Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Rusty,

Awfully impressive. That slide out griddle is major cool.

 

[rustybucket]

Looking good. Still can't believe you bit all of this off at the same time, and then got it done.
How about a photo of the bottom of the tuna tubes, and also how do you plumb those?

Man, it's soooo good to see all the little stuff coming together, the list keeps getting shorter!! woot woot!!

The tuna tubes are drop-ins, each tuna tube has a silicone nose cone and a submersible pump attached directly to it. The wires come out, go under the gunnel and hookup to a controller under the cockpit floor. So no plumbing to run, just drop them in the baitwell, plug them in, turn them on and drop baits in them. They just recirculate water from the baitwell, pass it over the bait's gills, then dump it back into the baitwell.

Here is a link to the product: http://BigLiveBait.com/shop/yellowfin-hybrid-bait-sock/

In the name of full disclosure BigLiveBait.com is one of my companies

 

[harnett]

what brand / make is that grill ??

 

[Jammin']

What a beautiful job. Amazing.

 

[capt.josh]

RustyBucket
Great project Sir,
How are you accessing the engine room? Did you install a taller ladder in the engine room?

 

[Cricket]

Think it's like "Jack in the Box", Rusty pushes the button and the spring fires him up out of there into the cockpit. Hahahah

 

[rustybucket]

Think it's like "Jack in the Box", Rusty pushes the button and the spring fires him up out of there into the cockpit. Hahahah

lol, that is hilarious!!

The new ladder has not been made yet for the engine room access. We adjusted the existing ladder so that it moved aft about 8" and shortened it slightly (by 6ish inches) and added a step rung (just screwed to the aft bulkhead). Access is as easy (possibly easier) than stock was (which was pretty terrible).

The plan calls for a new ladder, but got several projects in front of that. ER access is good enough for now.

 

[rustybucket]

what brand / make is that grill ??

Here is a link to the grill. We had to cut the top wind shield down about 1.5" or so.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WXMTMP5/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_t1_Yw29Eb58C2WCX

 

[rustybucket]

Ok, so this thread is coming very close to it's end. Installed the center transom tuna tube cartridge last week and filled it up with bait this weekend!

Went 1/1 on white marlin, 0/1 blue marlin, a pile of fatty blackfin tuna and a good mixed bag of mahi, snapper...etc.

 

[cenger]

I think you are 32Volt. Which livewell pump do you use? The Rule 32V are junk, I'd like to get a better one .

 

[rsmith]

Using live Bonita for bait?

 

[rustybucket]

I think you are 32Volt. Which livewell pump do you use? The Rule 32V are junk, I'd like to get a better one .

I have a 3/4hp spa pump (with filter basket). I think it's a little overpowered and I'll go with a 1/2hp when it dies on me. I prefer using ac pumps where possible.

 

[rustybucket]

Using live Bonita for bait?

Yes sir, also blackfin tuna, yellowfin tuna, skipjacks, rainbow runners, jacks...etc whatever is available.

 

[rsmith]

You use them as a pitch bait or traditional live bait presentation?

 

[rustybucket]

You use them as a pitch bait or traditional live bait presentation?

We pull 2 or 3 of them at 3-4knts. One off each outrigger and one short (or super long) in the center. Baits are bridled with heavy mono or fluorocarbon and a big circle hook.

When artificial trolling we have one ready as a pitch bait as well.

 

[rsmith]

You have trolling valves to get that slow. Even one engine I’m at 5 kts. We live bait googleyes and greenies when we fish sails south of Stuart but off FtPierce live bait isn’t that productive the fish aren’t that concentrated and trolling covers more territory. We’ve tried 5-10lb boneheads bridled up here and in the Bahamas but it seems they just attract sharks. I guess if your going to all that trouble it must be effective in the gulf.

 

[rustybucket]

You have trolling valves to get that slow. Even one engine I’m at 5 kts. We live bait googleyes and greenies when we fish sails south of Stuart but off FtPierce live bait isn’t that productive the fish aren’t that concentrated and trolling covers more territory. We’ve tried 5-10lb boneheads bridled up here and in the Bahamas but it seems they just attract sharks. I guess if your going to all that trouble it must be effective in the gulf.

I've got stbd engine idled down to a hair over 450rpm. I am going to take it even further. Into current stbd in fwd gives me about 3.5-4knt.

We live bait troll around oil rigs and weed lines holding bait. When traveling from spot to spot we drag a couple of marlin/wahoo lures, with a couple baits bridled and ready to go. If we spot a fad or weedline we troll by with the artificials, then pull them in and come back through and drop some livies on it.