hot water in livewell ?

[shortfish]

how do you keep your fish cool in livewell. I try ice but it don't last long . I run pumps all the time after I put in ice in and on recirculate . not pumping in outside water. it steel gets very hot and is very hard to keep fish alive . there should be a better way . what do you do ?

 

[sdfd504]

Block ice will cool the water longer then cubed ice will. I would try freezing some water in 1 gallon jugs and then using them in your livewell. Most people say to use around 25lbs of ice per day if not more to cool them down.

 

[drdetroit]

Where can you get block ice on the way to the lake? emoScratch emoScratch

 

[coondog]

you can also fill coke bottles with water and freezem

 

[tailgate79]

If you use the coke bottels or the milk jug, I would remmber to take them out when u move from spot to spot. Might not beat the fish up so bad if u do .....just my 2cent's

 

[Cowboy Up]

Don't know if this product works or not but it sure seems like a good idea...http://www.keepemcool.org

 

[drdetroit]

I have e-mailed the company for more info. They are $150.00 for each unit so if you have divided livewells you will need two. Each unit cools around 30-40 gals. How cool????That is one of my questions. I am still looking for a better mouse trap. This idea sounds good and so does the lids vents which are only $45.00 a set. Someone else makes cooling bags that are reuseable they are supposed to last 10 times longer than frozen jugs. I cannot find them locally. I will keep researching. emoScratch emoIdea
Thay are called "Catch-N-Cool" the article was in the FLW magazine.

 

[fastcat]

I bought this vent system called the V-T2 on line at newproproducts.com. I saw it in the FLW Christmas gift catalog last winter. It is amazing how it works. There is no battery needed and it cools the water, increases the oxygen and removes the 'metabolic waste' (from the website). All I know is that my fish are not dying and I am not buying stuff every time I go fishing. Installation was a breeze and it looks like it was factory installed.

 

[shortfish]

thanks for the tips I will give them a try. has any one tired the oxygenator from bps? I am thinking of getting one .

 

[drdetroit]

I just received a set of the V-T2 lid vents once my boat gets out of the repair shop I will insert them in my livewell lids. I will let all know if they do the job. They have to help more than hurt. My only concern is will water splash out with stop and go??? emoScratch emoScratch

 

[Carl Guffey]

I just read a report on Oxygenators and rejuvenade, seems that one or the other is fine but in conjunction the two produce a toxic by product, the recommendation was not to use rejuvenade with the oxygenator.

If you want to cool the livewell water, run the recirculation line from your livewell through the ice chest in your boat. It will save ice and bruises on the fish and the livewell water is only cooled when the system is on recycle. Note: do not cool the livewell water more than 10 degrees cooler than the lake water, more than ten degrees can cause extrene stress and or shock when the fish are reintroduced after weigh in.

 

[Cowboy Up]

I have the oxygenator installed in my livewell and I havent had a singe fish die so far this summer.

 

[luv2fsh]

I use peroxide in my livewell about 3 lid fulls.Leave my recirculator on timer for every two minutes.2 bottles for a dollar at dollar general store.

 

[Mikie]

I have a small chest frezer and I take lake water or rain water and put it in a 5 gal. bucket and put it in the freezer the morning I know I am going to fish a tournament. The key is having cold water. This water will not freeze solid,but it will freeze on top and down the sides. You may need 2 of them if Your live well is empty. I usually leave some in mine because I fish alot. It usually stays pretty cool sitting in the garage. If you pump 85 degree water out of the lake it melts your ice,no matter what you have it in. Try having your water cold before you go to the water,and just curculate and,if you are fishing all day have some jugs of ice to put in when needed.

 

[AThornton]

Constantly put ice in the LW. i add a few handfuls every 10 minutes or so. also, i like to take a big, heavy towel with me as well when i go. i will dunk the towel to get it wet, then drape it over the top of my LW. That way the moisture along with the thick towel will help keep the sun's rays off a little bit better. It seems like a cheaper way to get my fish to the weigh-in! It has worked well so far....

 

[Fat Albert]

Carl Guffey - 7/2/2008 10:30 AM Note: do not cool the livewell water more than 10 degrees cooler than the lake water, more than ten degrees can cause extrene stress and or shock when the fish are reintroduced after weigh in.</p>

</p>

<font color="#6600ff" size="3">Good advice from Carl....I too have read this and it sounds as if they knew what they were talking about.....I think it was the state biologist....turn the fish loose if you ain't in a tournament.....FA</font></p>

 

[tripletdad]

Boat manufactures should start putting a temp. gauge in the livewells. I'm thinking about putting one in mine now because I have no idea what the temp is when I'm adding ice. I know that if I'm fishing a tourney that I'm not going to take the time to check the temp every 15 minutes. Last year I would put 10lbs every couple of hours when I change the water and all of those fish did fine. Well, the 4lb smallmouth was more than fine cause every time we would open the live well she sure tried her best to get out. emoTongue

 

[Triton4Bass]

the fish will be fine in warm water as long as they have plenty of oxygen, keep it recirculating and add some rejuvenate every few hours

 

[Carl Guffey]

Most boats are installing multiple depth finders, place one of the temp guage probes in your livewell. Voila, a built in temp guage on a large read out screen....

 

[fastcat]

I agree with Carl. TOO much change in water temp could be bad. I think the gases were hurtin my fish.