What's the Best Way to Fly With Fish?

[Rodéo]

Thinking of flying down to San Diego later this summer and fishing offshore with a buddy. Last year when I was down there I caught a bunch of rockfish and some bass but I drove so bringing it back up to NorCal wasn't an issue.

What's the most cost effective way of flying with a cooler full of fish? Soft cooler recs that can hold ice + ~10-20 lbs of fish and are around $100 or less? I don't think flying with my yeti roadie 20 will be an option.

Thanks

 

[Keepkickin_19]

I’m a risk taker!! But I flew from Belize to Idaho! Froze the fish wrapped it all in beach towels shipped some of my clothes ups and brought it back! Our first plane was late and my baggage did not catch our next flight! The day after we arrived home almost 12 hours later we got the call that our bags were in! I was sick!!! But all made it two packages were a little soft so the next two night fish for dinner but lot cheaper than shipping!!

 

[UtahJimmy]

Just did this last week flying from BWI to salt lake. I froze them solid and put in a contractor bag in the middle of my suitcase. Clothes insulate well enough. They were still rock solid after a full day of travel. Bag was inspected by TSA per the little flyer they put in there but fillets were undisturbed.

I took game meat with me to give to my family back East that doesn't hunt, so I already had a void in my bag that I wanted to fill with fish

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[william schmaltz]

Meat needs to be frozen to fly as checked baggage so you’re wasting weight with ice. Just put frozen fish in a $20 wal mart cooler and check it. We send several coolers with/to family in the Midwest each year. Usually about 12 hours from freezer to freezer and never had an issue - even in middle of summer.

 

[VernAK]

For many years I've fished the Baja in May/June heat and flew back to rural Alaska with 45 pounds of frozen fillets in a polarbearcooler.com size 48. I keep a half dozen of em around for transporting frozen foods home from shopping trips and to remote camps.

The cooler bags are very durable.....never damaged by baggage handlers and my fish arrives home after 36 hours ....frozen.......inexpensive......watch for sales!

 

[Tksd]

Check it in a fish box. Basically is a foam cooler in a cardboard box..

 

[FLAK]

Fly Fishing...….sorry, couldn't help it.

 

[coloyooper]

I carry-on a yeti hopper 40 about every year when I go to Canada. Freeze the fish solid and have never had an issue going through security. I’ll bet I took home close to 60+ pounds of fish and venison the last time I was back home in Michigan.

 

[HoneyDew]

For many years I've fished the Baja in May/June heat and flew back to rural Alaska with 45 pounds of frozen fillets in a polarbearcooler.com size 48. I keep a half dozen of em around for transporting frozen foods home from shopping trips and to remote camps.

The cooler bags are very durable.....never damaged by baggage handlers and my fish arrives home after 36 hours ....frozen.......inexpensive......watch for sales!

Do you have the standard or deluxe? Any opinion on if the deluxe is worth the additional cost? Also it looks like the 48 is technically 47” (linear) with most airlines limiting carryon to 45”. Can you confirm if those exterior dimensions are accurate and if you’ve had any problems carrying it on or do you normally check it? Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Marmots]

I've had great luck flying frozen filets home with a cheap styrofoam and cardboard fishbox cooler.

Dry ice is more trouble than it's worth, and conventional ice isn't allowed on board if it looks "melted". Ice packs are the best way to go.

Whenever I fly with anything slightly out of the ordinary I print off a copy of the the regs from the TSA website. It's helped a lot over the years because the knowledge, competency, and mood of TSA agents varies pretty wildly.

Frozen Food | Transportation Security Administration

Meat, seafood, vegetables and other non-liquid food items are permitted in both carry-on and checked bags. If the food is packed with ice or ice packs in a cooler or other container, the ice or ice packs must be completely frozen when brought through screening. If the ice or ice packs are...

www.tsa.gov

.

 

[Marbles]

Get a fish box (there is a double corrugated waxed cardboard kind that is sold everywhere in Alaska). If you have access to a deep freezer, freeze all the fish, then pack it in the box, then leave the box in the freezer for several hours. No need for foam, it just takes up space for fish. This will easily keep the fish for 24 hours out of the freezer if the box is full.

If I remember correctly, the 50 lb boxes work well as you get the full allowance for a checked bag without having to pay for an oversize bag.

 

[LostArra]

Polar Bear 48 is the answer
I've tried everything bringing frozen fish home from Alaska and the PB 48 is by far the easiest. There is no comparison to carrying a soft side cooler vs a fish box.

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[Trimbandit]

I make a yearly trip to Alaska to fish for reds and have to figure out this same thing. I agree with Tksd, a fish box is the most economical. They are made to ship frozen fish and fit right at 50 lbs or what they will allow for a checked bag. They cost less than $20 in Alaska so they could be less in the lower 48. Then you just pay the checked bag fee. The only risk is they could get lost but thats really a risk in anything you do. I also always fill my carry on with frozen fish. Just remember, TSA will search it every time. This way between my carry on and 1 checked bag I can bring 80-90 lbs of fish home. I always hope I have to use another checked bag.
Headed up for that trip on the 17th. I hope to see good salmon #s.
This is all I have used and it has worked great for me.

 

[Fitzwho]

Just carry-on a soft cooler like the Yeti hopper or the Rtic versions with meat frozen solid. I have done this flying back from Louisiana. Checked the cooler and fish into the deep freeze at our hotel in New Orleans for a day, then grabbed it on the way to the airport. I have carried on frozen fish and checked my 30qt hopper with moose meat coming back from Canada. One that size will hold 40-45lbs of frozen meat with a little room to spare.

 

[robtattoo]

You swim with fish.
You fly with birds.....

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

The last time I flew with fish was when I was in Alaska in 2014. I bought an inexpensive igloo cooler. I packed the fresh (not frozen) halibut into the cooler in sealed plastic bags. I covered it with frozen artificial ice packs treated it as checked baggage. I wrapped it tight with Gorilla Tape so that it wouldn't come open in flight. The counter attendant said it was good to go.

 

[HoneyDew]

Polar Bear 48 is the answer
I've tried everything bringing frozen fish home from Alaska and the PB 48 is by far the easiest. There is no comparison to carrying a soft side cooler vs a fish box.

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Do you have the standard or deluxe? Any opinion on if the deluxe is worth the additional cost? Also it looks like the 48 is technically 47” (linear) with most airlines limiting carryon to 45”. Can you confirm if those exterior dimensions are accurate and if you’ve had any problems carrying it on or do you normally check it? Thanks for the feedback!

 

[VernAK]

Check it!

I've used the standard for a decade.......deluxe is new

 

[LostArra]

Do you have the standard or deluxe? Any opinion on if the deluxe is worth the additional cost? Also it looks like the 48 is technically 47” (linear) with most airlines limiting carryon to 45”. Can you confirm if those exterior dimensions are accurate and if you’ve had any problems carrying it on or do you normally check it? Thanks for the feedback!

Same here. All of mine are standards and I always check it.

I used the PB cooler for luggage to Alaska with an Eagle Creek No Matter What wheeled duffel rolled up inside so I only checked one bag going. Fish goes in the cooler and clothes in the duffel and I return with two checked bags. I think next time I will take a larger pack and put my clothes in there to avoid a second checked bag.

FYI: around Thanksgiving Polar Bear usually has a 2 for 1 sale. That is when I buy mine. I've got a couple of 24's and 12's. A 48 filled with beer and ice is pretty darn heavy.

 

[kid44]

Fly Fishing...….sorry, couldn't help it.

Or with a flying fish.