trap door for livewell/cooler

I'm looking for ideas concerning the fabrication of a trap door type hatch for my fish cooler. The idea is to make putting a crappie in the cooler a one hand operation that requires the least amount of movement as possible. The crappie could be put in the cooler without actually opening the lid. I'm thinking along the lines of just laying the crappie on the trap door and the fish's weight pushes the trap door down, allowing the fish to fall into the cooler. Once the fish passes through, the door will return to it's closed position (some kind of spring loaded deal) Anybody built or seen something like this?

i once had it rigged up to where a string was connected to the lid so when i swiveled the seat around the lid would open,but i found it works alot better with a partner, just holler "open the lid".

Mine is under the rear seat in front of the pedestal. If I am by myself I use a small bungee to strap the door to the pedestal so it stays open. If I have a partner I do like gobbler, "INCOMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Flop, splash, unless I miss. Then it is FLOP,FLOP,FLOP.....you gonna get'em???? Yea I reckon, and I'm back to fishing.

I agree with SeaRay I keep the door open all the time when fishin by my self use my partner to open it if he's with me

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Originally Posted by mac crappie

I agree with SeaRay I keep the door open all the time when fishin by my self use my partner to open it if he's with me

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You hoping they will jump in the boat by themselves I guess

They know when the tracker hits the water it's over lol I tell them I know the doughnut man

You could use a piece of epdm rubber riveted to a spring loaded hinge, problem is it would take a bit of trial and error to get the spring tension right.........

Pr you could use a 8" round barametric damper and adjust the counter weight to open/close correctly.........

or just run by dollar general grab a small stainless steel trash can, the kind with the foot switch.......step on switch open lid, then when things slow down transfer to big cooler........

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Originally Posted by newly

You hoping they will jump in the boat by themselves I guess

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Well, well, well-- look who came up for air!

Possible cut a hole on top of lid, cover with a thick piece of rubber and secure to lid with screws. Cut an X pattern in the rubber and let the fish slide thru into cooler.

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Originally Posted by chief

Well, well, well-- look who came up for air!

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Chief he's trying to be good so Santa might come to see him :santa

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Originally Posted by mac crappie

Chief he's trying to be good so Santa might come to see him :santa

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Prolly bring him a bag of grass clippings.

The simplest thing would be short section of six inch PVC pipe stuck through a hole cut in the lid. Then find plastic lid from coffee can or rubbermaid to seal up in warmer months. A trap door is going to take a bigger hole than you want, IMHO. i just have my wife handle that part. :^)

I saw something similar to this the other day in a YouTube video and I really like the idea! It’s a spring loaded type similar to a garbage can lid. I’ve looked online but can’t find one pre made, may try to make one


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