What To Keep Caught Fish In?

[DgTerrell]

Why are you guys so anal about him keeping his fish. He's not hurting the fisheries if he's following the legal limit. I know not all of you will agree with this practice but you should respect it or at least keep to yourself.

Agreed. At one time or another, I'm sure we've all kept a nice fish or 2 for the sole purpose of showing it off. Then as anglers we evolve and adopt the catch and release mentality. Nothing wrong with keeping one for mounting either. As long as you have a license it's perfectly legal. Stringers do not harm fish any more than the clip on culling systems used by many tournament anglers. Keep the fish in the water it was caught in for as long as possible. As others have said, it will die in a bucket. If your on the bank and the water is too shallow for the fish to live on a stringer, snap a pic or if you want to mount it, ice it ASAP and get it to a taxidermist. Let your consciencence be your guide.

Thank you.

Looks like I have read some false information on stringers. Going to have to get mine back from my brother.

[Scorcher214]

If you want to really make sure he is alive, get a battery powered aerator for a cooler.

[Hyrule Bass]

I have Fibromyalgia so I pretty much got to carry my bucket around to sit because I get to hurting and weak after a while. I've read that stringers are hard on the fish and can kill them quickly too. I just found on BPS that they carry a collapsible basket for bass. It's 19" diameter and 30" height. I could get that and then when I get back to the car put them in a cooler.

instead of a bucket, why not get one of those fold up chairs that come with a bag you can store them in that has a shoulder strap, you could just throw that over your shoulder. and even if stringers did cause fish problems, whats it matter if youre keeping the fish anyways?

Why are you guys so anal about him keeping his fish. He's not hurting the fisheries if he's following the legal limit. I know not all of you will agree with this practice but you should respect it or at least keep to yourself.

well said. while everyone is entitled to their opinions on it, they also shouldnt act so repulsed and give someone a hardtime about them keeping fish so long as its kept legally...

[Avid Angler FL]

Yeah I think a stringer would be your best bet. It's what I use to keep catfish alive and kickin. Just make sure but stick it through their lower lips, NOT through their gills. That's what will injure or even kill fish. Another option, as you've mentioned would be the fish basket. That would be great to use! And they're usually collapsable to reduce the bulk of them!

[hatrix]

I don't understand why you put a stringer through there lip. You say its not to harm or kill the fish but I have always put it through there mouth and out the gills. Maybe you guys are putting fish on a stringer for another reason then I am? If there is fish on my stringer its future is going to be short lived. It would also seem like if you did decide to release them it would maybe be worse off with a hole in the bottom of it now.

[David301]

My honey hole that I fish is very near to producing me a new Maryland state record. I was thinking one day what am I going to do if I do catch the new state record, how am I going to transport it to the local tackle shop to have it officially weighed. So I purchased a heavy duty 50 gallon plastic container and installed a aerator system in it and I keep it in the back of my suv. A fishing buddy asked why do I keep it in the back of my suv and not take it with me while fishing, I had to tell him that water weighs around 8 pounds per gallon and if I put 40 gallons of water in it that it would weigh 320 pounds, like I can lift that from the ground and into my suv..lol....I carry a fish bag with me to transport the fish to my suv and will run back and forth with a bucket for more water. Yea, its a pain in the butt..but you gotta do what you gotta do.

[SDoolittle]

I'm running out of hands though. I'm already carrying my 5 gallon bucket (my seat) tackle box, water and rod.

I suggest you get one of these. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM4964911801P?prdNo=1#reviewsWrap I have used one while bank fishing for years, and I really like it. It is probably more comfortable to sit on than the bucket you're currently using, the shoulder strap makes it easy to carry, and it has a built in five gallon cooler to carry your drinks and/or fish. The pockets on the outside are designed to carry a box of shotgun shells, and they come in handy for storing items such as sun screen and insect repellent. The cooler can also be used as a minnow bucket if you like to use live bait.

[DgTerrell]

instead of a bucket, why not get one of those fold up chairs that come with a bag you can store them in that has a shoulder strap, you could just throw that over your shoulder.

I bought one of those chairs the beginning of the summer. Most of the places I fish on the bank are very rugged and it's hard to find a even spot to spread the legs for the chair to sit up without tipping over. Found the bucket to be easier to get around and sit on.

I suggest you get one of these. http://www.sears.com...o=1#reviewsWrap I have used one while bank fishing for years, and I really like it. It is probably more comfortable to sit on than the bucket you're currently using, the shoulder strap makes it easy to carry, and it has a built in five gallon cooler to carry your drinks and/or fish. The pockets on the outside are designed to carry a box of shotgun shells, and they come in handy for storing items such as sun screen and insect repellent. The cooler can also be used as a minnow bucket if you like to use live bait.

I actually was looking at something very similar to that just yesterday. It wasn't quite as fancy as that one, just a bucket with skirt and pockets. I'm going to try and search for one those later on today.

Thanks everybody for the suggestions!

[Packard]

You also could put this on your bucket so you don't have to lug around a tackle box. It's called the Plano Bucket Topper and it's around $10 at most stores.

[Canadian Kid]

I'm with Sam unless in tournament I throw everything back.

+1

[fishinkeebs]

If you can carry a cooler Marine Metal Products make an aerator systems that can fit in any cooler, it runs on any standard marine battery. It works awesome!