A Trout Angler’s Creel

A well prepared trout angler needs to have a creel to transport trout in. This creel needs to be functional and durable. I have two kinds.

A wicker creel is a relic of the past. It is not functional. It is too small for medium sized fish. Has no cooling properties .It sticks out too far from your body and gets in the way of fishing. $59.00 for a wall decoration is too much in my book. My wicker creel is on my wall in my Man Cave.

I love my Arctic Creel. It is made of Scottish flax water bag canvas. Evaporation greatly reduces the temperature within, keeping fish in excellent condition. A plastic apron keeps the wearer dry. It lays flush to your body. 79.00 bucks but well worth the large sized Arctic Creel. Has two separate compartments . The outer is a zippered and you can put cold packs in there with bottled water. The big back area has one snap that opens easily for putting in fish and snaps securely after. Have had mine for 4 years and holds up well to my abuse. Only thing I didn’t like about it was the color and I solved that by dying it olive green the day I got it.

The game compartment in your vest works well for a short term transport system.

Is it against the trout fishermen rules to use a stringer? Seems to be some unwritten rules of trout fishing.

The Unwritten Rules of Trout Fishing.
1. Everyone has to dress alike. Round brim hat (with string), a khaki vest, and brown waders. A long sleeve khaki shirt is optional under the vest.
2. Everyone has to fish within 6 feet of another person. It is well known that trout are a schooling fish and if your line must remain within 6 feet of a total stranger at all times in order to catch fish.
3. You must use a #20 hook. Any hook over #10 is just way too big for trout and you will not be able to dig at a hook for 20 minutes with hemostats, or cut the line and mark all of your releases with a 10″ piece of mono trailing out the mouth.
4. On stocked streams you must fish right where the stocking truck crosses a creek. You must stand in the middle of the path and fish in 3″ of water, and refuse to move if someone is coming down the path.

There are more but I don’t feel like writing them up.

i use a stringer when warm water fishing.

To drag those fish through the water as you walk is a pain.

Most trout anglers don’t kill trout these days but I am not most anglers.

I just throw them in the livewell