Show me your cooler setups in your boats

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bikerider

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As the title states, I am requesting pictures of you guys' cooler setups in your boats. I have a 12 ft tin and am getting more serious about keeping the fish I catch, hence the request. Please and thank you.
 
I think you are probably looking for built-in coolers. Don't have one of those or pictures.

I currently use a 28 quart Igloo Sea Breeze cooler ($15 cheapie) that I got a Walmart. I have 9 8oz water plastic water bottles that I keep in the freezer. They fit perfectly in the bottom of the cooler. They pretty much last all day. When I get home I toss them back in the freezer. I'm actually looking to get the next size up for a little more room.

I always have a bunch of 13 gal plastic trash bags on the boat. I put my catch in a bag and then in the cooler so I don't get slime on my baloney sandwiches. I also have one of those insulated bags (from Costco). I use that if I catch something that is too big for the igloo. Sadly, that doesn't happen often.

Advantage is I can move it around so it is out of the way. I would like a built-in cooler but the way my boat is there just isn't a good way to do that.
 
Actually I was hoping for a picture or information about setups like yours. That's smart to use water bottles as ice blocks.
 
Since the front bench on on Lowe is unused I have an Igloo "ringleader" soft sided cooler that I fix on the seat with the carry handles with bungee cords. The top has a vel-cro access door so you don't have to open the top to put smaller fish in.

I disliked the Key West color it came in and took spray cans to it :)

igloo_ringleader_both.jpg
 
70Qt Coleman Extreme from Walmart

uttexas said:
Might give you some ideas
Cooler, netting, closed cell foam kitchen mat, ratchet straps purchased at Wmart
Closed cell foam flooring, PVC board, Lexel purchased at Lowes
Rod holders purchased at Academy sports

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zGNiMaq.jpg

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uttexas said:
 
Rod holders screwed into PVC board
PVC board with rod holders attached then Lexeled onto cooler and boat
 
gnappi said:
Since the front bench on on Lowe is unused I have an Igloo "ringleader" soft sided cooler that I fix on the seat with the carry handles with bungee cords. The top has a vel-cro access door so you don't have to open the top to put smaller fish in.

I disliked the Key West color it came in and took spray cans to it :)


It would be nice to have that much capacity, but I am quickly running out of room in mine. How is it to wash that cooler out, being it's canvas?
 
I like how multi purpose your cooler is, uttexas. I wish I had the room comfortably for one that size. I've had one similar to this one pictured but I don't know how many fish it would hold after you add ice. The thing I do like about it is it is small enough to fit in the bow and is the perfect size to tuck away under the bow deck I'm going to build.
 

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bikerider said:
gnappi said:
Since the front bench on on Lowe is unused I have an Igloo "ringleader" soft sided cooler that I fix on the seat with the carry handles with bungee cords. The top has a vel-cro access door so you don't have to open the top to put smaller fish in.

I disliked the Key West color it came in and took spray cans to it :)


It would be nice to have that much capacity, but I am quickly running out of room in mine. How is it to wash that cooler out, being it's canvas?

The insides are a thick vinyl / plastic. It washes up in a jiffy.

It's the only cooler I found that is longer than high and deep and will hold L-O-N-G fish like 10+ pound snakeheads. The green is DQ'd but the white "marine" model @ 22"wide x 10" x 10" is still available.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/igloo-marine-ultra-36-can-console-cooler-17iglumrnltr36cncodr/17iglumrnltr36cncodr
 
gnappi said:
bikerider said:
gnappi said:
Since the front bench on on Lowe is unused I have an Igloo "ringleader" soft sided cooler that I fix on the seat with the carry handles with bungee cords. The top has a vel-cro access door so you don't have to open the top to put smaller fish in.

I disliked the Key West color it came in and took spray cans to it :)


It would be nice to have that much capacity, but I am quickly running out of room in mine. How is it to wash that cooler out, being it's canvas?

The insides are a thick vinyl / plastic. It washes up in a jiffy.

It's the only cooler I found that is longer than high and deep and will hold L-O-N-G fish like 10+ pound snakeheads. The green is DQ'd but the white "marine" model @ 22"wide x 10" x 10" is still available.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/igloo-marine-ultra-36-can-console-cooler-17iglumrnltr36cncodr/17iglumrnltr36cncodr

Thanks for the link. I had to ask about cleaning the fish slime out of it haha.
 
I just use a Yeti Tundra 65 sitting in the back of the boat. My fish usually go in the deadwell. That's a livewell but we can't possess live fish here in NH or Maine, so I call it a deadwell!
 
gnappi said:
It's the only cooler I found that is longer than high and deep and will hold L-O-N-G fish like 10+ pound snakeheads. The green is DQ'd but the white "marine" model @ 22"wide x 10" x 10" is still available.

Those kind of dimensions are what I'm looking for too, but in a hard sided cooler. They don't seem to exist.
 
What do you guys think about using a cooler bag like this one? https://www.walmart.com/ip/50-Can-Insulated-Cooler-Tote-Sea-Turtle-Green/608036158 I like that it could be folded over and tucked away in the boat when not in use and would save some space.
 
bikerider said:
What do you guys think about using a cooler bag like this one? https://www.walmart.com/ip/50-Can-Insulated-Cooler-Tote-Sea-Turtle-Green/608036158 I like that it could be folded over and tucked away in the boat when not in use and would save some space.

I guess it all depends on your needs. The one you link pretty much trades insulation for space/convenience. If you need to keep ice solid for 8+ hours then it will not work. If you just want your drinking water to not be warm after a few hours then it will be fine. It looks a lot more convenient then the thicker hard shell options, but its a trade-off.
 
enwez said:
bikerider said:
What do you guys think about using a cooler bag like this one? https://www.walmart.com/ip/50-Can-Insulated-Cooler-Tote-Sea-Turtle-Green/608036158 I like that it could be folded over and tucked away in the boat when not in use and would save some space.

I guess it all depends on your needs. The one you link pretty much trades insulation for space/convenience. If you need to keep ice solid for 8+ hours then it will not work. If you just want your drinking water to not be warm after a few hours then it will be fine. It looks a lot more convenient then the thicker hard shell options, but its a trade-off.

I was thinking of it for keeping the caught fish in and keeping them cool until I could get home. I have a different soft side cooler I keep my food and drinks in. I would probably need it to stay cool for 6 hours give or take at most including travel time. I wonder if there are better versions of what I posted that would work for what I need.
 
This is the one I mentioned earlier. It is about 24" wide. I take it for times when the fish won't fit in my smaller cooler -- have yet to use it. :cry:

It is certainly not of expedition quality and can't say it is any better than what you showed. It isn't super insulated. I think it is intended for taking frozen foods home from the grocery store. I think it would keep your catch cool for a day of fishing if you load it with ice. I actually got this one at Sam's Club instead of Costco. Cost was $6 or $7.

BTW, I understand your earlier comment about ease of cleaning the fish slime off the inside. Again, that is why I put my catch in a large trash bag and then in the cooler. I can easily fit a limit in one 13 gal trash bag. If it ever happens that I can't, that will be a good day! :LOL2:

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LDUBS said:
If it ever happens that I can't, that will be a good day! :LOL2:

I know, right? What a problem to have. :LOL2:

That's good to know. Maybe I will adopt your method and bring a garbage bag with me, plenty of ice and a cooler bag like yours. Does your cooler bag sweat or leak? I had one a long time ago and after the ice started to melt inside it would start leaking out of the bottom. I never knew if it was a defective product or just the nature of those type of bags.
 
bikerider said:
Does your cooler bag sweat or leak? I had one a long time ago and after the ice started to melt inside it would start leaking out of the bottom. I never knew if it was a defective product or just the nature of those type of bags.

Aw, that is a good question. I really haven't used it yet so can't say for sure how it would hold up. It is a cheapie, so who knows. I sure don't want it leaking all over the place.
 

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