What is your best way keeping crappies in cooler in boat, while catching?

[crp4570]

Water makes ice melt faster and if it's lake water it raises the temp of ice water.

I have a Wareagle 861. While I love the boat the ice coolers and live wells have poor if any insulation. On hot days I place ice blocks in live well. On on super hot days, I purchased a large soft cooler bag that people take frozen items from stores and cut open and lie in bottom live well. Place three blocks of ice. The lids of my live wells and side ice coolers I took sun windshield reflector screens and cut them up to fit inside the lids with the aluminum side glued to the lid. I've fished in the hottest of days and always have 1/3 of each block still remaining with the fish cold.

I purchased a soft side cooler that fits perfect in the ice cooler and place it in the cooler with one block of ice in it. Place drinks and lunch in it. The lid of the soft cooler is a zippered pocket where the iPad stays to keep cool. Have used this routine for two summers with no problem. The hard liner from the soft cooler fits perfect under the console for a trash can.

I use plactic containers to freeze the blocks of ice and pop ou the blocks. I stock pile the blocks in the freezer. Hope this helps.

[huntinslabs]

I try to keep mine alive as much as possible. IfnI know it aint gonna happen I fill a cooler plum full of ice the night before and heavily salt the ice. The next day when fishing I bury fish in the ice. On the way home if needed I get more ice on em. Guarantee the fish are very fresh. I strive to keep fish in the best condition possible.

[Mosquitopat]

tough to find crushed ice

[Mosquitopat]

Why no water with the ice?

your fish will go bad if left in water for too long

[Hanr3]

Livewell...
If they wont -survive the trip home, I fillet them up at the lake.
I don't use ice. Costs money and means another stop which equals time.

[trypman1]

I use the 2qt containers also, but I do keep water in cooler, to spread the cold. Works great.

[Cane Pole]

Fish begin to rot when they die. Ice just slows the rot process down. I ain't died yet from fish rot.

[DOFC]

When fishing tournaments, it's mandatory to bring in live fish. I have insulated the lids of my livewells and I fill the livewells early in the morning and then switch to recirculate the rest of the day. I have made the mistake of pumping fresh water in and the ice goes away really fast. I don't go to the lengths that some people do and use bottled oxygen, but I do use a 12 volt bubbler that has two outlets. I also carry a cooler with frozen 2 liter bottles of ice. You have to keep the water cool, or the fish aren't able to absorb oxygen from the water. These aren't foolproof methods, but they seem to work well for me.

[scrat]

I have a livewell in the boat but they die pretty fast in it. So after I put a few in the livewell I also have a live wire basket that I tie a rope on and hang out on the side of the boat that keeps them in the water where they seem to live better than in the livewell. The only trouble I have with it is sometimes I crank up and take off and forget the basket on the side of the boat. This works good for me as I don't have to get up and go to the back of the boat to put the fish in the livewell while fishing also. I zip tied the bottom of the basket to keep the bottom door from coming open accidentally also.
Eagle Claw Collapsible Wire Fish Baskets : FishUSA

[Cane Pole]

I have a livewell in the boat but they die pretty fast in it. So after I put a few in the livewell I also have a live wire basket that I tie a rope on and hang out on the side of the boat that keeps them in the water where they seem to live better than in the livewell. The only trouble I have with it is sometimes I crank up and take off and forget the basket on the side of the boat. This works good for me as I don't have to get up and go to the back of the boat to put the fish in the livewell while fishing also. I zip tied the bottom of the basket to keep the bottom door from coming open accidentally also.
Eagle Claw Collapsible Wire Fish Baskets : FishUSA

I use one of these baskets when using my Jon boat. Also use one when fishing around the dock. Handy tool. I got one that floats, and one that don't for the seasons. I also tied the bottom trap. Lost fish one time.