Has anyone converted the storage area located on the port side of the transom into a livewell? I am looking to add a livewell in addition to the 104 quart fishbox livewell which I end up using as a fishbox only. Any other ideas or recommendations?
gradyfish22 said:tuna swim straight in tuna tubes, they don't need to turn, two different things. Those pumps are also a lot bigger then what you are likely using to supply your whole livewell. I'm not saying you cannot keep them alive at all, but you cannot fill them to the capacity you should be able to and keep them alive, putting fewer fish in the livewell will work, but chances are those fish will become sluggish and soon discolor. 10-18 bunker in a 100 qt livewell is not a lot, you should be able to keep 25-30, 1 fish per gallon and if they are smaller or you have a really good pump you can keep a few more without compromising their quality. I keep 40-50 10inch bunker in my 40gal livewell and they look and stay frisky. I've noticed bunker along with many other biats are a lot friskier in a round well then a square one, they may be alive in a square one, but do they have red noses and do they swim slow? Liveballyhoo will injure their beaks in a livewell with corners, a round livewell allows them to stay flush with the surface at all times and not break it, keeping them fresh. I've designed enough livewells on boats, none these days are square unless they are on smaller boat, and even most of them have rounded corners. I have never had a tournament fishermen ask me for a square livewell, they all agree that the bait does not stay as lively or in as good condition in a square tank. I guess I am nuts along with all of them, I guess they aren't out there winning more money then our boats are worth in tournaments time after time by dumb luck.
gradyfish22 said:Depending on the baitfish you have, most will require a round tank or they all swim to one edge and stay there, they do not turn easily when overcrowded and all in the same corner. I would round the edges, also what type of baitfish, that well will be good for smaller baitfish, but anything of size will not live long unless you only put a few in.
conshykid, fish in fish tanks are not over crowded like they are in a livewell, they have room to swim and make turns on corners, they are also often smaller then most baitfish that fishermen use. Fish in a livewell are usually packed more dense then a fish tank, even if not, they tend to swim as a school and together and will all crowd a corner and not be able to turn, there is no solution to this except to round the corners. If you baitfish a lot, corners are no good. My previous 22' seafarer had corners, if I put more then 8-10 bunker in it they would die, I could fit way more, but more would keep the fish from making turns, on my 265 which has rounded corners, I can pack it with a fish per gal and never have a fish die and have them as good as new.
Many guys I know carry round 20gal live wells with them with a good sized pump and overboard hose, they can keep about 20 - 10" baitfish in them all day, but this also requires a battery to run it and takes up space. There is no real solution, it all depends on your needs and how often you use live bait. If the bait you use is small, you can carry a small bait bucket and splash it in the water when fishing, if it is bigger, either use your current livewell and carry a 90-100qt cooler for your fish, or carry a decent sized round or oval live well onboard. I'd opt to carry a cooler onboard and use your larger current livewell as is, it is a lot cheaper.