Best Fish Bags – Everything You Should Know Before Buying Fishing Bags

The main goal of fishing is to catch as many fish as possible.

The problem arises once you are done catching all of those fish… what are you going to do with them then?

The most common solution for the longest time has been coolers.

However, if you don’t have the space or money for a cooler, you may be looking for an alternate option.

This is also true for anglers looking for something to keep their fish in for weigh-ins at tournaments.

This is where fish bags can help out.

We have found that the best fish bags can keep fish as fresh as any cooler.

They also work great to keep fish alive during weigh-ins, if needed.

Therefore, when We were researching bags to put in this list, We made sure to look for portability and durability.

These are the fish bags that made the cut:

Best Fishing Bags Reviews

Sea Angler Gear Fish Bag

The Sea Angler Gear fish bag has been specifically designed for inshore fishing.

However, you will find that it works just as well, regardless of where you are fishing from.

One of my favorite features of this bag is just how easy it is to carry around with you.

When the bag is empty, it zips up flat so that you don’t have to walk around with a needlessly bulky bag.

At the same time, the straps are reinforced. This makes them strong and comfortable enough to take with you, even when the bag is filled with fish.

The other notable feature of this bag is its insulating properties. It consists of three inches of insulating foam. This means that your fish will be kept fresh for as long as needed.

The foam has another advantage as well.

The padding means that you don’t have to worry about dorsal fins or another sharp edge poking holes through the material.

To top it off, the exterior of the bag is made from UV protected PVC nylon.

As the bag is made from durable material, you can be certain that it will last you for many fishing seasons to come.

As it has protection from UV rays, there will be no peeling or discoloring on the bag.

The bag is white in color which helps to reflect a large amount of the sun, ensuring that the fish inside the bag is kept cool.

Since the bag can be opened and flattened out, it is also a lot easier to clean once empty.

Specs:

• Made from UV protected PVC nylon
• Insulated foam interior
• Reinforced straps

Gator Grip Fish Bag

The Gator Grip fish bag has been made for tournaments in particular.

Therefore, if you are hoping to keep your fish alive as long as possible, this is the bag for you.

This is due to the ingenious design of the bag. It has been found that fish stay the calmest when in a darkened environment which is why the interior of the bag is made from black fabric.

However, the outside of the bag is made from white materials.

This is so that the majority of the sun’s rays will be reflected from the bag and won’t heat up the water or the fish.

Combined, these two features work to make sure that the fish are relaxed, comfortable, and will continue to live.

The other benefit of this fish bag is that it is incredibly strong.

It is made from 13 mil ripstop nylon. This is a fabric that has been woven in such a way that it is resistant to any tears or rips.

This way, even if the fish are quite large and heavy, or have spiny fins, the bag will not rip. This is important to ensure that the water will remain in the bag at all times.

The handles are strong and have been fixed to the bag well. Even with a considerable weight, the handles will remain sturdy.

This bag is also quite affordable, considering all of the attributes that it provides.

Specs:

• Made from 13 mil ripstop nylon
• White exterior, black interior

Silver Horde Katchkooler II Bag

If you are looking for a bag that can store a considerable amount of fish and still keep them fresh, then the Silver Horde Katchkooler II Bag is for you.

What’s really great about this bag is just how much insulation it offers.

The interior of the bag is made from closed cell foam which is insulating enough to even keep ice in during your trip.

You can be certain that your fish will feel as fresh as when you first caught them.

The exterior of the bag is made from waterproof fabric. This makes it perfect to keep even on lower vessels such as kayaks where the bag can get splashed.

Another point in the favor of the Katchkooler II are the straps.

They wrap around the bag and then form handles. This allows for the weight to be evenly distributed and to make carrying the fish a lot easier for you.

The handles have tubing on top which makes it more comfortable for you to hold onto.

The bag has a full-length zip which makes it easy to unload all of the fish that you caught.

As the bag can be unzipped to lie flat, you will find that it is simpler to clean as well and that the bag will be fresher as a result.

The zipper is also very strong and able to properly contain all of the fish that you catch.

Specs:

• Close cell foam interior, waterproof exterior
• Full-length zipper

Reliable Fishing Products Kill Bag

What We like most about the Reliable Fishing Products kill bag is the way that it can be positioned.

Unlike many other fish bags, it has a flat bottom which means that it can sit upright on its own.

This makes putting fish in the bag an absolute breeze.

It also has the advantage of expanding further in size.

Therefore, you can easily fit in a large number of fish without needing to squash them together.

The bag also has some insulation as well.

The inside of the bag consists of half an inch of closed cell foam which makes sure that the fish remain cool at all times.

The outside of the bag is made from marine grade vinyl.

This means that not only is the bag quite strong and durable, it can hold up well to all of the conditions experienced near sea water.

This, in turn, means that yo u can use the bag for numerous fishing seasons.

This is not all – the bag is also UV-resistant and prevents mildew growth.

The UV resistance averts the bag from molding, even if it is exposed to sun for days on end.

The fact that it resists mildew comes in handy since the bag will be largely in damp areas.

The bag also comes with a drain plug which makes clean up easier and a lot less messy.

It is also washable so that you will not have to worry about the bag holding stink.

Last but not least, it can be completely folded so that storing it is a breeze.

Specs:

• UV and mold resistant exterior
• Made from marine grade nylon and close cell foam
• Drain plug
• Can be folded

Berkley BAHDFB Fish Bag

The Berkley BAHDFB fish bag comes with its very own ruler!

There is an eighteen-inch ruler on the side of the bag.

Since the bag is transparent, you will be able to measure the size of your fish.

This can be quite helpful considering that this bag is meant for tournaments.

Since it needs to store live fish, the bag is incredibly tough.

It is made from heavy duty PVC which allows you to hold up to 16 gallons, water and all.

The other great thing about the bag is the stitching and the handles. The handles are made from nylon, making them rather durable.

The handles have also been attached to the bag well.

This ensures that the handle will not suddenly break, even when it has to hold a considerable amount of weight.

The material of this bag has been designed to withstand tears and leaks.

It works well against smaller, spiny fish but the large ones may be able to poke holes in the bag.

Once you are done with it, the bag is very easy to clean. You can simply rinse it out and leave it out to dry.

Due to the design of the bag, it can be easily folded and stored away.

The other benefit of this fish bag is that is quite affordable, so it is a great purchase, even for beginner anglers.

Specs:

• Made from heavy duty PVC
• Nylon handles
• 18-inch ruler

Canyon Fish Bag

Whether you are looking for portability or insulation, this Canyon fish bag fits the bill well.

The outer part of the bag is made from fiber-interlaced material. This is to prevent any liquid from seeping out of the bag.

It is also sealed against the heat. This means that there is no heat transferred to the fish inside the bag, allowing them to stay fresh for a longer period of time.

This material is also very strong, capable of carrying up to 300lbs of fish if needed!

Since there is no stitching, you don’t have to worry about the seams tearing.

Also, there is no chance of blood staining the stitching either.

The inside of the bag is made from hi-tech foam that is an inch thick. This is to keep the interior as cool as possible for extended stretches of time.

This bag contains a drain plug with a hose fitting. This makes it a lot easier for you to clean up the bag once the fish have been removed.

The other great thing about this fish bag is the sturdy handles. In addition to being strong, they have been designed in such a way to make hauling the heavy bag that much simpler.

Despite all that this fish bag can hold, it is actually very easy to store. It can be rolled up, making it incredibly compact.

Specs:

• Fiber interlaced material construction
• Hi-tech foam interior
• Drain plug with hose fitting

How to Choose a Good Fish Bag

The best way to find a fishing bag that is right for you is to know all of the attributes that you need to examine.

Here you will find some tips to help you choose the right bag for all of your fishing needs.

What Is Your Purpose?

The first thing that you will need to narrow down is what you want the fish bag for.

The two main purposes for a fish bag are for keeping fish fresh and for holding them for tournaments.

These two activities are quite distinct.

If you are looking to keep fish fresh, your greatest concern will be insulation. For weigh-ins at tournaments, however, your priorities will be a little different. First of all, you will need a bag that is sturdy enough to carry both the water as well as the fish. It should also have sturdy carrying handles to help you hoist the bag. These type of bags should not have zippers as it is important to let fresh air in. It is also a good idea to find a bag that will not readily absorb the heat or sunlight and cause the water and fish to heat up.

Durability and Weight Capacity

As mentioned, durability and weight capacity is of the utmost importance.

Weight capacity will determine just how much the fish bag in question can carry before it will snap. Therefore, you should keep in mind what type of fish that you will be most likely to catch. For heavier fish, you are going to need a bag that can hold more weight. Of course, you will also need a more capable bag if you will be catching a larger number of small fish.

The weight capacity is also dependent, to an extent, on how strong the handles are. Therefore, you need handles that are thick and sturdy. Of course, since you will holding onto them, they should be comfortable and not cut into your hand. It is also vital that you examine how well the handles have been attached to the bag to make sure that they do not separate while you are holding the bag.

The durability is actually separate from how much the bag can carry, although they do rely upon similar factors such as material type. There are many fish that have sharp fins or sharp protrusions. These can easily tear a hole in your bag. This is why you need to ensure that if that it is type of fish you are looking for that the bag is thick enough to not have tears.

Insulation

If you are looking to put dead fish into your bag after catching them, you are going to require one with an insulated interior.

Most fish bags use different types of foam to keep the inside insulated. What you should be looking out for is how thick each of these foam layers are. The thicker they are, the more likely that they will remain insulated. Of course, the quality of the foam matters as well.

When considering insulation, you should look beyond just the fish. Your best chance at keeping the fish truly fresh is to place ice in the bag. As such, the bag should be insulated enough to keep the ice solid for a considerable period of time.

Is It Waterproof and Weatherproof?

The bag will be on your boat or kayak, exposed to the elements day in and day out.

The main reasons that fish bags tend to deteriorate is because they haven’t been protected against the water, weather, and the sun. It is important to find a bag that has been sealed against all of these conditions. Therefore, it is going to be able to last you for a lot longer.

How Easy Is It To Clean?

Storing fish can be quite messy – there is blood, scales, and other gunk to deal with.

This is why you need a fish bag that is relatively easy to clean. The trickiest bags to clean can be bags that are meant for tournaments. However, since they are unlikely to get too dirty as the fish are still alive, this should not be a problem.

The bags that have a zipper running along the length of it can be completely flattened out. Cleaning these type of bags just means hosing it down and using some detergent to get rid of all of the mess. Bags with flat bottoms only have zippers on the top. This is why you should make sure that they have drain holes on them. This way, all of the liquid can be drained out and you can also flush water through the drain plug to clean the interior of the bag.

These are the most significant things that you need to remember when looking for fishing bags. This is what will ensure that you find the best match for you. If not, the options in this article are also very reliable.

This page was last updated on 2022-08-29. Affiliate links and Product Images are from Amazon PAAPI