Bleeding the fish and putting it on ice is well and good, but you'll find your fish to be even better if you place some narrow strips of wood in the bottom of your cooler or some slotted metal plate cut to fit so that the water and slime can drop into the bottom of the cooler away from your fish.

Cold does travel down and you can extend the life of your ice supply by placing a piece of 1/2" closed cell foam on top of the ice to provide some extra insulation. If dry ice is available, a 5# block can last for a day or so in a good cooler and help keep your ice. Make sure you wrap in it some newspaper and handle it with gloves so you don't freezer burn your hand(s).

Bushbear