How to fill up cooler with water on ice?

[PerchRapala]

Fishing a catch and release tourney tomorrow. I have to transport fish 6 miles to weigh in, and thy have to be alive at weigh in. I plan on taking my old Coleman cooler and filling it up with water. What's an easy way to do this? Will a siphon run water up from a hole to a cooler? I'm thinking it because gravity, but, maybe I am wrong. Anyone have any ideas? I don't want t have to fill it up at home and then drag it out on a sled.

[coldfish]

Bring a coffee can that will fit in a hole.

[Evinrude58]

Found a hand pump at Home Depot for like $3 that works. Needed it to put water in a bucket for the same type of tourney.

[Idahogator]

 Will a siphon run water up from a hole to a cooler?

For a siphon to function, the exit must be below the level of the source liquid's surface.   So, no, it won't work on this planet.     

I remember two facts plumbers must always remember to keep their jobs.  $#it doesn't run up hill and payday is Friday.     

[Ice Scratcher]

Bring a coffee can that will fit in a hole.

That^ duct tape a stick to it for a quick cheap dipper..

<°)))>{

[fullThrottle]

Hmmm how to get water from the lake to a cooler.  If we have any rocket scientist on ice shanty please chime in now I can't figure this out. I was thinking maybe a small bucket?

[PerchRapala]

Hmmm how to get water from the lake to a cooler.  If we have any rocket scientist on ice shanty please chime in now I can't figure this out. I was thinking maybe a small bucket?

I figured maybe there was a trick that didn't involve me dipping a can in the lake 20,000 times.

[shiveringjoe]

Get a cheap 12v submersible pump. They don't draw much power and would keep the water moving and oxygenated. I wouldn't count on it surviving being removed from the lake and getting frozen, but they are under $30.

[thomasthepikehunter]

You are overthinking this. if a scoop wont work, buy a couple gallons of water at the grocery store. Are they even $1 a gallon? Even cheaper, just fill old milk jugs from the sink if you have well water. Softened, or city water will kill fish. Its not as light as an empty cooler, but its dry.

[Kobey]

If you have a cordless drill with you, Tractor Supply has a small sized pump for about 10 bucks that runs off a drill.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/water-source-drill-pump?cm_vc=-10005

[PerchRapala]

Get a cheap 12v submersible pump. They don't draw much power and would keep the water moving and oxygenated. I wouldn't count on it surviving being removed from the lake and getting frozen, but they are under $30.

THANK YOU!!! Until you posted this, I forgot that I have an old Atwood portable bilge that I use on my duck boat. It will work perfectly! Didn't even remember I had it until your reply! 

[Idahogator]

    If we have any rocket scientist on ice shanty please chime in now I can't figure this out.

I did in reply 3 and even threw in a joke.     

While in the Aerospace trade, a nickname stuck, Rocketman.   

[beershanty]

Fishing a catch and release tourney tomorrow. I have to transport fish 6 miles to weigh in, and thy have to be alive at weigh in. I plan on taking my old Coleman cooler and filling it up with water. What's an easy way to do this? Will a siphon run water up from a hole to a cooler? I'm thinking it because gravity, but, maybe I am wrong. Anyone have any ideas? I don't want t have to fill it up at home and then drag it out on a sled.

was talking to my friend earlier today, he says if you find a container small enough to fit in the hole alnd fill it with water then dump it in the cooler it should fill it up. He may be onto something, I will have to research this one for a bit...

[PerchRapala]

Again, you guys must have missed the part where I said I didn't want to bail water for an hour 

[kasilofchrisn]

Home Depot sells a plastic hand pump in the plumbing section.
Empty it out as best you can and it'll last awhile.
It may freeze up after use but if you drain it properly you only need to dry/thaw it out for the next use.

[PerchRapala]

Home Depot sells a plastic hand pump in the plumbing section.
Empty it out as best you can and it'll last awhile.
It may freeze up after use but if you drain it properly you only need to dry/thaw it out for the next use.

I think I'll get one of these as a backup in case the batteries on my Atwood die. Bailing water for an hour is not an option.

[bearlake16]

A bilge pump is the way to go. Simple and fast. I do it all the time. I even pull the plug on the cooler and let the pump run so I can buy time with keeping the fish alive. The little fish finder battery's are the way to go. Good luck hope you take first place what tournament is it?

[Ice Scratcher]

Can with a stick, no back up needed, no battery, no hoses...

It really is fast too. How big is this cooler?

It doesn't take that much to keep them alive, mine come back from the dead frozen...

Water is 8lbs a gallon ...

<°)))>{

[Papa Sly]

hand bilge boat pump, one end in the hole and pump to fill cooler.

[Kevin23]

Seriously? No offense meant, but we have now come to asking how to fill a cooler with water on the internet??? I haven't read the replies yet but I'm sure you've gotten some dandys.

Bilge pump, coffee can, soup ladle, ice scouper with most of the holes plugged, regular ice scooper and just flick it in the general direction (have your buddy hold the cooler at an angle for best results)....

I think your best bet is to take a chainsaw with you and cut a hole big enough to dip the cooler in.

[Kevin23]

Now, for a serious reply. Don't use a bilge pump if it is below 30-40 degrees. The plastic used on them gets extremely brittle, when it gets wet and then freezes the plastic will expand and crack.

The way to do it for tournaments is to take the water with you...

[kasilofchrisn]

I think I'll get one of these as a backup in case the batteries on my Atwood die. Bailing water for an hour is not an option.

I have one I keep in my Koffler driftboat and it is surprisingly efficient.
Like I said drain it well and it might freeze and not work until it's thawed again. But I don't think it'll get destroyed as long as you emptied it as best as you can.

[gil_lunkage]

Can with a stick, no back up needed, no battery, no hoses...

It really is fast too. How big is this cooler?

It doesn't take that much to keep them alive, mine come back from the dead frozen...

Water is 8lbs a gallon ...

<°)))>{

A pints a pound the world around.

[hunts2long]

The way this year is going, take gallon jugs with water, frozen, with you and you will be sure to have some ice....h2l

[fullThrottle]

It you drill a couple holes side by side you can fit a pretty big bucket down it . And use some snow and slush. You don't need to fill the cooler up all the way for a 13 inch perch ha ha just enough to keep it alive .if you can't figure out how to fill a cooler with water  your going to have a harder time filling it with fish ha ha

[Sandcountrylivin]

Wow! The scientific transfer of water!!!!!!!

[fullThrottle]

I'm going to have to go to my local body of frozen water and do some tests on this to figure it out lol

[Royalwapiti]

I hope he scores well in his tourney.  I use these pumps in my garage for a variety of stuff.  $6 at Harbor Freight.

[rbobby]

Hmmm how to get water from the lake to a cooler.  If we have any rocket scientist on ice shanty please chime in now I can't figure this out. I was thinking maybe a small bucket?

What everyone was thinking

[FlamDragger]

Well, this one's got me stumped.  On another subject, does anybody know how to get the margarine out of the tub I bought, onto a slice of bread?  I'm trying to figure it out, but nothing so far.