Using fish boxes

[Harper]

I've a question for some of you old salts. I've not been out far enough yet to require use of the fish boxes on my boat. With near shore fishing, I just used a stringer and pulled the catch in prior to moving (got lucky a time or two and it was almost too heavy to pull in ). But my son and grandson are flying out in a couple weeks, and if the conditions are good I plan to take them out to one of the closer oil rigs and try our hand at catching a few kings. Does it work best to just leave those overboard drains open on the fish boxes, or would I be better off plugging them with something? I've been trying to decide whether plugging them and leaving the ice melt in the boxes would cool the fish better than letting the water drain.

 

[BeeReel]

I don't usually plug the drains but most of the waters I fish are <60d and air temps <65d so the ice really doesn't melt that fast. Much of the time I don't even have to ice the fish in the box. I would suspect in your neck of the woods (or waters) that that is not the case so you might want to block the drains and keep the back/forth flow of warm ocean waters out of the boxes. That of course assumes you have room for the ice and the boxes are not full of fish (ha ha),,,,

 

[Harper]

Thanks for the input.....I never have much sea water coming into the boxes, so didnt think of it melting the ice. Did make the mistake once, though, of putting the beer in the live well (without the plug), then at some point accidently hit the bait well switch......ice didn't last long.

 

[ReelyHooked]

Everything drains to the bilge, I recommend an extra cooler on board and putting your catch in there. Scales and fish spit up do not boat well in the drains and its more of a mess to clean it out than anything else

 

[Harper]

Nope, the 195CC fish boxes drain overboard, not to the bilge.

 

[rscott]

I second that, I have an 06 195cc and mine are piped directly out the stern.

 

[Harper]

I second that, I have an 06 195cc and mine are piped directly out the stern.

Ya know, I don't exactly understand the design of the drain in the boxes.......that 4" plate with a 3/4" hole, loosely attached at the top with a single screw. I removed the plate and behind it, the drain hole just tapers from about 3" to the approx. 3/4" drain line that goes to the stern. The taper is about 9" long. Any idea why it's designed that way? I can't plug the line at the box end; have to stopper the outlet at the stern. And I'm still not sure whether or not I want to stopper them anyway.

 

[boostjunkie1]

Plug them up and fill with ICE.....I have a 150qt cooler that I pack with ice....then when the kings start coming on board I place them in my front left fish box....with the plug in and a little saltwater.....then the ice! Works great because the cooler can then be used for storage.

 

[Harper]

All right, boostjunkie1.......I'm convinced. Gonna run down to Lowes and find some appropriately sized rubber stoppers, then I going after some kings!

 

[BarryB]

Drain

Mine drain overboard. I purchase ice and leave in the bag until fish arrive, then drop fish in a layer of ice and pour the rest over the fish. When I get home, remove the fish, remove the drain plugs and wash down the boxes.

 

[Dave LeGear]

All right, boostjunkie1.......I'm convinced. Gonna run down to Lowes and find some appropriately sized rubber stoppers, then I going after some kings!

Kings are a little long for most coolers so I say after your slit their necks and bleed them out (taste much better) you may want to consider using a cooler bag for them

Fish Bags, fish bag, tuna bag, kingfish bag, wahoo bag, marlin bag, Canyon bag, Canyon Soft Fish Cooler Bags for Tuna, Marlin, Shark, Wahoo, Dolphin and Kingfish.

 

[boostjunkie1]

Kings are a little long for most coolers so I say after your slit their necks and bleed them out (taste much better) you may want to consider using a cooler bag for them

..... That is why I place them in my front fish boxes with a little salt water and allot of ice that I take out of a 150qt cooler still in the bags. I then use the cooler for wet clothing or lifejackets......sometimes I take along extra cloths in zipper bags and leave them in the big cooler with the ice and food for the day.... I wish I would have caught a KING that was to big for my front fish boxes...that would have been a bad problem to have

 

[Harper]

Yeah........a bigger ice chest....just one more thing I gotta buy "someday"