When you use a stringer, the fish dies a slow death. It'll swim till it dies building up waste product in the meat. I can certainly notice a difference. If you kill it before stringing it, then you are holding it in whatever temp the water is..great for spring, horrible for summer. The cooler is nice but it is bulky and acts like a sail, ...great for downwind but a PIA for up/cross wind. My best solution is a freezer bag using a bottle or 2 of frozen water. I bleed the fish for a quick kill then slid em in.