Ask if there is a local deep freeze place you can put your catch in over night. Many places have a flash freeze or deep freeze place that sometimes you can put your catch in over night and that will GREATLY help you. Worth asking the fishing guide / boat operator / hotel about prior to your arrival.

Many thanks. I have a dedicated freezer at home and things get really frozen in there.

Now to go out and find one of those 5 day coolers :)

Thank you again.

The Igloo MaxCold has served me well, but I will say I'd look for a wheeled one if I were going to buy one again :)

Yeah people in like XNA, IAH, Tampa and other US airports laugh at my luggage of three beat up broken handle ice chests but they've been around the world (south east asia, south america, europe) and last years and years so tough cookies to the those who laugh at me, I don't travel to impress people and I got a chest full of mangrove crab and lobster and tuna that cost me a few dollars instead of a few thousand. :D :D :D

Yes to MaxCold... No to wheels. They break easily and CO is not responsible for wheels. They take up space usually on the inside of the chest and usually have not lasted me more then a few trips without breaking the wheels off.

My experience.

ok then maybe my no wheel choice was good afterall...I just get to thinking after lugging that thing around, 'wow some wheels would be nice!' I guess there is always smartcarte.

Trust me I had your same thoughts. I even went as far as reinforcing the wheels and even friggin welded extra supports. :td::td::td::td::td:

I have too much time on my hands and do this too much :D:D:D

Recently went to Seattle and bought salmon at Pike Place Market. Received a boxed styrofoam cooler with "blue" ice packs. I was told by the market people that it would have to be checked as luggage.

Bought day before (around 3pm) for a 6am flight SEA-IAH-LGA and fish came back home nice and cold and fine and dandy. Granted the box has the fish market name on it and I am sure SEA TSA sees a lot of it.

Fish was opened that night and was cold and not fishy.

YMMV

- HF

There are rumors on another thread that these can be obtained for free, too :D Not that I'm promoting this idea, just knowledge-sharing...

Boxed Styrofoam containers are limited to 40 lbs in CoMic land. Not sure if it is CO rules world wide but believe it is due to crushing or such. I ship live mangrove crabs at times and when we use the Lobster type boxes (cardboard outside, foam inside) they limit us to 40 lbs for checked luggage using those type of boxes. YMMV

I have used the frozen peas/corn trick myself for short-term needs, but frozen veggies really lack the thermal mass of wet ice or commercial chill packs. One will need to use a lot of space in the container for veggies, not fish, if going that route.

I am not sure if my experience was similar enough to yours. I just flew back last week on WN from PVD with fresh lobster. I did carry-on, not checked. But, I was told by the TSA that the frozen gel packs are better than dry ice - and are OK to take on the plane so long as they are frozen solid. They opened my box and checked to see that they were frozen. I had been advised of the frozen peas solution, too. It sounds like your package is going to be too big - but, the gate agent recommended taking my lobster as carry-on - not checked baggage as more prudent.

As has been suggested, the agents have likely seen this many times before. It might be worth stopping by the counter on your inbound flight and asking what they recommend.

When I buy fish (fresh, not frozen) at Pike Market in Seattle they pack it in Styrofoam coolers and use the blue plastic freezer packs. Not sure if these are considered a gel by TSA, but I have carried such packs on board with me.
When the fishmongers pack your purchase they ask how long you will be traveleing and adjust the number of blue ice packs accordingly.