How do you keep fish fresh in your kayak?

Here are a couple options, some will fit IN the boat if you have a large front hatch . . .

http://creativefeathers.com/KayakFishBags.cfm

http://kayakfishinggear.com/fishbag-insulatedtokeepyourcatchfresh-bysurftosummit-yelloworgray.aspx

I've just been dunking the game clip in the water every few minutes or so, but that can be some heavy lifting if you got a full clip.

What businesses have such bags they will give away, or sell cheap?  The burlap bags I saw at Sport Chalet are small.

Find a coffee shop or cafe that roasts their own beans. They'll have a bunch in the back that they just throw away. I got mine from Cafe Bello in Glen Park.

Here are a couple options, some will fit IN the boat if you have a large front hatch . . .


http://kayakfishinggear.com/fishbag-insulatedtokeepyourcatchfresh-bysurftosummit-yelloworgray.aspx

I'm liking this sit on top method, thanks for passing that along

     I use an old canvas "dive bag" when/if I catch a keeper fish  I put the fish in the bag and hang off the side of my yak. The fish are hidden in the bag long enough ( I hope) for me to put it in the boat if "something" swims by. The bag has a mesh bottom so the water runs out... the wet canvas protects the fish till I dump them in again...(most of my fish are alive when I hit the beach)... and its not as heavy as wet burlap.  You have to wash the slime out of it or it will retain the stink. The bag has served me well.  I also have a game clip for fish too big for the bag.

Gue

I've just been dunking the game clip in the water every few minutes or so, but that can be some heavy lifting if you got a full clip.

What businesses have such bags they will give away, or sell cheap?  The burlap bags I saw at Sport Chalet are small.

Find a coffee shop or cafe that roasts their own beans. They'll have a bunch in the back that they just throw away. I got mine from Cafe Bello in Glen Park.

Yep, coffee roasters usually give them away, although I've actually had to compete with artists at times for the used sacks.
I should throw in a plug for the hipster joint where I got my last batch: http://www.fourbarrelcoffee.com/   

John, if you can't find any, I'll get you one - don't buy them.

Burlap (or towel) is the cheap DIY method. An insulated fish bag is the more Sharper Image approach. 

i throw um in the hatch, keeps um real cool

then just  bit of bleach and wateer when i get home.

Wet drift chute on top.

  I use a couple of blocks of blue ice  in a bag pre-cooled by a couple of blocks of blue ice. Smaller amounts of fish ( 28" ling+3 or 4  medium rockfish)  are icy cold up to six hours later.
   I lash this oversize thing to the bow area with two cut bike tubes with bungee hooks attached. Always the hope for a 26 lb hali, you know.  Causes wind resistance increase however.    
   Cold fish storage is a big deal for power boats . I think it makes a  difference come dinner time.


   Inner bag - heavy duty plastic sheeting( no rockfish spine penetration as of yet ).

   second bag - cheap camping ground pad
   3rd -         insulation material,  bubble wrap air pockets covered by aluminum,from hardware store.
          Duct tape
   nylon laundry bag from E-bay  and  sun reflector, same material as above.
   White nylon laundry bag sun reflector that also holds water like a burlap bag.
           ( inner nylon bag much more tightly woven, practically waterproof)
       I just make envelopes, if you want spend more time with the duct tape you can get creative with different shapes. I used an oval shape before and the air pocket it created seemed to have better cooling properties.
     Costs about  $20 compared to around a hundred for store bought. It probably doesn't work as well, but it works well enough.


   White nylon bag from e-bay seller, evercare_supplier. Don't know if their inventory is always the same. Other nylon bag has not been sold lately , but was from e-bay seller  , carryallbags.

 I use a couple of blocks of blue ice  in a bag pre-cooled by a couple of blocks of blue ice. Smaller amounts of fish ( 28" ling+3 or 4  medium rockfish)  are icy cold up to six hours later.
   I lash this oversize thing to the bow area with two cut bike tubes with bungee hooks attached. Always the hope for a 26 lb hali, you know.  Causes wind resistance increase however.    
   Cold fish storage is a big deal for power boats . I think it makes a  difference come dinner time.


   Inner bag - heavy duty plastic sheeting( no rockfish spine penetration as of yet ).

   second bag - cheap camping ground pad
   3rd -         insulation material,  bubble wrap air pockets covered by aluminum,from hardware store.
          Duct tape
   nylon laundry bag from E-bay  and  sun reflector, same material as above.
   White nylon laundry bag sun reflector that also holds water like a burlap bag.

       I just make envelopes, if you want spend more time with the duct tape you can get creative with different shapes. I used an oval shape before and the air pocket it created seemed to have better cooling properties.
     Costs about  $20 compared to around a hundred for store bought. It probably doesn't work as well, but it works well enough.

Very cool casey!

Thanks for sharing!

Sincerely,

Jim

The original post mentioned using kelp. Been there, done that. It works in a pinch.
The weather plays a part. Sometimes it is cold enough, my painful digits are a sure sign, and the fish keep nicely with no added attention. Other times it is sunny and very warm, raisin time! It's nice for us on the water then, but not so nice for our harvest.
No matter what you use, cover, and soak them, otherwise let them go.
BTW, I also like to bleed my fish over the side for a minute or two before throwing them in the well. Though, if a furbag is anywhere around I will skip this part.
I don't worry about sharks. If one wants me, he can have me. There is no stopping one, and I think the chances of this happening are miniscule. I worry about seals much more. Besides, think of the NCKA cred you would recieve!
Please, don't read this the wrong way. I am very careful, if I wasn't I'd already be an ex yaker. I plan on doing this a good while longer. I got a lot of guys to meet yet.

All of the party boat operators and their shops shore side sell burlap bags for a 2 - 4 dollars.

I have a 5-gallon bucket tied down in the tank well, fish go in there with a wet burlap sack on top of them.  Anything particularly large goes straight down the hatch for safe keeping.  Home Depot or Lowes will have burlap sacks too.

there have been some great ideas on here.  The wet burlap seems to do a good job for me too.  I also snip a gill after catch, and just throw it in the tw under the sack.  then gut and gill on shore and into the ice.   after a few hours on ice i'll filet them,  the meat is more firm and easier to filet imo.  by bleeding them otw, and gut and giill on shore by the time i filet the meat is usually a very nice white color and hopefully sometimes a nice blue color as well if  i'm lucky

As far as the bag idea goes. if you use quality heavy duty plastic, usually sold by the store , not off the shelf, and high quality duct tape, then you can do anything. Get  an old sleeping bag from the thrift store ,cut to size, and encase it in plastic on all sides.
Haven't tried that but I may, if I run into a really cheap beat up high quality bag. Extra floatation device  as well.
  A google search for best insulation material or best thermal insulator turns up all kinds of info.

  Added 7/24: After posting I rebuilt my bag, which I was always about to do but never did.

    I sandwiched three layers of small bubble bubble wrap between two pieces of the silver insulation and encased that in plastic sheeting so waterproof. Folded that over to make  a bag. Used that instead of the closed cell foam and it is a big improvement. Just like downtown.

Any hardware store should have burlap sacks for 50 cents or less, especially if they have an area for erosion control. My worry would be getting blood in the water (if you're in the ocean)