Questions on Livewell's

patchino22 · 05-03-07, 10:01 AM

I am trying to fish in a tournament (my first!) this weekend and obviously it requires a livewell. I went and bought a cooler and a bubble box in order to create my livewell. So far so good. I have not tested it out in action as of yet, but do have a few concerns.
(Dimensions: about 2 ft in length, about 18 inches deep)
1. Is this big enough to support multiple fish?
2. How far do I have to fill this thing up?
3. I plan on keeping the bubble box going all day, but will a fish survive in it for 6 hrs?

Any answers I can get are most appreciated. Any advice you can give me is appreciated as well. Thanks!

jwallbassin · 05-03-07, 11:03 PM

I fished a tourney a couple weeks back and had to make a livewell out of a cooler too. I used the SuperSaver 12 volt aeration systerm from academy, it is $34.99. I did use alittle bit bigger cooler, if your going for bass you might need to get one alittle bigger, mine is 3 ft by 2 ft and i might get alittle bigger one though before my next one. For about 5 hrs i had 2 fish about 18 inches in it and with about 2 hours left in the tourney i added another 16 incher in to it. It worked great but if i had the 5 fish limit it might of gotten alittle crowded. My fish were still very alive at weigh in....1 of them even jumped out of the weigh in basket! I hope this helped, good luck in your tourney! -josh

patchino22 · 05-04-07, 09:01 AM

That is just the kind of feedback I need. Thanks JWall!

Everyone else, please feel free to keep the advice comin.

Christopherkeene9 · 05-04-07, 09:34 AM

Way cheaper and more aerated way than the super saver, a big quite redneck engineer project though

Take an 18gal. rubbermaid container. Then go to any boat store, boater's world, west marine, etc. or even walmart sometimes and purchase a 500 or less bilge pump. Make sure to get some bilge pump hose too

I like to use two different lengths of hose, a 2-3 foot section for in the livewell and however long you're going to need to get water in and out of the well from over the side of the boat. You will also need some zip ties and some PVC pipe that will fit on the outside of the pump hose, along with some liquid electrical tape.

Now take a drill bit that will allow the zip ties to go through and drill about 4 of them in the "width" side of the container. Now take your PVC pipe and use that same bit or bigger and drill some holes in a line, no other pattern unless you like to get wet

Now glue an PVC end cap onto that and zip tie this contraption into the holes, but be sure to leave enough room to get the pump hose into the open end. If the pump hose and PVC connection is a little loose take some liquid electrical tape and put a small coating around the inside of the pvc (do this first before installing PVC into container). Keep on making these small coatings until the hose fits in snug but not too tight. Now hook up your hose to the pump and then get some alligator clips or a switch and some battery ring terminals for power. Just load the water and your're ready to go. Be sure to have some frozen 2-liter bottles to put in there in the summer or you'll have some dead fish!

Christopher

jwallbassin · 05-04-07, 12:53 PM

Oh yeah good point christopher i forgot to say that, i just have like 6 flozen 20 oz water bottles on had to keep the water tremp cool, just put them in there through out the day......and it woundnt be a bad idea aroud half way through the day to change some of the water out ot put some fresh water in

dampeoples · 05-04-07, 03:29 PM

Jesse,
Check out board, it looks like Mackintosh will be closed this weekend, we're moving to Hickory Hill launch at Falls Lake if that happens, I'll also fill you in on your livewell then

patchino22 · 05-04-07, 04:12 PM

Got it DP. Keep me posted on my email if you can. I actually fished from Hickory Hill a couple weeks ago.......didnt get a single bite. I hope that changes this time! I will keep an eye on the JBFC website. Thanks.

dampeoples · 05-04-07, 04:14 PM

NP, I've got a little larger cooler, remind me to stick it in the truck for you. I also think the bubble thing you have might not be enough, Wal-Mart has a spray bar thing with suction cups on the bottom that work extremely well. I'll email you my cell, in case I forget, been on the phone the past hour

patchino22 · 05-04-07, 04:30 PM

Thanks a bunch. You are a good man DP!

Christopherkeene9 · 05-04-07, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dampeoples

NP, Wal-Mart has a spray bar thing with suction cups on the bottom that work extremely well.

My way is around Wal-marts spray bar, redneck style

05-03-07, 10:01 AM	#1
patchino22 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 116	Questions on Livewell's I am trying to fish in a tournament (my first!) this weekend and obviously it requires a livewell. I went and bought a cooler and a bubble box in order to create my livewell. So far so good. I have not tested it out in action as of yet, but do have a few concerns. (Dimensions: about 2 ft in length, about 18 inches deep) 1. Is this big enough to support multiple fish? 2. How far do I have to fill this thing up? 3. I plan on keeping the bubble box going all day, but will a fish survive in it for 6 hrs? Any answers I can get are most appreciated. Any advice you can give me is appreciated as well. Thanks!

05-04-07, 03:29 PM	#6
dampeoples BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 826	Jesse, Check out board, it looks like Mackintosh will be closed this weekend, we're moving to Hickory Hill launch at Falls Lake if that happens, I'll also fill you in on your livewell then __________________ The Jon Boat Fishing Club and Fishing with Sterling Peoples

05-04-07, 04:14 PM	#8
dampeoples BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 826	NP, I've got a little larger cooler, remind me to stick it in the truck for you. I also think the bubble thing you have might not be enough, Wal-Mart has a spray bar thing with suction cups on the bottom that work extremely well. I'll email you my cell, in case I forget, been on the phone the past hour __________________ The Jon Boat Fishing Club and Fishing with Sterling Peoples

05-03-07, 11:03 PM	#2
jwallbassin BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: san angelo, tx Posts: 35	I fished a tourney a couple weeks back and had to make a livewell out of a cooler too. I used the SuperSaver 12 volt aeration systerm from academy, it is $34.99. I did use alittle bit bigger cooler, if your going for bass you might need to get one alittle bigger, mine is 3 ft by 2 ft and i might get alittle bigger one though before my next one. For about 5 hrs i had 2 fish about 18 inches in it and with about 2 hours left in the tourney i added another 16 incher in to it. It worked great but if i had the 5 fish limit it might of gotten alittle crowded. My fish were still very alive at weigh in....1 of them even jumped out of the weigh in basket! I hope this helped, good luck in your tourney! -josh

05-04-07, 09:01 AM	#3
patchino22 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 116	That is just the kind of feedback I need. Thanks JWall! Everyone else, please feel free to keep the advice comin.

05-04-07, 09:34 AM	#4
Christopherkeene9 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Oviedo, Fla Posts: 2,270	Way cheaper and more aerated way than the super saver, a big quite redneck engineer project though Take an 18gal. rubbermaid container. Then go to any boat store, boater's world, west marine, etc. or even walmart sometimes and purchase a 500 or less bilge pump. Make sure to get some bilge pump hose too I like to use two different lengths of hose, a 2-3 foot section for in the livewell and however long you're going to need to get water in and out of the well from over the side of the boat. You will also need some zip ties and some PVC pipe that will fit on the outside of the pump hose, along with some liquid electrical tape. Now take a drill bit that will allow the zip ties to go through and drill about 4 of them in the "width" side of the container. Now take your PVC pipe and use that same bit or bigger and drill some holes in a line, no other pattern unless you like to get wet Now glue an PVC end cap onto that and zip tie this contraption into the holes, but be sure to leave enough room to get the pump hose into the open end. If the pump hose and PVC connection is a little loose take some liquid electrical tape and put a small coating around the inside of the pvc (do this first before installing PVC into container). Keep on making these small coatings until the hose fits in snug but not too tight. Now hook up your hose to the pump and then get some alligator clips or a switch and some battery ring terminals for power. Just load the water and your're ready to go. Be sure to have some frozen 2-liter bottles to put in there in the summer or you'll have some dead fish! Christopher

05-04-07, 12:53 PM	#5
jwallbassin BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: san angelo, tx Posts: 35	Oh yeah good point christopher i forgot to say that, i just have like 6 flozen 20 oz water bottles on had to keep the water tremp cool, just put them in there through out the day......and it woundnt be a bad idea aroud half way through the day to change some of the water out ot put some fresh water in

05-04-07, 04:12 PM	#7
patchino22 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 116	Got it DP. Keep me posted on my email if you can. I actually fished from Hickory Hill a couple weeks ago.......didnt get a single bite. I hope that changes this time! I will keep an eye on the JBFC website. Thanks.

05-04-07, 04:30 PM	#9
patchino22 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 116	Thanks a bunch. You are a good man DP!

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