Just wondering how long can a guy keep his fish on ice? Typically the place I fish ( 5-7 day trip) has a blast freezer so coming home with our fish frozen has been the norm, however I’m looking at possibly expanding my fishing horizon and exploring more which means camping on the water and not being necessarily close to certain amenities. My 2 trips every year are typically 8-10 days start to finish including travel time. Can i keep a salmon in a cooler on ice that long?
How long to keep your fish on ice?
- Thread starter dennisb
- Start date
Install a inverter and run a deep freeze
tubber
Well-Known Member
I've done a few trips where the oldest fish was 5 days, but I camp out of the truck and have access to good ice when needed.
If you have 3 coolers of good salt ice, you could get away with 6 nights if you leave the plug out of one for good drainage and keep topping up the ice. Keep the fish head on and bled then gilled and dressed and belly iced - no bags.
The other option is catch and eat, then keep your fish from the last 3-4 days.
I don't like to filet, bag, and leave on ice for more than 1-2 days.
I pile thermal clothing for an ice blanket in the top of the cooler sometimes.
Some ice trollers do/did 8-10 day trips, but they have lots of ice.
If you have 3 coolers of good salt ice, you could get away with 6 nights if you leave the plug out of one for good drainage and keep topping up the ice. Keep the fish head on and bled then gilled and dressed and belly iced - no bags.
The other option is catch and eat, then keep your fish from the last 3-4 days.
I don't like to filet, bag, and leave on ice for more than 1-2 days.
I pile thermal clothing for an ice blanket in the top of the cooler sometimes.
Some ice trollers do/did 8-10 day trips, but they have lots of ice.
Cookie's Cutter
Well-Known Member
If you are only keeping your possession limit (usually 2 times your daily limit) this is a non issue. Unless you catch fish your first day and then don’t catch another fish for 9 days.
Not a very likely scenario.
Not a very likely scenario.
Tubber has it right. No bags, salt ice, open drain, gilled and gutted will last a week easy. Trollers used to fish up to 12 days with salmon on ice (not the best the first fish) and don't forget the hailbut boats used to leave Rupert for the Gulf of Alaska, steamm for 10 days, fish till full with halibut iced, steam for 10 days back to Rupert and then put on ice and ship on the train. So fish can stay on ice for a while if done right. I was told the old halibut boats woul finish their catch, top ice the hold and freeze into a cap with a CO2 fire estiguasher.
casper5280
Crew Member
I do exactly the same as Tubber. We have done 7 days at the most, but one of the guys had a Yeti cooler those times. Salted ice is the trick.
Rob H
Active Member
I used to do annual trips to Bamfield for 4 days and always kept my fish on ice (mid to end August). The fish usually stayed in the cooler another 1 or 2 days when I got home as I was canning and smoking the fish, never had a problem.
However I did the following:
- fish "Princess Dressed" as per tubber's explanation and full belly iced (I had access to hard frozen crushed ice and also made block ice)
- fish were layered in cooler with backs up on ~45 degree angle so that any water, slime, or blood would drain off fish and to the bottom of the cooler and eventually out the open drain plug of the cooler
- cooler raised at one end and drain plug open at other until trip home
- second/third cooler to keep adding ice on top of fish
- I had custom coolers made with 2 inch urethane foam that were fibreglassed inside and out, gasketed and well sealed, white in color
- these coolers would keep ice more that twice as long as the large Costco type coolers, Igloo?. Coleman?, they would be at least equivalent to a Yeti cooler or similar
I have used salt ice in these same coolers and it is even better. I did a 5 day trip to the Queen Charlottes and had a day coming home and the fish were in perfect condition. That trip I had access to salt ice in Masset and it certainly is worth getting if possible.
...Rob
N2013
Well-Known Member
Bags can contain the water and if your fish/filets are positioned poorly, the water will pool in the bag and your catch will be sitting in water/slime. Rob H nailed explaining the best way to keep your catch. I'm curious to know peoples thoughts on mixing bottom fish with salmon in the same cooler. Have always had separate coolers myself.
@tubber why do you keep the heads on? Only thought would be for crab bait back home.
tubber
Well-Known Member
Main reason is the head will help hold the belly ice inside the fish. Secondarily, it limits the amount of edible meat exposed to the ice/water/slime. Third, it makes fish ID and size slot(halibut) worry free if I get checked by enforcement.
Heads make good broth. No crabs where I live.
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
Bags also can increase/concentrate bacteria and can cause the fish to spoil faster - never use bags unless for quick/short time transporting from boat to truck to house.
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