One project on my adjenda this winta is to replace my fiberglass bait well lid with a plexy glass lid. I'm hope that with more natural sunlight I can keep my bait alive better. I keep mackeral, scup and herring and someday poge's:(. I don't think this is a complicated project and cheap ta boot. Has anyone done one and did you see a significant difference?

WHat makes you think sunlight will keep them alive longer?

It's just the opposite. The less the fish can see, the less stress on them. Less stress equals lower mortality.

less light would be lower temps too right?

Originally posted by cheferson
less light would be lower temps too right?

Yes, but with a flow through design it usually doesn't have much of an effect on water temp.

Eels don't like light at all. It changes there color.

I can't remember where I read it but I thought that to be true. I also seen a few top end boats with these type glass lids. IMO, eels shouldn't be in water.

Will somebody please shine some light on this subject:hee:

When I fished out of CT I use to keep Eels in a live well for 2-3 weeks at a time. I know some people like to ice them but I would keep them in a well that had a pump on a timer. I have 4 batteries so I would turn two of them off. If I was off the boat for more than 2-3 days I would throw them in a pen over the side. I found they would turn grey if I did not cover the tank but this would take a week or so. While down there we fished Eels 95% of the time and never wanted an excuse not to wet a line before or after work. I even had other friends at the dock that would throw some eels in if they were going home for the week and had some left over. I've tried this up on the South Shore with Mack's, Herring and Pollock but had to keep the timer on such a short interval that I felt better throwing them in the pen if I wanted them to stay over 24 hrs. I think the less light the better but have a solid lid so I don't know if clear would hamper them.

I found that the Mack's need lots of flow to keep the water clear of blood. When there running and were catching them I only throw 10-15 in the tank at a time. If I catch more I throw them in a bucket and freez them for chunking, Of course I always throw a hook in them and give them a swimming lesson to help keep the numbers down... I added a pickup this winter to help this so when the boat is moving I don't need to run the pump. We'll find out how this works in about 99 days! (And Counting!) Water temps off of Cape May still only 39 Deg...

Capy May Bouy (http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44009)