How long will fish stay fresh in my bucket

[Pkfish49]

I'm going fishing accompanied by a five-gallon paint bucket.  I'll fill it with cold lake water early in the morning and put my fish in as I catch them.  My question is - if it's a hot day - 65 f - 80 f , how long will the fish stay fresh for.  I know about devices that hold fish and can be kept in the lake.  My problem is that I'm going to be moving around a lot and driving to different lakes.  I'd rather not have to waste valuable time taking trips back home to clean the fish in the middle of the day.  If I catch some fish at 7:00 A.M., will they by OK by 5:00 - 6:00 P.M. when I normally return to base.

 

In any event, if I travel with an ice-filled cooler and clean the fish as soon as soon as I catch them, will they be tastier than if they sit for hours in the bucket?

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Stress causes lactic acid to build up in the fish's muscles, which is part of what causes the fishy flavor. You'll be much better off if you catch them, gut them, rinse them, then put them on ice in a cooler. 

[Pkfish49]

11 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Stress causes lactic acid to build up in the fish's muscles, which is part of what causes the fishy flavor. You'll be much better off if you catch them, gut them, rinse them, then put them on ice in a cooler. 

I just got my fillet knife sharpened so I'm ready to take care of business quickly.  I do need to check New York State regulations regarding "transporting" or carrying around fillets or cleaned fish with their heads cut off.  

 

I would never do this, but in theory I could keep undersized fish and a DEC officer looking into my cooler would have no way of knowing the original size, so I wonder whether this is technically illegal.

[Angry John]

1 hour ago, Pkfish49 said:

I just got my fillet knife sharpened so I'm ready to take care of business quickly.  I do need to check New York State regulations regarding "transporting" or carrying around fillets or cleaned fish with their heads cut off.  

 

I would never do this, but in theory I could keep undersized fish and a DEC officer looking into my cooler would have no way of knowing the original size, so I wonder whether this is technically illegal.

Leave the head on and then the rules can be verified with no issue.

[Pkfish49]

2 hours ago, Angry John said:

Leave the head on and then the rules can be verified with no issue.

Ty,

 

I'm not a very good butcher.  I normally cut the head off behind the gills and pull out the remaining guts.

 

Is this good technique to gut while leaving the head on, or can you recommend something better?

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

4 hours ago, Pkfish49 said:

I just got my fillet knife sharpened so I'm ready to take care of business quickly.  I do need to check New York State regulations regarding "transporting" or carrying around fillets or cleaned fish with their heads cut off.  

 

I would never do this, but in theory I could keep undersized fish and a DEC officer looking into my cooler would have no way of knowing the original size, so I wonder whether this is technically illegal.

 

3 hours ago, Angry John said:

Leave the head on and then the rules can be verified with no issue.

Yep, most states require keeping the fish whole to verify species and size as well amount of fish.