From stringers to dry ice to styrofoam coolers to live wells, there are almost as many ways to keep your catch fresh as there are fish in the sea. While every angler has his or her preferred method for storing fish as you catch them, and the best method will vary depending on the water temperature, the weather, and what’s biting, there are certain things we can all agree upon.
Like how important it is to keep fish cool, fresh, and firm until it’s time to hit the frying pan. That’s where a fishing cooler backpack, and knowing how to use one in a variety of lakeside and beachfront scenarios, can really come in handy.
At its most basic, it isn’t hard to use a fishing cooler backpack. Simply follow the 2:1 ratio of ice to contents, keep the cooler out of the sun as much as possible, and open it infrequently. Layering contents with ice or cold packs will ensure an even chill. Dry ice is great for shipping trophies and larger catches, but can damage the fabric of soft-sided coolers and even get contents too cold. Ice is cheap and easy to fill around contents, but does eventually melt into water.
That chilly water still helps keep your catch cold up to a certain point, but some anglers prefer not to deal with melt water. They might fill plastic bottle with a frozen saltwater solution and use those to refrigerate the inside of their fishing backpack coolers, or use purpose-made freezer blocks or gel packs. However you choose to reach that 2:1 cool to contents ratio, you can also have confidence in the extra features that an IceMule fishing cooler backpack has that keeps it cold and makes it easy to use.
The first is the drybag design, which means you close your fishing backpack cooler by folding the top down, rather than zipping or snapping it shut. That lets you create a tight seal without having to worry about hardware wearing out over time, catching, or leaking. The other is the IceMule Airvalve, which gives you the ability to inflate your cooler’s outer layer, providing an additional degree of insulation. When you’re done using the cooler, you can deflate for easy cleaning and storage.
Once you’re familiar with how all the features on your cooler work, you can start to strategize the best way to work it into your next fishing trip. There are several different ways to use your fishing backpack cooler. For one, you can simply use it to hold all the snacks, drinks, and gear you’ll need to make your day out on the water as fun and relaxing as possible. With the ability to hold up to 65 pounds, an IceMule Boss won’t leave you short on frosty beer, soda, or grub.
For another, you can use your fishing backpack cooler to keep your catch fresh, layering fish and ice either after they’re cleaned or straight from the water if you have limited room on the boat for processing. Don’t worry about needing to clean your fishing cooler backpack if you go the second route and use it for catch storage.
IceMule coolers are easy to clean and hose out with a little dish soap, and can be hung to dry. The internal fabric is also designed to withstand scrubbing, so feel free to use your fishing cooler backpack for all those rugged, sometimes slimy tasks, from hauling bait out to the dock to schlepping your bass, walleye, and perch back to the cabin.
You can even use your fishing cooler backpack during ice fishing season to keep your food and drink insulated from the cold. After all, there’s few things more discouraging than going to tuck into your lunch only to find you need to thaw that sandwich in your armpit for a good half hour.
A fishing cooler backpack can also help pad and insulate pricy fishing gear like your electronic fish-finder. Keeping your phone or other battery-powered equipment warm can also prolong your charge when the temperature plummets. Last but not least, a good cooler will keep your catch a safe temperature without turning into bluegill and crappie shaped bricks.
The other way to use your fishing backpack cooler is to change how you approach getting to your favorite fishing spot. Whether you’re used to cramming all your gear and coolers into your small boat or kayak or are used to dragging a sled to your fishing hut, a backpack style cooler can make the job of transporting your supplies or catch much easier.
With padded shoulder straps and other features borrowed from backpacking gear, a fishing backpack cooler is far more comfortable and easy to carry than a traditional hard-sided cooler, styrofoam jobbie from the grocery store, or a 7 gallon bucket.
At the end of the day, the goal is just to simplify your fishing tackle so you can get out there and have a great time. A fishing backpack cooler is designed specifically to help you make the most out of each and every fishing trip. They’re easy to use in a variety of ways and are packed with features to keep the fish and beer cold, the lures accessible, and your peace of mind on lock.