I received an e-mail the other day with some questions about livewells & keeping live herring that I wanted to pass along & put up some of my reply too. Now I know a lot of you use some different methods so that's why I wanted others to chime in...

I know you have a keepalive set up, I just had a few questions about it. ...

How do you fill your tank to you just go down to the water and dump the water in, or is there something else to it? [quote] I fill my tank up a little at home but try to add water from where the fish are and where they are going into so there is not too much shock from different water. [quote] If you are by yourself how do you lug it around I'm sure its quite heavy when full of water and fish. I don't lug it around, I put it in my truck, then the water and herring and unload them with nets at their final destination. If going into a boat, there is a seperate livewell. Also how do you get the herring in the tank just put them in a bucket and go back to the truck and dump them in your take the whole system out and bring it to the shore to fill it up? (if i was to take it with me i may need 3 fishing buddies 2 guys to carry the tank and one to carry the battery.) You'd never want to drag a livewell on the beach. Some creative people have rolling carts but it sucks for the beach, The best way is the bucket & basket (I'll tell you if you ask online ;) there are a lot of people that have good methods besides just mine and you would do good to hear everyone pitch in)


*** Again, I just wanted to put this up for other people to pitch in 'cause live buckeye fishing is right around the corner ***

Smokey and I have a great herring set up.

First , we have a big dip net. You want a big net with little holes. If the holes are too big , the herring get away. After netting , we keep the herring in our holding pen. Its a laundry basket with float material tied around the top rim. There is a plywood cover with a locking hatch. The holding pen floats in the run next to us and as we catch herring , they go into the holding pen. Just be sure to choose a laundry basket with holes that are not too big.

When we have netted and penned all we want , we pull the holding pen to the edge of the run and empty the herring into a 5 galon bucket filled with water. We dump the fish and the water into the holding tank and continue till we have all the fish out of the pen and into the holding tank. we top off the tank with more water till its about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Start the pump. The tank is in the back of my Blazer with a battery. We also have an extention cord to run the pump from the cigarette lighter. Its a Keep Alive holding tank and aerator which works great.

When we get to where we fish , we either just leave the herring in the holding tank and grab as needed or we bring the holding pen (laundry basket with cover and floats) down to the water and put the herring back in the pen using the 5 gallon bucket. We have a rope tied to he holding pen so that we can shove it out where its deep enough to float then we pull on the rope to bring the pen in close to grab a new herring.

Keep tossing ice in the holding tank and also periodically let some of the water out of the tank and refill with water from the river or ocean where we are fishing. This gets the dirty ammonia filled water out of the tank and adds new fresh river or sea water.

So , you need a net , a holding pen , a bucket , a holding tank , an aerater , and a battery. Use lots of ice and don't put too many in the holding tank at once. Where possible , get some of the herring out of the tank and into the water in the holding pen. that keeps the ones in the pen like new and also helps reduce the strain on the ones left in the tank.

Here's my herring basket. Floats in the canal, right at water level. I use a long rope to "Tether" it to the rocks. Used plywood sealed with about 40 coats of Polyurethane. All brass hardware.

Here's my livewell......old 55 gal drum. The darker on the inside, the better...fish keep their color better. The lighter on the outside, the better....fish stay cooler! ;)

Here's the drainage pipe...Use a large pipe so that it vacates the water and scales quicker..

Here's the Keepalive aerator. I use a large piece of tile and suction cup the aerator to it. This keeps the pump on the bottom much better

I used a brass piano hinge to fasten the lid to the barrel. I then took some scrap metal and made a "Flap" that overhangs from the flap to the barrell..this way the flap doesn't fall inside. Like Saltheart said, I use a small dip net to get the rascalls out of the livewell...then transfer water from the tank (utilizing the large vacate valve) to a 5 gal pail, then the fishies then run like the wind to get them in the water!

Gotta hide the aeration control valve, however...someone stole mine off my tank last year. Thems the breaks ;) I use 4 straps with the cinch buckle to lash the tank to my rack on the back of my truck. It works well and is real stable. On my rack, I wired 3 cigarette lighter plugs up. Just throw the deep cycle trolling battery in the truck, wire up the rack and plug the aerator into the rack. Nice and easy............actually, easier to show than to tell you about it.

Hope this helps!

Bob, nice setup. My basket looks the same but I used those nerf bar floatie things wrapped on the outside of the basket - seems to be a little more stable that way...

Any suggestions for what paint to use on the inside of the livewell?

I do it the same way as Saltheart and Smokey. I have the same tank as Bob, however I am getting the 30 gal Keepalive tank. I have the Keepalive 1100 gph pump. I also have a laundry basket pen.

Whoa.....no painty the inside, John. The paint flakes off real easy and could harm the bait. (so I've been told) I bought a Blue barrel and painted the outside white. When I looked into the paint, I was told to use this special primer, then follow it up with that sealer then sand it down and do this........turned out to be about $50 worth of paint prep products.....paint still chips off :(

I'd just go with a few cans of regular spray paint. It doesn't have to be purty. Then as it chips away, maybe spray a little more back on. Just hafta keep the herring cool.

As far as filling up the tank, just use the standard 5gal bucket and 8 or 10 trips to the waters edge. We usually fill at the Wareham run as they have a hose that pumps out the river water. Makes it a bit easier. Then as we need it, we hop down to one of the lots that's close to the canal or beach and fill a few 5 gallon pails up to put into the livewell.

Thanks - didn't think of that paint flaking ...

I've had a 35Gal Keepalive for a couple years now and like it... My previous tank was leakprone :eek:

I will be employing those tactics very soon :) Thanks for the info fellas!




BTW herring are In full force as of April 1st I have been getting em. Remember the law 24 per day... and certain days are closed just forget which have it written down some where..... So if yea need to stock up bring a buddy with a net and a freshwater license.

I had everything but the laundry basket/holding pen. Thanks for the sollution before I even knew I had a problem. :D This site really kicks up the learning curve.

great post!!!!

I saw a show this winter where they kept bait alive on the beach with one of those inflatable small kids swimming pools. Looked like a great idea for on the beach and easy to carry in and out? I will be using the 30 gal keepalive tank and pump rig. Then in to the boat livewell.