I am just getting back into fishing and will pick up my Mayfly tomorrow but I am wondering what is the best way to keep fish?

I will probably be keeping sandies and crappie.

Thanks

Some people use fish bags. I just us a stringer and hang 'em over the side. Not nearly as messy.

Thanks lurenthewind, do you just use the small nylon rope kink or the metal ones with the clip stryle?

You'll likely have to pull your stringer out of the water if you move around. I like a cooler, I think fish are easier to clean when they have been on ice.

If you use a stringer get one like the saltwater waders use; plastic or plastic coated line (slick) with spikes at both ends and a removable float. Much easier to string and unstring fish. For sandies and crappie I’d probably just use a small to medium size cooler lashed in the tankwell. Fishbags work better for large fish than small fish. Paddling is tough dragging a stringer full of fish, and as the water warms fish mortality and spoilage will become a problem with a stringer. Icing them quickly makes a lot of sense. Since it’s just my daughter and me in the house, three or four fish is all I ever keep, if I even keep any.

Enjoy your new boat and good luck!

All good options. I typically just use a stringer over the side.

With the new pedal yaks they have enough torque to not really make the drag of hanging it over the side a particularly big issue.

Now, some good points also about during the summer months when you have 90 degree water temps that's not going to keep your fish very fresh for too long so cooler might be a good idea.

Times 2 on the plastic coated cable type with the float.
When the weather is hot they go directly into an ice chest, but I prefer the stringer if I'm fishing for catfish, since they stay alive for a long while. Bass and crappie usually go on ice right away.
I've used all types and found that on a kayak they work the best. I make mine about 6' long with a spike on one end and then a float attached to the other.
I use the stringer in conjunction with a cooler. If I have to move a long distance the fish then go into the ice chest. Short distances I just lay the stringer at my feet.
The cable type makes the task easy as they just slide right off the stringer into the ice chest.

Thanks, that makes sense as the colder the meat the firmer it gets, sort of like making sausage.

Thanks for the info Jim. I will enjoy the boat, I have been looking and drooling after it since they came out

Thanks Dan, Yes summer will be here soon so Ice could be a big help

Thanks Jimbo, it this they type you are talking about?

G2 Stringer

For crappie I personally would not use a cable stringer since they have such small mouths I would use a clip style stringer. That said I have moved to a fish bag for several reasons. One when I gut hook a keeper fish I don't have to worry about it spoiling on me and I don't waste the fish. Two on fish like Crappie there's something to be said about keeping them and not letting them go back. I swear they alert the rest of the school! I'm not joking either. Also when I'm fishing in the marsh I don't have to worry about attracting Dolphins or gators by dragging a stringer of fish. I like to get my fish on ice ASAP especially in the heat.

Thanks Jerry, when I was young and keeping fish on Table Rock I had problems with turtles have a snack on my stringer hanging off a boat. I do have room on the Kayak for a cooler so I guess I will start looking for one

I use a large bag from Delaware Paddle Sports. I bought the large so I could take it offshore but when I'm not offshore I just stick a styrofoam block inside the front end of the bag so I don't have to keep the entire bag cool. I did improve the bag by adding a 1" thick piece of blue Dow Styrofoam inside the lid and around the sides and it keeps ice MUCH better than my Reliable Fishing Products bag that's pricey. https://www.delawarepaddlesports.com/delaware-paddlesports-insulated-storage-bag-large/
At one point DPS had a medium size bag that was like 30" long but it has never been listed on their website. You have to call them for the medium size. I believe it was about $80. I like these bags and they're made in the USA.

Thanks Jerry, I like that concept of that. I bookmarked that for next month