Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
The Kill Bag offers a lot of cooler in a little space. It can hold up to 85 quarts and 95 pounds of ice and fold up to fit anywhere.
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Product Description
If you fish on a small boat and don’t have room for a full-size fish box, the Reliable Fishing Products Kill Bag is the perfect solution. It also makes a great option when you catch a fish larger than your fish box. You can pull out the vinyl-coated polyester soft-sided cooler, add a little ice, and slide the fish inside. High-quality, leak-proof zippers keep the cold and fish slime inside. The bag is pleated and gusseted to fold flat or stand upright, and the best feature is the drain plug, an unusual but fantastic addition for a soft-sided cooler.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
Superior traction, 70-quart storage, and four-day ice retention make the Igloo Trailmate Journey the best Cooler with wheels.
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Product Description
When the fishing hole is down a path, over a hill, through a river, and across the beach, grab the Igloo Trailmate Journey cooler and hit the trail. To keep the cooler rolling, two over-sized, corrosion-resistant wheels cover soft ground and roll over rocks and logs. An aluminum handle makes it easy to control the heavy cooler but conveniently stows away to save space. You can also convert the handle into a work space when you add the included serving tray. When it’s time to go, the serving tray stores in the underside of the lid. The Trailmate Journey has a dry storage co*partment, gear pockets, and a bottle opener for those times when the fish aren’t biting. Stainless steel hardware and aluminum co*ponents ensure that the Trailmate Journey keeps rolling for many miles.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
The Coleman 316 Series is a classic fish box with modern upgrades at a great price.
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Product Description
The classic white Coleman 316 Marine Cooler is a fixture on fishing boats around the world. Light, inexpensive and versatile, this cooler can take a beating on a boat or the back of a truck. The 150 quart model has space for the biggest fish or a week’s supply of food and beverages and contains a UV resistant coating to prevent the plastic from breaking down, warping, or fading. To serve as an extra seat, the lid can hold up to 250 pounds. Inside, an antimicrobial coating keeps the cooler mold and stain free. For just over $100, the Coleman
316 Marine Cooler has huge capacity, simple features, and reliable ice retention for a great fish box at a reasonable price.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
The 30-quart leak-proof cooler keeps your contents cold or dry and has four sturdy rod holders so you always have a free hand.
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Product Description
Do you need a dry box, leak-proof cooler, and a live well with rod holders? You get it all with Engle’s 30 Quart Dry Box/Cooler. It’s co*pact enough for kayak fishing, loading onto an ATV, or carrying to your favorite distant fishing spot. The 30 Quart Dry Box/Cooler can acco*modate a day’s worth of bait or lunch for the family. Four vertical rod holders keep rods in place for easy transport. You can even trust the dry box to protect camera equipment and electronics during stormy, wet conditions. It’s so reliable that I trust it as my favorite lunch box. The Engle cooler/dry box doesn’t have a drain plug, and the lid is sealed and latched so there’s no danger it will leak even if it flips upside down. For anglers who want to keep minnows or leeches alive, this is an ideal option. It co*es with a battery powered aerator that bubbles the bait inside. It will keep even the most sensitive crappie minnows alive during a long day on the water.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
This big, tough, and inexpensive cooler offers the performance of a premium cooler without the bells and whistles.
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Product Description
The ICEY-TEK 200 emerged in the late 80s asws one of the first high-performance coolers and the rugged fish boxes are still popular with pro anglers and co*mercial fishermen. With models up to 1100 quarts, ICEY-TEK offers sturdy rotomolded plastic and high-density insulation that can handle even your largest hauls. While their appearance might not wow anyone, these coolers are all performance.. The simple, boxy, white design emphasizes ice retention and durability with a marine-grade gasket and UV-resistant stretchy rubber latches to seal in cold air. Molded handles under the lid make the huge cooler easy to carry. Two large drain plugs remove meltwater and make clean-up easy. You can even lock the lid on the ICEY-TEK 200 for an equally capable dry storage locker.
Generally, it’s a good idea to have a cooler for fishing. Not only does a cooler keep your bait and catch cool, but the best fishing coolers also preserve food and beverages and serve as dry storage for gear. As soon as you land a fish you plan to eat, it is important to put the fish on ice. Cooling the meat prevents bacteria growth and improves the meat’s texture and firmness. Cleaning a cold fish is a lot easier, too, because it’s firmer and easier to cut and remove from the bones. If you release your catch, you’ll still need the best fishing cooler to keep your lunch and beverages cold.
Read Next: Best Fillet Knives
A good size cooler for fishing depends on your intended use and purposes. In addition to external dimensions, coolers are classified by their capacity. A ten quart cooler is big enough for bait or lunch, while a 150-quart cooler is a standard fish box for an offshore fishing boat. To determine the size fish cooler you need, measure the space where the cooler sits to make sure it can hold the one you have in mind. Coolers co*e in many different dimensions. A 100 quart cooler by one co*pany may not fit in the same space that a 100 quart cooler from another co*pany. In addition to the cooler’s outer dimensions, look for a room inside to fit your catch. When I store fish, I prefer a cooler that’s long enough for the fish to lie flat without bending. For example, speckled trout and redfish average 20 to 25 inches, so I look for a 30-inch-long cooler to acco*modate my catch. If you primarily target panfish, a 50-quart cooler will hold a day’s limit. On my 20-foot center console boat, I have a 120 quart fish box and a 35 quart lunch cooler. To store bait, I use an eight-quart soft cooler to hold a frozen ice pack and my day’s supply of squid, clams, and cut bait. I stick the smaller cooler into my 120 quart fish box and frozen bait stays solid all day.
The cost of the best fishing coolers depend on the brand and capacity.Instead of repairing and replacing a cheap fishing cooler, anglers want a cooler that will last for years without fail. But sturdy co*ponents, a durable shell, and days of ice retention co*e at a price. Depending on the size, the best fishing coolers typically run north of $200, but the performance and reliability make these high-dollar coolers worth the money. Not only will the cooler endure years of abuse, but it’ll also hold ice longer and save time and money in the long run. I recently replaced a 120 quart marine cooler with a same-size premium cooler. The new fish box is easier to clean, holds more fish with 30 percent less ice, and doesn’t need a repair every time I go fishing. I spent years avoiding expensive premium fishing coolers trying to save money but ended up losing more in the long run. Treat your cooler like an investment and you’ll save a lot of time and money.
For this review, I tested the best fishing coolers by putting them through a tough day on the water. First, I filled them with ice and to see how long they kept the contents cold, and then I loaded them up and went fishing. To measure capacity and performance, I loaded the coolers with bait and my catch. I opened and closed the latches repeatedly, pulled on the lid to pressure the hinges, spent hours carrying and dragging the cooler by its handles, and finally washed fish guts, blood, scales, and slime from the outside and inside. As much as I hate to admit it, I even dropped and banged the cooler from the back of the truck to the bow of the boat. This treatment may seem extreme, but it’s not that different from a typical day on the water. And if you’re not rolling with the best fishing coolers, yours might not make it through many fishing trips.
Buying an expensive cooler might seem intimidating at first, and there are plenty of ways to talk yourself out of it. Trust me. But if you spend enough time on the water, having the best fishing cooler isn’t just an investment in your gear, it’s an investment in your fishing. And if you want to maximize your time on the water, a quality fishing cooler is a great place to start.
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