Buffalo Gears Fish Cooler Bag began on a trip in Buffalo

Back around 2008 or 2009, I got invited to visit my good friend Roger’s new place near Olmsted Park in Buffalo. We didn’t catch up often since we lived miles apart, but fishing’s our shared passion, so we’d get together for a few fishing trips or dinners every year.

That trip was to celebrate Roger’s move and also to explore the waterways around Buffalo. The area is close to Lake Erie, the famous Niagara Falls, and the Niagara River, which forms the border between the US and Canada. The waters here are teeming with bass, sturgeon, pike—you name it—and that only fueled our passion for fishing.

We caught so many fish on that trip that our ice packs and coolers just couldn’t keep up. We ended up stuffing a waterproof grocery bag full of ice to keep our catch fresh on the ride home. When we got to the hotel and unloaded the car, melted ice mixed with fish blood and guts had soaked all over the trunk. Needless to say, Roger’s wife wasn’t too happy—she stayed away from his car for weeks and made it clear: if he couldn’t take care of his catch, fishing trips were off the table.

That experience taught us that fishing isn’t just about what you catch—it’s about how you care for it afterward. Around that time, a friend mentioned that some anglers down in Florida had started using insulated fish bags instead of those bulky hard coolers. It was still pretty niche, but it made total sense—less hassle, easier to carry, and way easier to clean.

But the products out there? They all had problems—leaks, smells that wouldn’t quit, not enough space. So we decided to build our own fish bag—something tough, practical, and made for real anglers. We started using it ourselves and then began sharing it with others.

That’s how Buffalo Gear got started: to solve the real problems fishermen face when it comes to keeping their catch fresh and clean.

Now, we offer a bunch of sizes and styles for every kind of fishing trip. Because when you’ve got a catch of a lifetime, you deserve gear that’s up to the task.