Portable Livewell Question

Anyone build or use a temporary live well? One feature that is not on my 16" MirroCraft is a live well, which is fine, I either CP&R or eat what i catch so right to ice. however, was thinking of doing a few tournaments and I know I need to keep the bass alive

thinking of making something out of a cooler - pump in and outflow with an aerator

Any ideas?

Russ (russ010) is out doing his Active Reserve duties this weekend, but I know he will probably chime in. He's built at least one portable and I believe is building a bigger one for his new boat.

Capt,

Get a 120qt cooler and buy livewell aerator kit. A bottle of "Please Release Me" and keep a 2 litre bottle of water frozen to keep the water cool.

Don't overthink it.

No need to drill any holes in the cooler. Just drop the pump overboard to fill it up and run the spray bar overboard when you're ready to drain.

I built a little plexi top with a hole cut out to fit on top of the cooler when the lid is open to keep fish from jumping out, because my boat is as narrow as my cooler.





Good Luck

Nice and simple Brine...do you ever have to change the water?
I imagine you could just bail a couple gallons out and put some fresh stuff in maybe with some ice on a hot day.
Hows did you attach the spray bar and is it a homemade spray bar?
I'm kinda thinking along the same lines as the Capt.,in need of one myself.

Hey Brine,

Is that 'Please Release Me" stuff something that can be purchased at like Walmart or is it a mail-order item?

Most tackle stores, and sometimes Walmart have please release me.

I have a similar livewell as Brine, just even simpler. Mine is an old Rubbermaid tote with the lid riveted on, and a smaller hole cut in the lid, with an aluminum lid hinged in place. Same general idea, pump leading up to a spray bar. Of course, I fill mine with a bucket, but it does work, and I haven't lost a fish yet.

Here is Russo1o's build.It could be done to a cooler.I know Russ has. https://www.tinboats.net/index.php/Projects/building-a-livewell.html

Zum said:

Nice and simple Brine...do you ever have to change the water?
I imagine you could just bail a couple gallons out and put some fresh stuff in maybe with some ice on a hot day.
Hows did you attach the spray bar and is it a homemade spray bar?
I'm kinda thinking along the same lines as the Capt.,in need of one myself.

Click to expand...

Yes, I usually change 2/3 of the water once during a 6 hr tournament.
The 2 litre bottle stays mostly frozen frozen until after the water change so it still cools the new water that's put it.
The spraybar is sold in a kit with 2 suction cups (pictured) that the spraybar fits into.

poolie said:

Hey Brine,

Is that 'Please Release Me" stuff something that can be purchased at like Walmart or is it a mail-order item?

Click to expand...

Yep, that's the stuff. I get mine at Bass Pro Shops,

bassboy1 said:

I have a similar livewell as Brine, just even simpler. Mine is an old Rubbermaid tote with the lid riveted on, and a smaller hole cut in the lid, with an aluminum lid hinged in place.

Click to expand...

The rubbermaid totes seemed too flimsy for my taste, not to mention I like the fact that the cooler is built to insulate. The other bonus is when I need a 120qt cooler, I have one. It's aslo nice to be able to lift the entire lid open for cleaning and it also makes it easy to get a visual on all the fish to make sure everyone is doing good rather than looking through a hole.

This isn't portable as is, but since it is different from most of the other setups I've seen here, maybe it will give you an idea. This is how I did it on The Minnow Bucket.

Brine said:

The rubbermaid totes seemed too flimsy for my taste, not to mention I like the fact that the cooler is built to insulate. The other bonus is when I need a 120qt cooler, I have one. It's aslo nice to be able to lift the entire lid open for cleaning and it also makes it easy to get a visual on all the fish to make sure everyone is doing good rather than looking through a hole.

Click to expand...

Quite frankly, I built it to fish one tourney, back in November, when the insulation wasn't an issue. I had really planned on building a nicer one later on, so I just made this one on the cheap to get me through the one tourney, but for whatever reason, it has worked so nicely, I didn't change it. I thought the Rubbermaid would be too flimsy, but once I riveted the lid on, and cut a smaller hole in the lid, it is actually stronger than I thought. Mine is probably put through a little more abuse than y'alls are, as I fish in 30 - 50 boat tourneys on Allatoona, where I am blasting off with around 40 or more 18 - 21 foot bass boats with 150 horse or better. Thus, I am bouncing over 4 + foot wakes in a flat bottom boat, as the wakes of 40 boats in a fairly narrow channel start to combine, and just make huge wakes, and even through that, I haven't had it sag at all, which really surprised me.

Since all my tournaments have been either winter tourneys, or night tourneys, for whatever reason (just happened to fit my schedule best that way), the temperature hasn't been an issue. I usually have the liveliest fish at the weigh in as well, provided I can actually catch some fish to bring to the weigh in. :roll:

:twisted: Keeping the water cool is critical!!!!

fish devil said:

:twisted: Keeping the water cool is critical!!!!

Click to expand...

Outside of the suggestion of keeping a one liter frozen bottle in there, what options are there to do this?

ober51 said:

fish devil said:

:twisted: Keeping the water cool is critical!!!!

Click to expand...

Outside of the suggestion of keeping a one liter frozen bottle in there, what options are there to do this?

Click to expand...

You can refill often from the lake. It doesn't "cool", but it replaces the water that is warming up in your boat from the aerator pump and sun. Fresh water also eliminates the percentage of waste and brings oxygen.

Henry Hefner said:

ober51 said:

fish devil said:

:twisted: Keeping the water cool is critical!!!!

Click to expand...

Outside of the suggestion of keeping a one liter frozen bottle in there, what options are there to do this?

Click to expand...

You can refill often from the lake. It doesn't "cool", but it replaces the water that is warming up in your boat from the aerator pump and sun. Fresh water also eliminates the percentage of waste and brings oxygen.

Click to expand...

Ok, kind of figured such, just wanted to make sure the fresh water was keeping it cool enough.

ober51 said:

Ok, kind of figured such, just wanted to make sure the fresh water was keeping it cool enough.

Click to expand...

I'm no ichthyologist, but I figure if it was living in that temperature water, you ought to be able to keep it alive at that temperature.

Henry Hefner said:

ober51 said:

Ok, kind of figured such, just wanted to make sure the fresh water was keeping it cool enough.

Click to expand...

I'm no ichthyologist, but I figure if it was living in that temperature water, you ought to be able to keep it alive at that temperature.

Click to expand...

But the water in a cooler is in a much smaller space sometimes in direct light so I thought maybe there might be additional measures taken.

ober51 said:

Henry Hefner said:

ober51 said:

Ok, kind of figured such, just wanted to make sure the fresh water was keeping it cool enough.

Click to expand...

I'm no ichthyologist, but I figure if it was living in that temperature water, you ought to be able to keep it alive at that temperature.

Click to expand...

But the water in a cooler is in a much smaller space sometimes in direct light so I thought maybe there might be additional measures taken.

Click to expand...

You are right, but I know of no other option than adding something to cool the water or keeping it fresh. If it is hot weather, I have my live well taking in fresh water almost constantly, so the water has little time to warm up. In hot weather I will have ice in my ice chest, and while you shouldn't add ice directly to the live well, I usually have a ziplock bag on hand that I can fill with ice to put in the water.

ober51 said:

Outside of the suggestion of keeping a one liter frozen bottle in there, what options are there to do this?

Click to expand...

A two litre bottle

Henry Hefner said:

I'm no ichthyologist, but I figure if it was living in that temperature water, you ought to be able to keep it alive at that temperature.

Click to expand...

Cold water holds more oxygen. If you catch a bass in 15 foot of water where I fish right now, the water temperature is much cooler than the water at the surface. If you've ever swam in a lake and felt a cold spot at your feet, you'll know what I mean.

Brine said:

Henry Hefner said:

I'm no ichthyologist, but I figure if it was living in that temperature water, you ought to be able to keep it alive at that temperature.

Click to expand...

Cold water holds more oxygen. If you catch a bass in 15 foot of water where I fish right now, the water temperature is much cooler than the water at the surface. If you've ever swam in a lake and felt a cold spot at your feet, you'll know what I mean.

Click to expand...

See? I told you I weren't no ichthyologist! Thanks, Brine!

Great info guys! One more question - do you think i need the spray bar or will an aerator do the trick?