Where to keep the fish you catch?

[budlin00]

I am somewhat new to boating. I've had friends with large boats, but none below 23'. I have a 16' boat, and wondering where does everyone keep the fish they catch? I currently have one ice chest for drinks, and another for fish. Neither of which are incredibly big. What do y'all do in this situation? I want to go offshore a ways, but if I catch something large, I wouldn't know where to put it.

 

[Triton II]

Re: Where to keep the fish you catch?

You could build in an underfloor storage compartment... there's probably plenty of room under the bowrider area. Just use the floor you've got (if in good condition) and make a 'door' in it with hinges, then build a box underneath the opening. Glass the box in so it forms a support for the door. Here's a pic of mine to help you with what I'm trying to say, it's in the cockpit just behind the pedestal seats and the hinges are just visible in the lower part of the photo. The storage area has a drain plug and is almost as wide as the boat, the door is smaller - that fish (a flathead) is just under two feet long:<br /><br />

 

[Perfidiajoe]

Re: Where to keep the fish you catch?

16' Don't go off shore too far. Get a larger cooler, at least one, then at least you can remove it to clean it after fishing, & if you do well you have something to carry your fish in. IMHO, Joe

 

[Michael Belcher]

Re: Where to keep the fish you catch?

A stringer tied to your boat or a metal cage(Wal-Mart-$5.99) will work for keeping them live. A 5 gallon bucket is prevalent here with as much ice as you can carry!

 

[phantoms]

Re: Where to keep the fish you catch?

I use a small cooler for drinks, a larger one for fish and a 5 gal bucket for bait. Works out pretty well. Also have a 16ft bowrider. Two people is about all it's worth before it starts getting very crowded. Have fished with 3 before, but definitely no more than that. Also, I would not go more offshore than I could easily see land and only with calm seas. Last week went about 2 miles out, but the seas where extremely calm (a foot if that) and we got to see some jellyfish migrating (about a million of them).

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: Where to keep the fish you catch?

If you intend to keep and eat what you catch. I keep them alive and healthy by filling a container with water and a DENSE amount of seaweeds before I leave the dock. Seaweed stops the fish from panicking and bruising one another. Remove and Kill at the last minute. DO NOT put ice into a bucket with animals in it. They die quickly from thermal shock.