# Lionfish Weapons Lab: The BIG bucket



## WhackUmStackUm

This 6-7 gallon lionfish containment unit (LCU) holds 32 lionfish (more if the fish are small). The top has a "lionfish hotel" one-way valve in the top and PVC tees in the bottom for drains.

The bucket worked well for me on Sunday. I captured around 65 lionfish.

Many thanks to jspooney for donating the buckets!


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## Mac1528

Now that's ingenuity!! Sure beats trying to stuff them in your pockets. lol.


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## no woryz

Nice, does it come in an Industrial size?


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## WhackUmStackUm

no woryz said:


> Nice, does it come in an Industrial size?


I started off with a 5 gallon bucket, then built the 6-7 gallon one above. I filled this one twice on the Chevron and did not get them all. I have not decided to whether to build an even bigger one or go with two per dive. 

By the way, Alex Fogg and I noticed that many of the fish you guys shot on Sunday were pretty small and had empty bellies. I wonder if they have eaten all of the prey on those small reefs? Perhaps they will begin starving to death.

Nice shooting on Sunday! You guys are my heroes. :notworthy:


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## MillerTime

WhackUmStackUm said:


> I wonder if they have eaten all of the prey on those small reefs? Perhaps they will begin starving to death.


I don't think we are that fortunate although that would've awesome if it were true.


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## cobe killer

hopefully that will start turning on each other!!!


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## no woryz

WhackUmStackUm said:


> I started off with a 5 gallon bucket, then built the 6-7 gallon one above. I filled this one twice on the Chevron and did not get them all. I have not decided to whether to build an even bigger one or go with two per dive.
> 
> By the way, Alex Fogg and I noticed that many of the fish you guys shot on Sunday were pretty small and had empty bellies. I wonder if they have eaten all of the prey on those small reefs? Perhaps they will begin starving to death.
> 
> Nice shooting on Sunday! You guys are my heroes. :notworthy:


hahah, let me get my boots back on.....clear & maintain means we had to kill every lionfish on the reef, even the small ones....lol.... overall, the sizes seemed pretty evenly distributed.... we had 62 degree temps and the lionfish were not active & seemed to be huddled in the reef interior.... and yes, not any bait-fish to speak of at all... sometimes we do have to carry 2 bags down...the bags we use only hold 80-90 depending on size of the fish... good luck & keep after them...


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## DAWGONIT

ingenuity for sure; thanks for sharing!


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## Sailorboy

any way to double or triple stack buckets (draw sting fabric closure) or fabric style liner bag... then have a small lift bag premounted to deliver to the top?....3 x 60 = butt load


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## cuzmondo

no woryz said:


> the bags we use only hold 80-90 depending on size of the fish... good luck & keep after them...


"only 80 or 90" ....and that's just one dive. You guys are undeniably the most vicious predators of Lionfish.

I made a bucket device that worked great for sticking them into, but found it created a lot of drag carrying it with me. I was however moving over a large natural reef area. Might work pretty good if I was diving on a small pyramid type or similar reef specifically targeting the Lionfish. Will have to give it another try.


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## cuzmondo

No pics, but I used two buckets of same size with a snap on type lid. Cut large slits in the lid and cut one bucket down to about 4" tall and inserted it into the other bucket. Then I used SS screws to hold the inner bucket in place about 3" from the bottom of the outer bucket. I drilled 3/4 inch holes in both pieces, offset enough so that the spines couldn't stick through the holes. Pretty cheap, easy, and effective, other than the part I mentioned about dragging it around.


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## jspooney

Looks great. Anyone needing buckets, I can usually get plenty.


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## sealark

WhackUmStackUm;
By the way said:


> No, maybe that's what's suppose to happen. overpopulate to a point then level off and cohabitate. Just like nature intends. I've never seen so many cigar minnows this early in the year as this year. Maybe the overpopulation of snapper eating everything off the reefs the last couple years has caused an overpopulation of bait fish to occur. who knows for sure time will tell. The lionfish are a good thing, Another fast breading fast growing food source evolution has created. Diving industry love them also so go get em... :thumbup::thumbup:


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## WhackUmStackUm

sealark said:


> No, maybe that's what's suppose to happen. overpopulate to a point then level off and cohabitate. Just like nature intends...


Not this time. Turns out one of the researchers had removed the big ones from the cooler.


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