Live Well

[thatleetboy]

I've started going out with a buddy who has himself a new little fishing boat... and it has a little fishing well under one of the side benches: I'm not so sure that we are using it correctly.

 

There is a pump that brings water in, and an overflow pipe so the live well doesn't get any deeper that 16 inches or so, and a plug in the bottom.

 

Are we supposed to leave the pump on continuously, so the water keeps refreshing? As well, do we need to be aerating or oxygenating the water? Or putting in some kind of water treatment?

 

Or do we just fill it up, put the plug in the bottom, and let the water stay the same all day?

 

Can the fish travel home in the live well (in the boat, on a trailer), or should we be killing them dockside, and putting them on ice?

 

(This is a SMALL live well.)

 

 

Any helpful answers are most welcome!

 

Cheers

[mike rousseau]

I keep the "water in" pump going pretty much all the time once I've put a fish in the tank... These usualy keeps em alive all day...

 

And I have transported fish home in the livewell filled with water... In the colder months... I've even left them in the livewell overnight to gut in the morning... No issues

[Old Man]

From the Ministry Regulations in regards to transporting fish. Just so you are aware.

 

Transporting Sport Fish in Ontario

 

It is contrary to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act to stock or transport live sport fish without a permit. Anglers need to ensure they are transporting fish in compliance with the regulations, which are designed to protect fisheries resources.

Edited June 24, 2011 by Old Man

[mike rousseau]

From the Ministry Regulations in regards to transporting fish. Just so you are aware.

 

Transporting Sport Fish in Ontario

 

It is contrary to the Fish and

Wildlife Conservation Act to stock or transport live sport fish without a permit. Anglers need to ensure they are transporting fish in compliance with the regulations, which are designed to protect fisheries resources.

 

 

 

Good to know....

 

Kinda sucks if your driving a couple

hours with dead fish in your tank in 30 degree weather...

 

Or you have to take a cooler with ice

for every outing...

 

Considering I've never been pulled over in my truck while towing my boat by the MNR and haven't heard of anybody being pulled over while towing by the MNR... I'll stick to keeping my catch fresh and alive when transporting them to my house...

[Harrison]

Leet,

 

Personally I like to give them fresh water here and there. And always have ice on board and add when needed. Water temps will dictate for me how often this is done.

 

Check and see if there is a recirculation switch/option. Most of the recirc's are on a timer. This will aerate the well.

 

IF there is no recirc, I would just fill the well and add fresh water here and there.

 

I can go much more into detail with other tricks, but if the end all is to harvest the fish the above should be suffice.

 

Now if those fish in the well could be worth 100 grand, well then, thats a whole other ball of wax and alot more typing.

 

Phil

[bushart]

My Smokercraft has a timer on the well as well as a continous

 

Lots of guys forget to turn them on for a fresh drink and find belly up fish---especially not good in a tourney

 

In Auto my well comes on/ off every 8 or 10 mins

[DanD]

If you intend on keeping the fish don’t bother filling the well with water; but use it as a cooler and throw ice in it. Cubes melt too quickly so I use old windshield washer jugs filled with water and kept frozen in the freezer until I need them. This block of ice (1 or 2) will last me all day and the fish are nice and cold; which makes them all that much easier for cleaning.

Then you also don’t have to worry about transporting live fish.

 

Dan

[scugpg]

If you intend on keeping the fish don’t bother filling the well with water; but use it as a cooler and throw ice in it. Cubes melt too quickly so I use old windshield washer jugs filled with water and kept frozen in the freezer until I need them. This block of ice (1 or 2) will last me all day and the fish are nice and cold; which makes them all that much easier for cleaning.

Then you also don’t have to worry about transporting live fish.

 

Dan

 

Interesting idea! That would be much easier than buying cubes all the time.

 

Don't forget to check your livewell drains as well! Fish can get in front of the livewell top drain and cause the livewell to overflow. Some livewells have a bottom drain as well that should be operated if you leave the pump circulating to avoid this.

[bigmac1984]

I am glad this topic was started because I am in a similar position where I am just starting to learn how to use my livewell properly...

 

I know I don't have a re-circ option, but I do have a switch that will bring in water and the switch has a manual and auto position which when I turn them on didn't seem to have much of a difference.

 

As someone else already said on this thread, does that mean when it the "auto" position, there is some sort of timer on it where it will only pump for so long and then turn off? Vs. Manual position where I'd have to turn it off once I was satisfied?

 

Any idea how long the timer is in the "auto" position if that is the case?

[bushart]

The pump will start right away---in auto or manual

 

in auto it pumps for like 2-3 mins and the n cycles

 

I fill my well with manual 1st then switch to auto

[davew3]

Check your water intake nozzle. It may be adjustable to let in various flows of water. So on hot days I turn it down to keep a slow continous flow. On cold days I just fill it up and then add amounts during the day.

 

When done fishing let the water out and add ice to keep the fish cold for the trip home.

 

It is illegal to take them home alive and depending where you live or are fishing will determine if you will run into the mnr one day.

 

Then you are pooched.

 

regards

[thatleetboy]

There's some great answers starting to come in here.... clearly I asked the right bunch of guys!

 

I'm going to have to make some notes, and have a talk with my buddy....

 

 

[Dutch]

Good tips above.

 

Livewells are really only for tournament use IMO.

 

Fish that are going to be kept nad eaten ought to be killed immediately and put on ice. Taste that much better.

[Roy]

I have a 42" livewell in my boat. I converted it to storage area. Most of my fishing is catch and release. The very few times that I do keep a fish it goes on ice. If it's just a day trip you don't even need the ice. For my needs, a livewell is useless.

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

Good tips above.

 

Livewells are really only for tournament use IMO.

 

Fish that are going to be kept nad eaten ought to be killed immediately and put on ice. Taste that much better.

 

agreed 100%