Hi All

[Dan23]

Just a question,

I often do a spot of kayak fishing and some sessions will go for several hours. What I'm wondering is what a safe period is between catching a fish and getting it on ice. I usually just wack any fish I intend to keep in a wet potato sack but how long does it take for the fish to go off??

[Angus]

Mate if the fish is fresh, a wet sack will keep it good for quite a few hours. This could of course vary if it was a stinking hot day.

But lets just say i have had fish in a bag for quite a few hours, taken them home, and you still see that nerve movement. Fresher than the fisho still!!

Angus

[Dazzamcgee]

Thats a good question Dan23...

Well I think if ya get your fish on ice as soon as possible thats a good start.

As for how long in a wet potato sack a fish can last without going off well that really depends on a few things, How hot the day has been, is it windy and the bag has dried out, is the bag out of direct sunlight etc etc...

Heres something to consider, any meat that has been left out at room temperature after 4 hours is in the danger zone for a bout of food poisoning. So a fish being out in ABOVE room temperatures the 4 hour time limit is greatly reduced....

If you dont have an esky on board my advice would be to use a keeper bag hung over the side. The fish will stay in perfect condition until you get back.

Whats that I hear people say \"sharks\" yes if theres sharks around well maybe they might have a go at the bag but hey who cares rather they get a feed then getting a dose of food poisoning.....

[Dan23]

Dazzamcgee wrote:

Whats that I hear people say \"sharks\" yes if theres sharks around well maybe they might have a go at the bag but hey who cares rather they get a feed then getting a dose of food poisoning.....

Yeah I though of that but the idea of a shark pulling my Kayak off into the distance troubles me slightly. I mainly only estury fish though so that might be the go.

[Liquor Box]

I read a tip on another site- Take one of those foldable \"coles or woolies\" freezer bags that cost around $2.

A day before you go put 3 or 4 cups of water in the freezer and throw them in plastice sandwich bags, inside the coles bag- a really cheap,light weight, robust and flexible esky.

[Dazzamcgee]

Liquor box, Its a good idea but mine only lasted 1 outing:( flathead spurs went right through it....now I use my coles freezer bag to carry my cast net around in....

[Angus]

Yeah i got this thermo bag from hardware store. It was like $10 but well worth it. Lasted about 5 trips so far. You can even drop an ice pack in it.

Another thing to consider, if you can pull over for even 5 mins and gut the fish (leave the scales on till later). This will increase the time you can have it out as well.

Angus

[Gazza]

When I used to spearfish we would get a piece of 3 mm wire and bend it to resemble a safety clip or snap on leader only bigger to skewer the fish on it and attach it to a float with about 10 mtrs of rope and drag it around .

That way if a Shark took it you would just cut the line and swim like you had a outboard attached to ya bum :woohoo:

never had it happen but thats the way I'd go

fresh fish and away from your yak

Gaz