.  Keep everything in perspective when deciding how much to spend on your chill system.  Having said that, I love coll gadgets and stuff, so I'm getting that yakcatch3!  But in part to save weight and in part money, I don't plan on loading it full of ice.  A little if any should be fine, espcially if I freeze the bag before I head out if its made like I think it is. 

Here is what happened to me on Wednesday. I was fishing the Nestucca River just above Beaver and caught a real nice Silver and then it hit me I forgot to bring a cooler. Dang I was thinking how can I get my fish home 30 min south to my house and keep it cool. Well I had a nalgen bottle filled with ice water and a towel under the rear seat of my truck. I put the fish in the towel and poured the ice water over it and wrapped it up. I wanted to keep fishing as I was doing great in each hole I stopped at. I thought better of it though and headed home when I got there my fish was still nice and cold. As for dragging fish in the ocean over the side seals are definitely a problem but how about sharks. We are in the food chain when we are out there splashing around.

I am thinking of an easy, inflatable seal repellent system that I will patent as the "No-Seal-Steal-a-Meal" 

As for dragging fish in the ocean over the side seals are definitely a problem but how about sharks. We are in the food chain when we are out there splashing around.

Make no mistake, sharks are also a very valid concern.  However, sea lions can learn quickly what a person on a kayak with fishing poles means(just ask anyone who fishes SoCal for yellowtail and white seabass).  Just like they learned what it means when everybody in a powerboat stands up and one of them grabs the net.  It their ability to learn about things like this that make them a more likely candidate to ruin your day.  They know what they can get away with. 

... Three sheets of techni ice and fish arrive at the beach cold!  ...

I Googled "techni ice" and found it was another reusable cold/hot pack.  What defines a sheet?

As regards leaving a blood trail from your catch, remember, if you keep your catch on a clip or stringer, wet it occasionally, and keep it in on deck, blood and fishy water still trails into the water through your scuppers. 

At Point Defiance, the seals have been conditioned to hone in on the reel clicker.  I had a really nice king on the line, forgot to turn off the clicker, and spent the next 15 minutes trying to get the fish away from a sea lion.  He sppoled me, I had 30# mono on top of 65# spectra, I eventually got all the line back, but not my flasher and spoon and king.   

The Ocean Kayak ICEBOX is so cool I can't stand it!!!  Downside:  $197 smackers.


Ocean Kayak Trident Ultra Ice Box Storage Pod - The Ocean Kayak Trident Ultra Ice Box Storage Pod is designed to fit nicely in the rear tank well of the Ocean Kayak Trident Ultra 4.7 kayak. Constructed from three layer plastic, a foam middle layer provides excellent insulation for keeping fishing nice and cold. The Ocean Kayak Trident Ultra Ice Box Storage Pod locks securely into the boat while paddling, yet is easy to remove and carry with the built-in handles. The lid is also reversible for either left or right side access, and bungee rigging on top gives you a place to store additional accessories. For keeping your fish fresh and stored away, there is no better system then the Ocean Kayak Trident Ultra Ice Box Storage Pod.

Thanks for all the replies! Looks like I'll be picking up a game clip, that cooler is a little bit out of the budget.