Grate for ice chest - Keeps crappie out of the wet slime

Gonzz asked what this is from another post and thought maybe someone else would want to try it or another idea.



I custom made it. Trial and error. I think it is some kind of shelving. I cut it to fit with bolt cutters. but the crappie would still slip through the grate. So I used shears or tin snips to cut some hardware cloth. Took a while to get it snug around all the edges.
But it works great to keep the crappie up and out of the wet slime.

This is the shelving. I don't know if it is for regular shelves or from big walk in coolers. I found it somewhere...


You can see on the original long piece that it is only bent on one side. So I used vise grips to bend every tine to match the other side and make it level.

then I used tin snips to cut hardware cloth to fit snugly over it.



Every cooler is different and some have curved insides because of wheels, so I had to get creative.
Leave yourself an edge, like in the green cooler, to get it out to clean it.



The hardware cloth will stick into you and the cooler every which way... but it is flexible to form fit.





You can see that smaller middle one is perfectly bent. I was at a 4th of July crawfish boil and the host had a big scrap pile behind his giant pole barn. there was another shelve just like the one I found. This time the facilities guy where I work took it home and bent it on his metal shop equipment. Heckuva lot easier than using vise grips. lol




Good fishing!

Me Likey! Thanks

Good idea.

I've had good results using a grinder to sand the pokey parts. Then I'd attach it with some zipties.

Nice Post, Thanks

you might also try some frozen two liter soda bottles with ice instead of cubes as there will be no water to leak to the bottom.

Thanks...

Good idea

Awesome idea...

Great idea, going to have to do that myself.

Stupid Question: Why keep them out of the slime?

Not near as much MESS at the cleaning table. The fillets aren't laying in a layer of slime and the fish don't slide all over the table when you're cleaning them.

That's a great idea!!
I think it keeps the filets firmer also when they're not marinating in fish slime for most of a day.
That may be just in my head but they sure are easier to handle and way less mess and slop on the cleaning board.

Yep, exactly, on all points! If they stay up in the ice all day, they are 'clean' and firm, not soggy and slimy.
If you don't mind slime, go catfishing! lol Way more meat on a 20 lb App.

Late June through August, we put them straight into a cooler rather than the live well. When the water temp is close to 90, It's like boiled fish in a live well after a few hours. White tails and fins and slimy warm fish. yuck

I have a buddy that lives and fishes in Hawaii. To be able to sell his catch to a market, (Swordfish, Mahi, tuna etc.) he has to put his fish directly into crushed ice on his boat and maintain the internal cold temperature on the meat. good stuff!

Good fishing! ... and catching!