How do you get water out of your sled/tub?

[BoxMN]

I have been finding that I keep getting water/ice in the bottom of my tub. Not much, just from the Reel Weeds and tipups when I throw them back in after use - it is iced on them, butmelts in the garage. Then the water sits in the bottom of my tub.

It would be easy to drill little holes for drain, but then it would work reverse when in slush, etc. so I don't want to do that.

Any advice? Only 2nd year having my Otter, so still learning Then when I go back out, it freezes and anything in bottom will be froze in... doh!

Thanks for info.

[slipperybob]

I've got a little brush and dustpan so I can sweep the snow and ice out.

Did bring a squeeze mop once...was useless once frozen. So leave that to home use.

[harvey lee]

I take some shop rags I have in the garage and wipe it clean. One thing that might help with the weeds is to place therm in a bag so the water cannot run all over the bottom of the tub. When I get home I usually hang the weeds in the corner with a tub under them to kinda drip dry.

[polarsusd81]

I like Harvey Lee's idea of using a bag for the weeds, but we have just kept the boxes for the weeds and load them back in there after each use. One thing I have in my trap guide, is a small garbage can. You could bring out some paper towels when you go out, helps to dry off hands or who knows what situation you will run into on the ice, but then you have a place to stash them when used, as well as line clippings, and everything else we run into on the ice. Empty upon arrival in the driveway. Another thing I do, not completely related to this, but a good tip none the less, is stash a half roll of TP on the back of my vexilar, between the unit and the wires, pretty secure, but then if you need to blow your nose or ummm...you know, you have a way to do it.

Tom

[Duffman]

This might be a little overkill, but I usually set up my fishhouses in the downstairs family room after I've used them, in fact the doublewide is set up down there right now.

I let the canvas air out and dry out, and I also wipe out the tubs with a shop towel. Yea, a little anal, but I've found out when I take care of my stuff, my stuff usually takes care of me.

[CNCMike]

I keep an auto chamois in my portable. The kind meant for drying your car. They are super, super absorbent. I mop up the water with that, then wring it out and hang to dry at home. You can wring em out on the ice and use them a bunch if needed during the day as well.

[metrojoe]

If it's just a small amount I use a rag or paper towels.

Quote:

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This might be a little overkill, but I usually set up my fishhouses in the downstairs family room after I've used them, in fact the doublewide is set up down there right now.

I let the canvas air out and dry out, and I also wipe out the tubs with a shop towel. Yea, a little anal, but I've found out when I take care of my stuff, my stuff usually takes care of me.

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Duffman says "OH YEAH!"

[Shack]

When I built my Otter mod, I kinda figured in for this. At first it was a way to get saw dust out of sled quick, but right away I knew it would work for water.

I built an air gap at front of sled.

Here you can see the gap when it was finished. Right in the front.

What I do after Otter shack is de-melted (in SUV on the way home or in garage), is hike up the skirt on the front lip of sled from cover and lift back and over. Then I go to rear of sled and lift up. All water runs out the front of sled on to ground out in front of garage. Its worked slick to far.

That and the deep ribbing in an Otter sled makes for great water catchers. By the next time out (unless you keep shack in an area that freezes), all the water dry's right up. I have shelves inside sled mod now that keep anything that should not get wet, off of bottom of sled.

Good luck...

[harvey lee]

Thanks for the great tip Shack.

[Iceseeker]

I also put a put a rubber door mat in the bottom. It has holes i it so the water goes to the bottom and gear sets up just a little and does not get wet. Then once in a while I will take it out and completely dry it out.

Iceseeker

[looneyducer]

Once it freezes in the bottom you can chip it out with a gaff hook pretty easily, then you just tip the whole thing over and beat on the bottom with the scoop for a while. All those froze in minnow parts come out as well, so it's better to do this at the lake and not in your front yard.