how long?

[eightweight]

Excuse the ignorant question, but how long can you guys keep a whole fish on ice in a fish bag without it going bad?

[Endo]

Too little info in your question to provide an answer, as it is entirely dependent on the internal temp of the bag....which is itself determined by how much ice you have in there, how distributed it is, and how hot it is outside.

However, I will put one or two frozen gallon jugs in my fish bag and that will keep whatever fish I catch for the day until I get back to shore.

A lot of guys don't even use a fishbag or ice and toss their catch in the hull. I wouldn't do this, but some do.

"Safe to eat" is a different and lower bar than trying to keep your catch tasting as best it can.

.

[teen yaker]

As long as you keep ice in the bag, if can go for a few days without problems. I've done multi day trips and kept the fish in a cooler, refilling with ice as needed (just make sure you gut the fish).

[Fishtolive]

I used to keep the fish in the soft cooler with ice for one day while BTB. Then transferred my catch to my 150 quart igloo cooler full with ice at the end of the day. Then go fishing again the next day and repeat the same steps again until the third day and go home. The fish were still good as long as you keep them covered in ice.

[eightweight]

So do you gut them on the water, or just toss them in the bag with ice until you get to shore?

Appreciate the education.

[Fishtolive]

Normally, I only bled them offshore. It will be difficult to gut them offshore because you will make a mess on your kayak unless your yak is a Hobie. The mirage drive port can perfectly be used as a sink to wash off the guts/blood.

[jnd1959]

I usually eat mine raw right there on the kayak. Had to fight a 10 foot hammerhead for half a Dorado once. The little snot took the best part. Seriously, I will keep enough ice to keep them cool on the water and transfer them to an ice chest on the beach. If it is a multi day beach trip I will partially bury a cooler in the sand with a couple blocks of dry ice for filets and prepped fish. This freezes them rock hard for the long trip home. I admit I'm a little fuzzy on what the final destination is in that case but I have fileted and frozen them on the beach.

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[eightweight]

Thanks for the advice. I've been fishing a long time, but not so familiar with such things.
A little bit of experience goes a long way.