Livewell or not?

[traybore]

Just curious how many people here actually use their livewells? I think Ive used mine once and Im contemplating replacing it with an ice chest.

 

[vahunter]

Livewells are nice for tournament fishing. If I didn't duck hunt out of my boat too id put a livewell in for my saltwater fishing. I just always carry a cooler and a bilgepump (or bucket) and fill up the cooler if i need to. I fillet them within a few hours anyway.

 

[shawnfish]

good for tournaments, even if I did have one I wouldn't fill it with water mine would be filled with ice. ive always preferred icing fish as apposed to keeping them alive, makes cleaning fish a lot less messy when theyre cold.

 

[traybore]

I don't fish tournaments, and I don't use minnows. Maybe I should start since I rarely catch anything :-D I mainly catch and release anyway. It would be nice to have an ice chest for water, food, etc. since when Im on the lake, Im out for a day or two. And if throwing fish on ice is better anyway, I could always do that if Im wanting to keep any. Thanks for your input, I didn't want to regret ripping it out.

 

[bird35]

I use mine every trip. I store tackle, extra rope, sun screen and my floating seat cushion in it.

 

[traybore]

I tried to use it for storage, but I cant seem to keep water out of it. Somehow it always ends up with an inch or two in the bottom.

 

[onthewater102]

traybore » 18 Mar 2014, 10:27[/url]"]I tried to use it for storage, but I cant seem to keep water out of it. Somehow it always ends up with an inch or two in the bottom.

Plug the drain with one of theses https://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Snap-Plugs-for-Livewell-Baitwell-and-Bailer-Drains/product/8987/

 

[traybore]

I will give that a shot before I take it out. Thanks!

 

[rscottp]

I have never used mine as a live well. I drained well and if I kept a fish I would bleed it there and keep the boat clean. I am doing mods on my boat and I am converting it to a cooler, I have glued 1" rigid foam to the exterior and will be hooking the drain back up.

 

[lovedr79]

when i bought my boat it didnt have a livewell, then i got a random package in the mail, which turned out to be a "tracker" livewell. apparently the guy that had bought my boat from bass pro ordered one and he sent it to me after he got it. i put it in with the intention of using it for minnows, it has only been used for storage. makes a great water proof storage box!

 

[BigTerp]

My Tracker Sportsman came with the middle bench seat livewell. I took out the livewell and bench as soon as I could. No regrets.

 

[onthewater102]

Wow - I use my livewell all the time...seems I'm the rarity around here.

 

[rscottp]

onthewater102 » 19 Mar 2014, 11:05[/url]"]Wow - I use my livewell all the time...seems I'm the rarity around here.

Do you use it for bait or the fish you catch?

 

[onthewater102]

Caught fish only - I only ever have live bait if I've got my niece and nephew out (12yrs old & 10yrs old). I'll use it most often to revive small pike that swallow too much air while flopping around refusing to cooperate & get off the hook - occasionally I'll give a big smallmouth a bit of time in it after a long fight - but I like to hang onto any big perch, crappie or bluegills that I get while bass fishing, if I get enough of them in an afternoon I'll make dinner out of them, otherwise I let them go. They're all really hearty and I can't recall having lost one yet.

 

[thill]

I love my livewell!

First, it works as storage. Then, if I'm fishing, I keep my fish alive in mine, if I'm keeping that day.

If I don't catch enough to worry about, I let them go. If I have enough, when done fishing, I cut their throats, and by the time I hit the dock, they are dead, bled and ready to fillet. This probably isn't so needed with freshwater fish, but it's amazing how much better most saltwater fish taste if they have been bled!

I don't have a livewell in my Crestliner, and I really miss that. This Lowe has one, and I really like having one again.

-TH