Livewell/Cooler Ice Pack & Fish Handling Landing Net

Land fish with care, keep your catch cold and release the rest unharmed.

Beginner

4 min

LIVEWELL/COOLER ICE PACK & FISH HANDLING LANDING NET
[ ] Rubber Mesh Net
[ ] Fish Gripper Scale
[ ] Aerator Battery Pack

Rubber Mesh Net: the owner's spec. Rubber mesh is gentler on fish than knotted nylon and tangles less with hooks.
Fish Gripper Scale: a tool to hold and weigh a fish. Use it as the maker directs and avoid hanging fish by their jaws.
Aerator Battery Pack: powers a pump that adds air to livewell water. Check run time before the trip.

Keep the catch cold. Put fish on ice soon after catching, and keep the cooler cold. The USDA recommends keeping cold food at 40 degrees F or below. See foodsafety.gov for current guidance.
Check the advisories. Some waters have fish consumption advisories for contaminants. Check your state health or natural resources agency and epa.gov before you eat what you catch.
Handle with care. Wet hands, short air time and a firm hold. Keep fingers away from teeth and spines, and watch your footing on wet decks.

Gear types only.

Rubber-coated landing net
Fish gripper with a scale
Rechargeable aerator pump
Insulated cooler and reusable ice packs
Wild Dirt drinkware to keep your own drinks cold on the water (drinkware category)

Rules on size and bag limits, culling, keeping fish alive, moving live fish or water, and handling protected species differ by state and water. Check current local rules with your state fish and wildlife agency. For parks and forests, check nps.gov or fs.usda.gov.

Catch it, handle it with care and either keep it cold or send it home. Built by explorers, for the water and the trail.

Landing and handling

Rubber Mesh Net sized for the fish you expect
Wet your hands or gloves before you touch a fish
Fish Gripper Scale, used as the maker directs
Pliers or a hook extractor ready to unhook fast
Camera or phone ready so the fish is out of the water for a short time

Livewell and keeping fish

Aerator Battery Pack charged, with a spare
Livewell or bucket filled with water from the same lake or river
Keep water cool and out of direct sun
Know the rules on keeping fish alive and where you may release them

Cooler for the catch

Cooler with ice or frozen packs
Clean the fish and get them on ice quickly
Keep raw fish apart from other food
Thermometer in the cooler, if you can

Release

Support the fish with two hands and keep it in the water as much as possible
Face the fish into the current and let it swim away
Avoid touching gills or eyes

Clean up

Rinse the net, cooler and livewell after each trip
Let everything dry before storage
Carry out trash and fishing line

Landing and handling

Rubber Mesh Net sized for the fish you expect
Wet your hands or gloves before you touch a fish
Fish Gripper Scale, used as the maker directs
Pliers or a hook extractor ready to unhook fast
Camera or phone ready so the fish is out of the water for a short time

Livewell and keeping fish

Aerator Battery Pack charged, with a spare
Livewell or bucket filled with water from the same lake or river
Keep water cool and out of direct sun
Know the rules on keeping fish alive and where you may release them

Cooler for the catch

Cooler with ice or frozen packs
Clean the fish and get them on ice quickly
Keep raw fish apart from other food
Thermometer in the cooler, if you can

Release

Support the fish with two hands and keep it in the water as much as possible
Face the fish into the current and let it swim away
Avoid touching gills or eyes

Clean up

Rinse the net, cooler and livewell after each trip
Let everything dry before storage
Carry out trash and fishing line