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KatchKooler
Using It Correctly
By Tom Nelson
The best ice packs for your KatchKooler are either the blue Ice packs, chemical frozen ice packs or even better,
save your money and freeze your own ice in heavy sided plastic bottles. Since we throw away hundreds of plastic bottles a year,you should have no problem collecting more than you will ever need.
The KatchKooler is one of the most popular items for Northwest Steelhead and Salmon anglers. Thousands are now in the hands of anglers.
The small boat angler who doesn’t have room for a large ice chest in his boat, the large boat owner who doesn’t want to share his food cooler with a dead fish or the bank angler who wants to bring his catch home in prime condition have found the KatchKooler the solution to keeping their catch in fresh, prime condition.
The KatchKooler is made from high density close cell foam. It’s made with waterproof fabric. BUT, it leaks and is designed to leak. All fish bags do! There is nothing that will destroy the flavor or texture of your fish faster than allowing it to lay in warm water.
So, to use your KatchKooler correctly, do the following things.
Upon catching your fish place them in a plastic bag. Once in the plastic bag lay your fish so that the ice is on top, as cold travels down.
If you are using ice cubes, you must drain the water from the bag occasionally so that your ice will last longer and water doesn’t collect around the fish.
The best bottles to use are flat and broad. Fill them about ¾ full and add a teaspoon of salt to the water before freezing.
It will take a little longer to freeze, but will be at least 3 degrees colder than normal ice.
By using bottles, blue ice, etc., you will not only protect your catch from bacterial degradation, but also preserve the quality of the flavor of your catch.