bed repair advice

I have this hole in my bed (rusted through), and I'm not sure if I should patch it or leave it like that. I wanted to drill drain holes in my bed, so I was thinking of patching it then drilling a smaller hole in its place, but then why patch it to drill a hole in it?
But wouldn't a hole this "big" (about 3"X1") catch up dirt, mud and water while I'm driving down the road? I have a plastic bedliner, so drain holes are a must (it was full of crap under the bedliner. Previous owner never cleaned this up, hence why it rusted through, I think)

By the way:
These are the only two bad spots I have (the other one being the white patch). The rust you can see is just surface rust and is rock solid. The inside of the bed is super clean actually. So it would have been a bit stupid to get a whole new bed just for two holes, in my opinion...

The hole is what you see. It doesn't go past the crossmember, bar or whatever it is called. It stops right at its flat edge/lip

 

fiberglass? weld in another piece of sheet metal? Pray to god no one notices a hole?

 

weld in a new piece and then paint the bottom and get the bed lined with spray liner, also the hole on the front seam of the bed as seen in the photo is a drain hole for water. Maybe yours is plugged

 

Really it is up to you !!

Do you haul lots of loads like gravel or firewood where the load could pressure the bed liner in that spot??

Whatever works best or nothing at all

 

I'll keep my truck until it turns to dust, so it isn't a problem

No, it isn't. 2001-2004 had drain holes, but not the years before (mine is 2000). Well... I think I'll use this one as a drain hole!

No, I dont really haul heavy stuff. Mostly tools and materials and yes, sometimes a full bed of firewood. For big heavy stuff, I have my full size worktruck.
Well, I guess I'll use it as a drain hole, so if any crap gets under the bedliner, it will escape through there and not make my bed rust through... like it did there

 

FTFY.

 

My 95 has drain holes.

 

Oh, I see now! thanks for pointing it out