Looking for Fish Box Ideas

[Yyjdennis]

I've got an aluminum boat with the typical box transom. I'd like to add some type of fish box to the top of the transom as is common on most of the bigger aluminum boats. I'd like it to have a drain and an overflow, but no pump. I'm thinking I'd just dump in a bucket of water to fill it.

The slickest option would be to get a box made out of aluminum, and I could add a plastic cutting board lid to it. I suspect this would be pretty expensive but please let me know if you know of a fab shop in the Victoria area that could do this for not too crazy a price. Or does anyone already make something like this.

The other option would be to buy a cooler and install an overflow in it. The problem is most coolers seem to be about 18" tall and wide, which is more than ideal.

Anyways, please let me know if you have any ideas.

Thanks,
Dennis

 

[Tomfoolery]

I built in draining fish boxes along the top (each side) of my transom when I had the boat fabricated. They are now used for storing gear and all my fish go into a fish bag with either ice or sea water that sits on the deck. I found the transom boxes with their high center of gravity not ideal, especially if I had water in them and a big load of fish which sloshed around side to side far more than in-deck boxes would. They were also a pain to clean out well.

I love my fish bag and will never go back! I would just suggest to keep your weight as low as possible. Failing in-deck storage, if you can do a cooler on the outside of the transom sitting on the deck would be ideal

 

[mgreen5228]

I had a high, built in aluminum transom bleed box that I really liked. It had the washdown faucet inside. I could store the hose in it if I wanted and I had a wye in it to fill and drain plugs to let the water out over the bracket. The bad was that when it sloshed the water hit the end and went straight up. I had a 6" Top put on each end to stop that and then it was almost perfect. Insulate, then it would be.

 

[Tomfoolery]

I had a high, built in aluminum transom bleed box that I really liked. It had the washdown faucet inside. I could store the hose in it if I wanted and I had a wye in it to fill and drain plugs to let the water out over the bracket. The bad was that when it sloshed the water hit the end and went straight up. I had a 6" Top put on each end to stop that and then it was almost perfect. Insulate, then it would be.

You could make the perfect box up there for sure. Mine still sloshed bloody water out even though I had covers. You could do an icebox by insulating around the box with spray foam and then get an insulated lid. My builder flubbed a bit on the box by not having the drain hole bottom either come out the bottom and down or out the back but be flush with the bottom of the box. As it is the fitting comes straight out the back to a drain hose but the fitting is welded about 1/8" above the bottom of the tank which means the water always puddles in there and you need to sponge out the last bits for it to ever fully dry.

 

[ReelSlim]

I've got an aluminum boat with the typical box transom. I'd like to add some type of fish box to the top of the transom as is common on most of the bigger aluminum boats. I'd like it to have a drain and an overflow, but no pump. I'm thinking I'd just dump in a bucket of water to fill it.

The slickest option would be to get a box made out of aluminum, and I could add a plastic cutting board lid to it. I suspect this would be pretty expensive but please let me know if you know of a fab shop in the Victoria area that could do this for not too crazy a price. Or does anyone already make something like this.

The other option would be to buy a cooler and install an overflow in it. The problem is most coolers seem to be about 18" tall and wide, which is more than ideal.

Anyways, please let me know if you have any ideas.

Thanks,
Dennis

I have a fairly large fish box that I had done during the build. At first, I wasn't a fan of how it looked but I wouldn't change much about it other than I would have insulated the bottom of it.......maybe? It drains to the back corner on the kicker side and the out the port side of the boat so always empties after everyone is off the boat for the day. I use it to bleed the fish and keep them cool throughout the day with a few buckets of water or hit it with the washdown hose. It cleans up well for the most part. I installed a piece of HDPE on the top and that helps keeping the sun from heating up the aluminum lid. I don't use it as cleaning table, but I really like the height for working on tying leaders etc.

 

[Yyjdennis]

I measured it up, and I think I can use a standard cooler by letting it overhang towards the motor a bit. It won't be nearly as nice as @ReelSlim has, but a lot cheaper. Now I just need to figure out how to fix a cooler in place so it doesn't bounce over this side.

 

[Tomfoolery]

I have a fairly large fish box that I had done during the build. At first, I wasn't a fan of how it looked but I wouldn't change much about it other than I would have insulated the bottom of it.......maybe? It drains to the back corner on the kicker side and the out the port side of the boat so always empties after everyone is off the boat for the day. I use it to bleed the fish and keep them cool throughout the day with a few buckets of water or hit it with the washdown hose. It cleans up well for the most part. I installed a piece of HDPE on the top and that helps keeping the sun from heating up the aluminum lid. I don't use it as cleaning table, but I really like the height for working on tying leaders etc.

That's a nice box, er fish box and the drain is right where it should be!