Freezer on Cargo Hitch for Kenai Reds (Slide-In Camper)

[jaeger33]

Heading to the Kenai on Monday-Friday next week and hoping for lots of Reds.

Ran into a cheap small (approx hold about 70 red fillets) freezer on Craigslist so bought it thinking I can then freeze in camp (thinking Centennial) my above 12 possession limit fish (as well as my fellow 3 fisherman) rather then take them to the freeze pack guys in Soldotna.

I've seen many people bring along freezers to places like Chitna, Valdez, etc. but they have been in truck beds with pull behind trailers. I am planning on doing this by putting my 70ish pound freezer on a cargo hitch carrier (rated at 500 pds) with my truck camper and then trekking down from Fairbanks.

My questions are:
- Does anyone have experience with this
- If I use my front hitch do I need to worry about the air-intake for the truck getting blocked
- Is trying to keep a freezer frozen in a non full-utility campsite too much to ask of a Honda 2000 generator (or the neighbors that might have to listen to it running)

Thanks as always for the help

[txguide]

At Alaska temps, the truck should be fine with the freezer in front. The 2000 watt is more than enough, most people just run the generator through the day.

[Frostbitten]

Heading to the Kenai on Monday-Friday next week and hoping for lots of Reds.

Ran into a cheap small (approx hold about 70 red fillets) freezer on Craigslist so bought it thinking I can then freeze in camp (thinking Centennial) my above 12 possession limit fish (as well as my fellow 3 fisherman) rather then take them to the freeze pack guys in Soldotna.

I've seen many people bring along freezers to places like Chitna, Valdez, etc. but they have been in truck beds with pull behind trailers. I am planning on doing this by putting my 70ish pound freezer on a cargo hitch carrier (rated at 500 pds) with my truck camper and then trekking down from Fairbanks.

My questions are:
- Does anyone have experience with this
- If I use my front hitch do I need to worry about the air-intake for the truck getting blocked
- Is trying to keep a freezer frozen in a non full-utility campsite too much to ask of a Honda 2000 generator (or the neighbors that might have to listen to it running)

Thanks as always for the help

12 possession limit? Where will you be fishing?

[FL2AK-Old Town]

I saw a guy do this at the mouth of Kasilof last year dipnetting, and I thought it was an awesome idea. His was on the back of a flat bed trailer powered solely by a gas generator.

I wonder if the vibration of being on a hitch will be hard on the freezer's internal parts. As for putting it on the front, I'd be concerned about a rock puncturing it.

[jaeger33]

Thanks for the replies. As a follow-up:

Frostbitten: My current understanding is the possesion limit for fishing off the Kenai is "12 fish in possession" that's fishing not dipping. But with 4 people fishing all day and what I believe to be an increase to 6 fish per day coming soon I think bringing the freezer might save a few bucks against processing otherwise. If I am mistaken on this please let me know as I would love to not have to take the freezer down.

Others: Thanks for the replies I put the rig together tonight and though it looks very "Alaskan" I am happy with the end result (pictrures in the morning as even in Fbnks the sun does set by 2am). Though the vibration and rock warnings are warranted I sort of feel like for $55 bucks and a story I might as well try it and if the freezer only makes it on one trip I have broken even. But might put it in back for some extra rock protection just worried about it blocking the camper door, usually wouldn't be a problem but with a 17month old we are getting in/out of the camper a lot more these days.

[sayak]

If you want good tasting fish, bleeding, processing, and freezing ASAP is the way to go.

It is a crime to see how folks treat this gift of the sea: they don't bleed them, they leave them in the sun, they drag them through the sand and mud and leave them dirty. Makes me want to slap them! You just know that that some of those fish will begin to spoil right there on the beach, and then they are going to find unpalatable fish in the middle of winter and end up throwing a bunch away... before they go down and do the same thing all over again next July!

You should be fine with your freezer on the front hitch carrier. You might want to wrap it with a tarp for a little protection.

[Frostbitten]

Thanks for the replies. As a follow-up:

Frostbitten: My current understanding is the possesion limit for fishing off the Kenai is "12 fish in possession" that's fishing not dipping. But with 4 people fishing all day and what I believe to be an increase to 6 fish per day coming soon I think bringing the freezer might save a few bucks against processing otherwise. If I am mistaken on this please let me know as I would love to not have to take the freezer down.

Others: Thanks for the replies I put the rig together tonight and though it looks very "Alaskan" I am happy with the end result (pictrures in the morning as even in Fbnks the sun does set by 2am). Though the vibration and rock warnings are warranted I sort of feel like for $55 bucks and a story I might as well try it and if the freezer only makes it on one trip I have broken even. But might put it in back for some extra rock protection just worried about it blocking the camper door, usually wouldn't be a problem but with a 17month old we are getting in/out of the camper a lot more these days.

Page 48 of the regs says 3 per day, 6 in possession.