Shore lunch question

[Bor]

For the last few years, I have used the resort's single or double burner propane stove for shore lunch instead of building a fire. I know it sounds lazy, but using these took far less time than building a fire. The only problem is that you have to take that big propane tank out with you, as well as the burners.

I have one of those Coleman Stoves that uses the small propane canister. Does anyone use these for shore lunch? Are these too small and not get hot enough to fry fish for 6 guys?

Just curious what you guys use.

[wooglin]

huh?! I guess I never thought of using a real fire, we always bring some type of a burner, maybe one with a propane tank or one with whitegas. I guess we could use a real fire, but we like to eat and get back on the water.....it'd take quite a bit of time using a real fire...

[stumcfar]

We always use the Coleman stove with the small screw on tanks. We fed 7 guys for 3 days and never had a problem. Everything tasted great. We fry fish on one burner and fry our canned potatoes on the other. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

[dented boat guy]

We use the 5 or 6 pound lp tank. It lasts all week.

[Gary_IA]

I've used the propane gas stove with the small screw on cannisters and a wood fire. The propane is safer (less chance of starting the woods of fire) and cleanup is easier. I like the cowboy coffee made in a gallon can with a wire bail over the wood fire and I like the smell of the wood fire. I recall a trip when we had guides that cooked over an open fire. They had a dangerous way of starting the fire, some gas trown on a small flame.

If you are careful you can burn the leftover grease on a wood fire-with the propane stove, leftover grease should be brought back to camp and disposed of properly.

[LOTW regular]

I have used both ways but prefer the Open Fire. On our last trip which ended 2 weeks ago we started a fire and were done cooking in 20 minutes. While the fire is "warming" up we peel potatoes, cut up onions, filet fish, open cans of beans, etc. When we are done with all of that the fire is ready. I don't believe it takes us any more time at all. But I do think it tastes better!!

[Bor]

I like the smell and the look of the open fire as well, but it seems to take longer this way. I just want to start a propane stove and start cooking. One of my friends said that the Coleman stoves will not get the oil hot enough.
Even when we use the propane, we still light a fire. I think the open fire is what attracts all of the winged rats/sea gulls that show up en mass.

[Destroyer]

Hey BOR, if it takes you too long to start a fire its becasue you need to take fire lighting 101. It can be really quick once you get good at it. If you are cooking a bunch of potatoes a coleman will not keep the oil hot enough and then your potatoes will come out a bit soft instead of nice and crispy golden brown.
Plus i would never be luggin around stoves and propane, its too much work when you can simply use what nature provides on the beach.
The rats of the sky will find you eventually anyway, nothing can stop that. Besides, they do clean up scraps once you are gone and keep the beach clean.

D

[J]

I plan to bring matchlight charcoal and us it as the heat source for shore lunch. Drop in a few sticks and you have the same smell as wood.
This way no LP tanks and if it rains I do not have to deal with wet wood.

IA JOE

[wooglin]

Coleman burners get your oil plenty hot. We did this three years in a row now. No issues, fast...etc.

[orchard frank]

You can use a nipple to run the small tanks through the regulator on the stove you are using. We did that years ago because of the hassle with a big tank. The 1 lb size lasts us about 3-4 days cooking for 2-4 people, potatoes then fish. I prefer using my hotter stove over a Coleman, more for size than heat, although the extra btu's are handy. A 5 lb tank is another good choice. Good Luck (and try sqeezing some lemon into your grease for a good change)

[Bor]

Someone e-mailed me that a new Colman stove called a Powerpack came out. It has 50,000 BTu for the two burners. More that enough. Everything I had looked at was highest 22,000 BTU which takes a long time just boiling water. I bought the Powerpack yesterday. Real nice setup.

Thanks to all...This website is great.

[jimbo]

The coleman powerpack has two (2) 15,000 BTU burners or a total of 30,000 BTU'S

[Bor]

There is a new 50,000 BTU Coleman that has two 25,000 burners.



http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1733340

[Destroyer]

Hey BOR...light a fire you CITIOT!!

D

[Bor]

I live in the city, but am not a citiot. I spent my summers helping my great uncles on farms in northern Wisconsin. I spent a lot of time growing up on the back of a hay wagon and in the hay loft. I canoe in the Boundary Waters and appreciate the outdoors. I am a country boy at heart.

I always lit fires for Shorelunch until a Lac Suel guide brought out the propane tank and showed how quick it is. It is faster and easier than working with a fire. The new Coleman is compact and easy to use, and I do not have to be a Citiot to use it.

[NWO Fishing Bum]

Are you guys kidding me??? I guide NWO, and yes I have used the largest and greatest propane burners, and yes I have used a coleman stove, and yes I have used charcoal (albeit many years ago), and NO, in no way, shape or form do any of these methods approach the effectiveness or efficiency of cooking on an open fire, over 90% of the time. I'd say on average, with 100 shorelunches prepared over the season, perhaps two or three take longer than 5-7 minutes to get a great cooking fire going, and of course in most of those instances you are talking more like 1-2 minutes (most of that time being wood collection). But take your average group, two boats, two guides, 4-6 guests, perhaps 10 fish, potatoes or rice and vegetables. No guests ever lift a finger! Pull up on the beach together . . . I'll have the fire pit laid out, harth logs set-up, small table set-up, onions cut, beans and other cans open, pans cleaned, batter seasoned, and the fire lit and at cooking temperature, with enough wood to finish the cooking piled alongside, by the time the other guide has finished cutting the 10 fish! And the other guide is just as efficient with his cutting, meaning the average filleting and skinning of a single fish is approximately a minute to a minute and 15 seconds. On most beaches in NWO lakes, which are absolutely littered with dry driftwood (great for burning), I could have a fire roaring before you finish lugging your 30lb burner out of the boat.

An open fire is not only more efficient/faster, but it's also more traditional (which can certainly be a factor to some, who in their experience, seek at least some elements of local culture and history), it can aid in warming people up on cold days, and it provides superior results in terms of food quality.

If I wake up on a June morning and it's snowing (and believe me, this is more common than most may think), I think "Better put the tuque on, it's gonna be a cold one." If I wake up on a July morning and find out there is a regional fire ban, I think "No, No, NO, man I hate cooking with a stove/burner, bring back the snow."

NWO Fishing Bum

[CanAm28]

I'm not going to question which cooking method is best, that's a personal preference. The original message was a away around doing shore lunch without hauling the propane tank and burner with you. I prefer a propane tank and burner system since I'm doing several shore lunches for decent size groups. I wouldn't want that gear in my boat all day as well. Here's what I do. Based on the area we're fishing for a given day or over a period of time, I have my shore lunch destination in mind. Generally it's detemined by how many boats can be moored there and what the wind conditions are. I simply drop the gear off first thing in the morning and pick it up on my way in. If I'm going to be working that area for an extended period of time, I'll leave the tank and burner in the bush and just grab the grease pot and trash on the way in. My lake is 45 miles wide, but I generally know where I'll be fishing week by week and where my shore linch spots are. The rest in my group are informed where to meet up for eats and life is good. I like the propane and burner system because it's fast.

[LOTW Regular]

NWO Fishing Bum

I agree with your post 100%. It takes only minutes to have a HOT roaring fire going. A little wood, twigs, paper and a good match is all it takes. I try to use sites that already have "rock" rings and that saves time on building a new one. All in all the camp fire cooking is an awesome experience and the best part is you don't haul it back in your boat!