Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: JPW on October 14, 2011, 10:57:35 AM
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As someone who frequents the river with a collapsable cooler with icepack in my backpack (which rarely does more than keep my garbage bags cold prior to filling with other peoples garbage when I leave fishless...but I digress), I'm always surprised by how few fishermen seem to keep their catch on ice.
I often see people winch in a beautiful chromer, yank it onto the rocks where it bounces around, no doubt bruising most of it's body before the wincher takes 5 or 6 bonking attempts with a nearby rock to finalize the tenderizing of what damage the fish didn't achieve itself. When the person then tosses the un-bleed, un-gutted fish onto the sand or better yet, one last rock where it sits for the rest of the days fishing I'm not surprised. I mean in fairness, these are often the same people that retain the next "smokeable" foul-hooked fish, exhibiting only minor tail rot - which I'm sure can be cut out...but again, I digress.
Before I get lost in a rant, what I'm wondering is what about the other fishermen out there. The ones who seem to be discerning in their retention, releasing the tail rot specimens and only keeping the odd chromer, which they softly land/bonk/bleed/gut, but then they just lay on the shore. Is keeping the fish cold really not that important? It seems like if you have the patience to only retain great looking fish then keeping it optimal for table fare would be a concern too? If it's sat on the shore for a couple hours is it really any better than the stale fish released before it? Also, what about the people who follow the same procedure, but then string the fish back in the water? Aren't they going to end up with something as mushy as the darkest Pink or does it also not really make much difference?
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A wet burlap sack placed in the shade will keep the fish in prime shape for the day.
Disclaimer: this is valid for cool weather days. In the summer I haul the cooler.
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after i bleed and gut the fish, i let it sit in the waters (river).
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I usually bring an ice pack with me in my backpack and garbage bags to wrap my fish in. When landed I bleed the fish then gut it and wrap it in the plastic bag at put it on my ice pack in the shade. I will also have a large cool in my vehicle with 2 liters bottles frozen to put the fish on for the trip home. If I am fishing and I find my self without an ice pack, I give my self a one - two hour limit depending on the temperature outside to continue fishing before I go back to the vehicle to put it in the cooler on ice, no matter how good the fishing is ;). I would never keep a fish that is starting to rot. I find they are still ok if they are just staring to color up, except for pinks I will only keep chromers.
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I've always wondered about the effects of leaving your catch in the water as you continue to fish.
I bleed my catch and set it in the water, I clean the fish before I head back to my car where I keep a large cooler with a couple frozen milk jugs inside.
If it's sunny or warm I take my fish to the cooler very quickly
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May-Early Sept, I keep cooler in my car with home made ice (take a large Tupperware container full of water with no lid and put in freezer previous day. Makes one large cube that keeps entire cooler cold without the cost or time consuming process of making small cubes) that I just bring the fish to. If Im more than a 5-10Min walk I keep in in a bag and just change the water a couple times. No sense in bringing a cooler unless you are with friends that can help you carry gear.
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I better double check my garbage bags and make sure they dont have anti bacterials and anti odour agents. I know they are odorless but better double check. Thanks for the heads up.
You should use proper fish bags to put your catch in, garbage bags are treated with anti bacterials and anti odour agents. Do you want to be eating those with your fish? :-X
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You should use proper fish bags to put your catch in, garbage bags are treated with anti bacterials and anti odour agents. Do you want to be eating those with your fish? :-X
where can you buy fish bags? Can you get freezer fish bags? I've been looking but haven't found any yet.
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where can you buy fish bags? Can you get freezer fish bags? I've been looking but haven't found any yet.
When I was in Westcoast Tackle they had two sizes of clear plastic heavy duty fish bags for sale, around $0.75 - $1 each. Today also I saw at WalMart a pack of 10 fish bags (again, clear plastic, heavy duty) for around $7
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Personally I've been leaving my fish alive in the rivers....since I haven't managed to catch anything since some pinks back in August :( :o
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where can you buy fish bags? Can you get freezer fish bags? I've been looking but haven't found any yet.
Most tackle shops carry them
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where can you buy fish bags? Can you get freezer fish bags? I've been looking but haven't found any yet.
i've gotten a 10 pack of fish bags ment for springs from walmart for under 10 bucks.
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where can you buy fish bags? Can you get freezer fish bags? I've been looking but haven't found any yet.
Freds has them for sale I think they're about 75 cents a bag.
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As Milo said, a wet burlap sack is way to go, it keeps the fish in prime shape and can be re-used over and over and over again, machine washable...
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where can you buy fish bags? Can you get freezer fish bags? I've been looking but haven't found any yet.
I find the fish bags weak and break easy.
I now use contractor bags. pretty sure they are just plastic, no additives. Can throw in my vest and haul out with no mess.
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As Milo said, a wet burlap sack is way to go, it keeps the fish in prime shape and can be re-used over and over and over again, machine washable...
Wet burlap sack then place in cooler asap