After the catch

[AFDan52]

Hi Guys , at work the other day I heard some of the guys talking about Kokanee Fishing and how they just toss their catch in the cooler . Somewhere I remember hearing of some folks using an ice slush solution of some kind. What do you like to handle your Kokanee catch. I don't want to lose any of my catch on the way home.

 

[The Lucky Duck]

IMO the ice is a good insurance, but not necessary. As long as your cooler is cool and you get the guts out of them in a few hours you will be fine. That being said we usually fish in spring when the temperature is much cooler, summer would make this a different story. The only problem I have had with the meat not being of the highest quality was a trip to Green Peter last year when the water temps were above 70 degrees. Some of these fish were poor quality even though they were on ice.

 

[SuperD]

I'll see if I can find the other thread where we've debated this subject before. Bleed, gut and ice but not in direct contact with water.

 

[AFDan52]

Thanks Dave , I remember reading something just don't remember where.

 

[dragonfly]

we have 2 coolers on the boat one on the cleaning station the other in the cab both with ice ( I leave the drain open on the one at the cleaning station so the fish don't sit in water). as we catch I bleed and put them in the cooler on the station then after we get 10 or 15 I gut and clean them and put them in zip loc bags and put them in the cooler in the cab. and do that until we quite or limit out ether way it's a lot more convenient then having to clean 50 fish all at once when you get back to camp. then when we get home depending on what I am doing with them, I skin and filet them. and they are ready to eat, smoke or freeze. dfly

 

[chukardave1]

I put them in a bleed bucket right after they come aboard, rip a gill and in they go. bleed bucket has some lake water in it. After 5-10 minutes they go into a large cooler and are covered in ice. Ice is a necessity in my opinion and I dont fish without it.

 

[KokeRook]

I treat all my harvested fish the same (Salmon, steelhead, kokanee, trout, etc)...Bonk, Bleed, ice.
I honestly believe bleeding and getting on ice quickly helps in the taste and the texture (let alone the potential bacteria issue).

TIP: Regarding Ice: if you have not checked out a product called "Techni Ice" I highly recommend it.
It is not just another re-usable ice pack. It stays very cold for a very long period of time, does no melt so there is not water (I don't like the fish to sit in water after dispatching them), comes in sheets that can be cut for whatever size you need ( I use a small one for my work lunch box) , and is flat so can layer, put on sides, bottom, and top of cooler. takes up small amount of space and stays frozen a long time. Example, Three sheets in my kill bag last August 90 degree day on the river fishing for Chinook. 10 hours on the river and got home with my king, sheets were still solid, fish was very cool.

I do not work for this company or anything like that...I just really believe in the product and like to let folks know about a product that I have good experience with. Fantastic for use in a kill bag.

Suggestion: I place my sheets in a vacuum pack bag for extra protection of the sheet. This increases the longevity of the sheet.

Here is a picture: from the we so you get the idea what they look like.
Sorry for the slight thread diversion....

View attachment 6896

 

[fishslayer13]

Kokrook that Techni ice is some interesting stuff. I have never heard of it before, so I went and watched a vid on youtube about it. Might have to give it a try.

 

[KokeRook]

Slayer,

Every angler I know that has tried this product has never looked back.
Unless, you are needing to make a salt ice slurry this stuff is the ticket.
I got it at a local fair for the first time 4 years ago..got like 10 sheets for $38.


They come flat....soak in warm water to react with the stuff inside.....Love this stuff.

I see they make a dry ice version now....I'm assuming that is for FROZEN applications.

 

[rainORsnow1]

I use a slurry. I used to just toss my fish in the slurry but I noticed that I was indeed getting belly burn like someone on here had mentioned might happen.
Since then I still use a slurry but I have a garbage bag in the cooler in the slurry with the end hanging out the top of the cooler to insure the water doesn't touch the kokes.

I've really found that the slurry is far, far colder then the ice could ever be. I've even forgot to clean the fish after a long ride home and they're are perfect the next day.

 

[DLM]

I use a slurry. I used to just toss my fish in the slurry but I noticed that I was indeed getting belly burn like someone on here had mentioned might happen.
Since then I still use a slurry but I have a garbage bag in the cooler in the slurry with the end hanging out the top of the cooler to insure the water doesn't touch the kokes.

I've really found that the slurry is far, far colder then the ice could ever be. I've even forgot to clean the fish after a long ride home and they're are perfect the next day.

I do the same thing, works great.

 

[AFDan52]

How does one make this slurry?

 

[rainORsnow1]

Afdan52, Add water to your ice.

DLM I thought it was you I got the idea from, but didn't wanna give the credit if it wasn't.
Thanks! It's worked great!

 

[Mharri333]

On my Lund I had a live well. I would just throw them in there and keep the water circulating until it was bonking time. I would keep an eye on them and if one was a quitter I would bleed it and throw it back in. I would clean this fish before heading home and throw the bag of filets back in the live well with some ice. Seemed to work well. No live well on the new boat... Gonna have to change tactics...

 

[SuperD]

Be careful keeping trout and kokes alive in a live well as it is illegal in some parts. Fish & Game sees it as a culling or transportation of live game fish risk.