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?
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