Fish Coolers to Save Space on a Small Boat

Again within the day, earlier than fish coolers turned a standing image, saltwater anglers struggled to maintain their catch chilly. After I began fishing, coolers have been inefficient and flimsy. Again then, coolers have been additionally cheap and simple to restore. Damaged handles, busted hinges and cracked plastic have been simply a part of the sport. 

About 20 years in the past, cooler producers took a distinct strategy to chilly storage. As a substitute of low-cost disposable coolers, anglers will pay a premium for an indestructible and environment friendly tremendous cooler. Eye- catching design and overbuilt insulation and development make the brand new era of coolers actually cool. Now anglers can protect fish longer with much less ice and these tougher-than-nails coolers survive years of abuse to ensure fish arrive on the cleansing desk prepared for processing.

Key Issues for Selecting a Fish Cooler for Small Boats

Measurement and House

The most important problem to chilly storage on a small boat is the out there deck house. I exploit 4 coolers on my 20-foot Jones Brothers middle console: a big cooler for fish, a medium cooler for lunch and a small cooler for bait. For fish which are too massive for the cooler, I’ve a fish bag folded in my bow hatch. I selected the biggest coolers that slot in my boat with out getting in the best way.

In my boat I exploit a Yeti Tundra 125 for fish, a 35 Tundra for lunch and a Yeti Hopper Flip 18 for my frozen bait. The most important draw back to an excellent cooler is dimension and weight. The thicker insulation and heavier plastic cut back capability in the same dimension cooler. After I switched from a 150-quart Igloo Marine cooler to the 125 Yeti Tundra, I gave up 25 quarts of cupboard space with the identical outdoors dimensions. 

Nonetheless, the extra environment friendly Yeti permits me to hold much less ice making up for the sacrificed quantity. Regardless of the diminished capability, I’ve by no means run out of house within the 125-quart fish cooler for a ship restrict of sea bass or a 40-pound cobia. After I catch an enormous cobia or king mackerel, the Dependable Fishing Merchandise fish bag with a bag of ice retains the trophy chilly. 

Sturdiness

By the point I lastly changed my previous fish field, the hinges have been damaged, the latches have been gone and the handles have been completely twisted. Since I purchased a Yeti fish cooler, I haven’t had a single problem. 

As a substitute of low-cost plastic hinges, the Yeti has a stainless-steel rod operating by means of molded-in hinges that stretch the size of the cooler. Thick rubber latches are embedded within the lid. The roto-molded plastic is identical stuff utilized in whitewater kayaks and playground tools. 

For the previous 10 years, my premium coolers iced down my fish and chilly drinks with out fail. My coolers reside outdoors and so they haven’t light or cracked. The hinges and latches work completely. The plastic is scratched and gouged nevertheless it hasn’t failed. After a decade, the coolers work in addition to the day I purchased them.

Insulation

A cooler’s most important goal is holding contents chilly. The quantity and high quality of insulation improves the cooler’s efficiency. Premium fish coolers use two inches of extremely environment friendly foam insulation to separate chilly air inside from the new air outdoors. To additional enhance chilly retention, premium coolers use a rubber gasket across the lid that seals the cooler like a fridge. The result’s a fish cooler that may keep ice for days.

Options

A fish cooler for a small boat doesn’t want plenty of further options. Cup holders, bottle openers and wheels are nice for tailgating or a day on the seashore, however a fish cooler has one job: hold fish chilly. 

An important options are aimed toward chilly storage, sturdiness and simple possession. Sturdy hinges, powerful latches and top quality plastic are extra vital than equipment. A easy floor inside and outdoors the cooler is less complicated to wash and keep. When the seas get tough, a cooler wants non-slip rubber toes and tie-down factors to strap the cooler to the boat deck. 

High Picks for Finest Fish Coolers for Small Boats

Yeti Tundra

Out of doors fans put on Yeti hats and embellish their automobile home windows with Yeti stickers to point out they’re severe about their sport. The unique tremendous cooler, the Yeti Tundra has many imitators however no match for sturdiness and effectivity. Rotomolded plastic, molded in hinge with stainless-steel pin, rubber latches and twine handles are prepared for years of abuse. Two inches of high-quality foam insulates the cooler to maintain ice frozen for days. My favourite function is the Yeti drain plug with small holes to empty water with out eradicating the plug from the cooler. After a decade utilizing Yeti coolers, I can say the tremendous coolers reside as much as the hype. 

Sizes: 35 to 350 quarts

Weight: 21.4 to 92.8 kilos

Value: $275 to $1500

Execs: 

Indestructible hinges and latches

Two inches of insulation

Rotomolded development

Cons:

Igloo Marine Elite 

Igloo marine coolers have saved fish chilly for over 50 years. To compete with the fashionable tremendous coolers, Igloo improved high quality with out elevating the worth. Plastic hinges and latches have been changed with stainless-steel. The exhausting plastic handles are actually slip-resistant and beefed up. On the finish of my fishing journey, I join a backyard hose to the threaded drain plug and siphon the meltwater out of my boat with out dumping the cooler on the deck. The igloo cooler is considerably lighter than a roto-molded cooler so it’s simpler to maneuver and carry.

Sizes: 25 to 100 quart

Weight: 6.4 to 24.2 kilos

Value: $44.99 to $99.99

Execs:

Light-weight

Stainless-steel {hardware}

Cheap

Cons:

No rubber seal on the lid

Latches, handles and hinges are connected to the cooler with screws

Dependable Marine Fish Bag

To supply further chilly storage on my small boat, I fold a Dependable Marine Fish Bag and stuff it in my anchor locker. The soft-sided fish bag is constructed like an inflatable river raft with puncture and tear-proof vinyl material. An inch of versatile insulation retains an enormous fish chilly till I attain the cleansing desk. The within of the bag is blue to lure chilly air and the skin white to replicate the solar’s rays. 

Measurement: 50 to 475 quarts

Value: $225 to $549

Execs:

Straightforward to retailer

Hand-sewn within the USA

Cons:

Not as environment friendly as a tough cooler

Not fully watertight (it could leak meltwater) 

Ideas for Utilizing a Fish Cooler on a Small Boat

Sustaining my coolers is a vital a part of my fishing program. I trailer my boat so I choose up 50 kilos of ice on my method to the boat ramp. I dump a 10-pound bag of cubed ice into my lunch cooler and open the drain plugs. I depart two 20 pound baggage of ice intact in my fish cooler. To maintain my frozen bait frozen, I pack it in a 18 quart tender cooler saved inside my fish field. 

Through the day, I hold the fish cooler drain plugs closed to lure chilly air and meltwater. As I add fish to the cooler, the luggage of ice cool my catch. Protecting the luggage intact slows the ice melting and elevates my catch out of the meltwater. Because the ice melts, I add kosher salt to the meltwater to create a brine.

In direction of the top of the day, as soon as my catch is cooled, I open one of many ice baggage and dump it on the fish. Then, I open the drain plugs and launch the meltwater. By the point I attain dwelling, the fish are ice chilly. 

The method is made doable by my fish cooler’s unimaginable effectivity. The thick insulation and sealed lid permit me to make use of much less ice to maintain my catch chilly. The system is so environment friendly, storing my bait cooler contained in the fish field retains my bait frozen all day. If I would like more room within the fish field, I take away the bait cooler and the contents keep frozen till I return dwelling. 

After I catch a fish too massive for the fish field, I pull out my fish bag and add a bag of ice to chill the trophy for the trip to the cleansing desk.

After I take away the fish and bait, I tip the cooler on its aspect and spray out the slime, blood and guts. I clear the cooler with dish cleaning soap and a 6:1 combination of water to bleach. I exploit a terry material rag and a tender bristle hand brush to clean the within and outdoors of the cooler, cautious to take away hidden gunk from the cooler rim and rubber gasket. Then, I prop the lid open and set the cooler within the solar to dry. 

Discover a Cooler That Matches Your Boat

To maintain fish chilly for a day-long fishing journey, I don’t have to interrupt the financial institution with an costly premium fish cooler. For cooling my catch, I can use a reasonable marine cooler and add extra ice. Nonetheless, investing in a premium cooler with sturdy development and thick insulation makes use of much less ice and lasts longer than a inexpensive cooler. My recommendation is to decide on the biggest fish field that can match within the boat. Then purchase an insulated fish bag for a big fish. With the very best cooler for a small boat, my catch is chilly and prepared for processing so I can present secure and wholesome seafood for my household.