Salmon on ice ?

[scott craven]

How long do you think well iced fish last in a cooler ?

 

[Sculpin]

The longest I have ever done is 3 days on a long weekend. It was very well iced and seemed fine by the time I got home.

 

[wolf]

If its in a bag sealed good it will be fine, dont let any water get on fish it turns it into mush and you might as well can it drain any excess water off you only want ice NO WATER..
3 days MAX

Wolf

 

[Degree of Freedom]

The way we've done it for 3 days...clean the fish, put them in good bags, get as much of the air out of the bags as possible and pile on the ice.

 

[Business Time]

3 days for sure without any problems. Put a rack in your cooler above the drain line to keep them out of the water.

 

[scott craven]

How do commercials keep fish iced in their holds for 7-10 days ?
just curious, also dont believe they bag their fish ?

 

[spring fever]

Lot depends on the type of fish-springs will hack ice longer than coho and coho longer than pinks. No bags-bleed well, stuff the cavity with ice, well cleaned, no gills or blood, No water contact-lots of ice, cool wcvi weather a spring should be in top quality for 4-5 days, coho for 3 and pinks-well if I'm on the wcvi why am I catching pinks LOL-honestly I only eat them fresh!!

 

[Degree of Freedom]

just a little clarification on the bags...I typically spend my whole 3 days on board and only take one cooler...I bag the cleaned ones so when I chuck new ones that haven't been cleaned yet on top of them the cleaned ones don't get covered in blood and guts.
When we've stayed on shore and have lots of coolers, we pack them in salt ice with no bags and they're good to go...they actually end up half frozen if the cooler's in the shade.

 

[RossP]

When I fish over on the west coast of VI I stay at a buddies in Green Cove at the mouth of Alberni Inlet, the store there sells Salt Ice, I get a few bags and throw it in the cooler, and put the fish in the cooler. Four days later and the fish is nice and cold and I still have lots of ice. It is the only place I have brought Salt Ice but I know it is available other places.

 

[wolf]

YES scott the commie boats make sea ice and LOTS of it the fish is almost frozen its that cold about 5 times as much as a fish we really cant do that as we would need a cooler for each fish LOL

 

[scott craven]

Thanks for the replies, will be cutting up tomorrow

 

[Enniberg]

I have kept fish on ice in a cooler for up to 7 days without problems - trick is to get new salt ice, use plenty of it and drain frequently. The cooler has to be in a cool, shady location too. The quality of the ice is crucial - if you get the good stuff, it partially freezes the fish. If you end up with ice that has already been sitting in a tote for some time, it is a different story.

 

[IronNoggin]

How do commercials keep fish iced in their holds for 7-10 days ?
just curious, also dont believe they bag their fish ?

We hold springs for up to 6 days on salt ice. Bellies packed, and surrounded by more ice in layers in the hold. The Hold is full (several tons of salt ice) which creates damn near freezing conditions. Tough to mimic that with a cooler.

NO BAGS! The fish have to "breath" to remain fresh. Bagging them speeds up the onset of decay. I would never bag any fish (except halibut and other bottom fish) when holding on ice.

Most I would expect out of a cooler (big coffin that is) with layered, belly iced fish would be 4 days. leave the drain open to shed the water that may develop.

Cheers,
Nog