What is the best way to keep a fish as close to fresh-caught weight for 8-10 hours? I will be fishing the local Bluefish Tournament this upcoming weekend and typically I will catch a decent Blue between 5 and 6 in the morning. Weigh-in is at 4PM! This is a tourney that offers big $$$$ and is usually decided by an ounce or two between first, second and third place so I want to do everything possible to keep my early morning, shore-caught fish fresh and hefty.

So what is the best way? Iced in a cooler? Swimming in my neighbors pool? 8 hours Live-lined for Tuna in an area where there are no Tuna?

No boat- no livewell.....:wall:

Thanks!

Spin

I like the neighbor's pool idea! now THAT would be surprise for them!

really though, I think in a cooler full of ice water, not just ice should help it keep its weight. I think the key is you don't want it to dry out.

Still getting rowdy down in the cove. Always was a good time. I haven't fished it in about 10 years . They still doing it in Mary Parisi's name? I worked with her years ago at Tadco. Do the ice water not just ice. Good luck have one or two for me.

If it's shore caught and big enough could you take it to a bait shop and get it weighed in, get a slip then return to fishing?

I don't remember all the fact about osmosis but if you keep it in cold fresh water it might actually absorb some of the freshwater. I'm getting older so I don't recall all the facts about osmosis and how fish control fluid transfer so this might just be what my twisted mind comes up with.

If it's shore caught and big enough could you take it to a bait shop and get it weighed in, get a slip then return to fishing?

I don't remember all the fact about osmosis but if you keep it in cold fresh water it might actually absorb some of the freshwater. I'm getting older so I don't recall all the facts about osmosis and how fish control fluid transfer so this might just be what my twisted mind comes up with.

Weigh-in at the event only. Not looking to add weight, just preserve the YED.

Still getting rowdy down in the cove. Always was a good time. I haven't fished it in about 10 years . They still doing it in Mary Parisi's name? I worked with her years ago at Tadco. Do the ice water not just ice. Good luck have one or two for me.


The event has grown significantly in the past ten years. With the good forecast this weekend there will likely be over 1000 entrants. The party is insane, the raffle is awesome and the overall atmosphere undeniably festive.

Paul what day is it? Can't remember if it's Sat or Sun.

My bet would be brine it. Take a bunch of seawater, load it up with ice, and keep the boo in that... Should be almost as good as keeping it alive in water.

What about your bait pen??

Paul what day is it? Can't remember if it's Sat or Sun.

My bet would be brine it. Take a bunch of seawater, load it up with ice, and keep the boo in that... Should be almost as good as keeping it alive in water.

What about your bait pen??

Sunday. You in? You boating it again? I read somewhere that no water, just ice and wrap the fish in a wet towel or t-shirt. Not sure that the bait pen would contain a 15 pounder! Gonna get out late week to scout for the whereabouts of the blues. Have a little insight already so call me later...

With the bruisers that were around pre-Irene we may need a 15-17# to win it...

Then there will be the talk of it being caught BEFORE the derby and kept alive to be weighed in for a prize.
Although you may find quite a few good ideas for keeping the fish fresh, if you do anything to keep it alive it will raise red flags across the board.
I can't believe that the tournament will only weigh fish at 4:00 pm!
That would definitly guarantee that almost all fish weighed in will be dead, and that they will definitely have lost weight during the day.
Sorry, but no amount of ice and water is going to prevent weight loss after fish has died. Maybe if it were flash-frozen, but then there's the questions of when fish had been caught.

Man, what a vicious cycle!

Anyway, if you are planning on keeping fish to eat afterwards, maybe you can keep the smaller fish for the table, unless the tourney is based on total weight of all fish caught per person and not individual weight per fish.

Good luck!!!

Damn fantasy football draft is scheduled for noon on Sunday. I will definitely be fishing the early morning at the usual spot. I haven't heard word about the boat yet...

Ps, I'm in no way advocating catching a fish early and keeping it alive! That pen is way too small for even a little blue, meant as tongue in cheek ;)
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Salt water and Ice.

Then there will be the talk of it being caught BEFORE the derby and kept alive to be weighed in for a prize.
Although you may find quite a few good ideas for keeping the fish fresh, if you do anything to keep it alive it will raise red flags across the board.
I can't believe that the tournament will only weigh fish at 4:00 pm!
That would definitly guarantee that almost all fish weighed in will be dead, and that they will definitely have lost weight during the day.
Sorry, but no amount of ice and water is going to prevent weight loss after fish has died. Maybe if it were flash-frozen, but then there's the questions of when fish had been caught.

Man, what a vicious cycle!

Anyway, if you are planning on keeping fish to eat afterwards, maybe you can keep the smaller fish for the table, unless the tourney is based on total weight of all fish caught per person and not individual weight per fish.

Good luck!!!


Guys pull into the weigh-in in their boats and weigh fish that are still flopping on the scale hook! Disadvantage to the shore guys for sure.
I have never seen a "set of rules" for this once-small neighborhood tourney but the weigh-in is from 4 to 5PM, only. One-day tourney, no official "start time" that I am aware of. This is the only type of tourney I would fish as it limits the possibility of cheating (not eliminates). A fun time, win or lose....

Paul ... saltwater and ice is probably your best bet for keeping the fish as close to it's original weight ... not a lot of saltwater ... just enough to create a real freeze ... the ice will melt quite a bit, but also the salt will be good too ...

... or just catch your winning fish at 4 p.m., throw it in the back of the truck and run ...

Like a few have said, in a brine in the cooler. If you do not want to carry salt water to the truck go to the store, put cooler in back of vechicle, get a couple of 15lb. bags of ice and a box of salt, pour salt over ice. You would be surprised how much colder it will be instead of just ice and water.

Good luck at the tournament :)

And yes Fisherman Tim, the weigh-in ends promptly at 4:00PM and we go by the clock at the weigh-in, not the one on your wrist. Weigh-in is from 3:30- 4:00

Whiplash, the tournament is still named after Mary Parisi.

It's the best Blue Fish Tournamant on the east coast, started out with three people making a five dollar bet amongest themselves for the biggest bluefish many years ago.

Nice sharing.
I think exercise is the best way which you can loss your weight rapidly.
You could lost your weight by doing exercise.
I also lost 800 calories by doing swimming and reduces my hip's carbs also.

just stuff it with lead to offset any weight it might lose. don't put any extra in though, that would be cheating.