Fish storage while offshore

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Endo
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Location: Austin

Fish storage while offshore

Post by Endo »

I've seen some of you guys just stuff your fish down the hatch in your kayaks, no cooler. How do you deal with the mess and the smell. I cannot see how you'd clean all the fish slime and stink from inside of your kayak hull.

I've always used the normal kayak fish bag type of cooler strapped to the back of my Outback, but even with ice, have not been impressed ever, with its cooling abilities. But I'm overhauling my setup this year, trying to move a lot of weight more forward to bow for balance and hopefully improved speed. I don't like bow placed bags because I lost access to my front hatch, plus they catch waves bad. Inside the front hatch can only hold a small fish bag for snapper, but no long pelagic fish.

Anyway, mostly curious about you fellas just throwing your fish down the hatch, no coolers or bags. What gives?
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Volkswatson
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Re: Fish storage while offshore

Post by Volkswatson »

I have a bag, but honestly the kings are so big it doesn’t work most of the time.

Most of the time I just drop them in the bottom….

Once home I run some Lysol and water/bleach mix in the hull and leave hatches open to dry out. No smell at all.
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Endo
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Re: Fish storage while offshore

Post by Endo »

I'm skeptical. lol. Good to know that a bleach rinse works for you. It just seems like the slime and blood would get problematic over time without being scrubbed out. Part of my problem though, is I usually go down PINS for 2-3 days at a time and don't have a way for a good rinse on the same-day.

Mostly, the only thing I keep from offshore is snapper or other reef fish. I don't keep kings ever.

Of the longer fish, I would only keep cobia and mahi, and realistically, I don't catch many of those, so its not a frequent conundrum.

I can keep snapper in a bag that fits into the front hatch. Or downsize my fish back from the 36" I've had since forever.

I have this theory that moving some weight more to bow will gain me speed on the outback...which moves so dang slow. Which is really only reason I want to try a new approach to fish/ice storage.
SWFinatic
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Re: Fish storage while offshore

Post by SWFinatic »

I put 3 cooler shock frozen ice packs (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01 ... UTF8&psc=1) in the bottom of my fish bag then a 10 lb bag of ice along with a couple frozen 32 oz water bottles then sprinkle rock salt over the ice it helps some. I also mix rock salt in the water that I fill the frozen water bottles with. The rock salt helps some but not a night and day difference.

The best option is to get a fish bag that will fit in your front hatch (preferably one that doesn't leak lol). Keeping that bag out of the direct sun obviously makes a huge difference. Fortunately my 41" long fish bag fits in the front hatch of my Reload.

And yeah bleach water takes the fish smell out instantly.
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deptrai
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Re: Fish storage while offshore

Post by deptrai »

Not all kill bags are created equal.
bag.jpg
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Endo
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Location: Austin

Re: Fish storage while offshore

Post by Endo »

What you picture would be my current setup if I moved my bag to the bow.

What I don't like about your set up there is 1) I lose east access to the front hatch and 2) that bag catches a lot of water in the surf on your way out.

.
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deptrai
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Re: Fish storage while offshore

Post by deptrai »

What do you put inside the front hatch? The only thing I've ever had in mine is my battery. I connect it before heading out and never touch it until I hit land at the end of the day.

I've yet to launch through the surf since I bought this kill bag earlier this year, but can see your point.

Dave
SWFinatic
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Re: Fish storage while offshore

Post by SWFinatic »

There's no perfect solution for all. What works for one person in their kayak may not work for another in their kayak. There's a lot of give and take in kayak fishing.
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Fishtolive
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Location: Sugar Land, Tx

Re: Fish storage while offshore

Post by Fishtolive »

Try this fish bag cooler. It will fit most kings.

https://a.co/d/7FVctwE

It’s length is 50”…. Most kings would fit inside.
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Endo
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Re: Fish storage while offshore

Post by Endo »

deptrai wrote: Wed Jul 20, 2022 7:33 pm What do you put inside the front hatch? The only thing I've ever had in mine is my battery. I connect it before heading out and never touch it until I hit land at the end of the day.

I've yet to launch through the surf since I bought this kill bag earlier this year, but can see your point.

Dave
In my front hatch I have battery and bag of emergency/backup gear that I don't access much (first aid kit, rain jacket, spares of a few critical things, in case something breaks). Battery connections do come loose at times on the water, so need that accessible too.

The hatch betwix my legs, I have a bag with daily things I use, food, couple plano fish gear stuff, hand water pump, etc...
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