home made livewell for boat

[Jamie M]

I know for a FACT that this topic has been discussed a couple of times, but I did a search on "livewell" and "baitwell", and didn't find anything relevant.

How do you guys build livewells tht you bring on board your boat and take off the boat at the end of the day? I'm looking to build a livewell that will hold maybe a dozed bunker or shad.

Thanks,

Jamie

[fishsmith]

don't use quotes, just did a search on livewell and came up with a boat load of threads.

[Goose]

mmmmmm, a dozen bunker huh

[MakoMike]

I just use a 35 gallon garbage can plumbed so the excess from the top goes overboard and I stick the SW washdown hose in it. Have to tie some lead to the hose to keep it on the bottom.

[CustomMarineProducts]

I can get you a 12v baitwell aerator for about $28.00. It has suction cups on the bottom and you simply put it into a regular cooler (up to 36 gallon). It has alligator clips that go to your battery. At the end of the day, dump it out, clean the cooler and your done.
I will have one set up at the NE Salt Water fishing show, booth 306 & 308, if you want to see one.
It's really the easiest way out that I have ever found.

[CustomMarineProducts]

Just another note. The pump I mentioned will aerate a cooler or tank up to 30 gallons not 36.
It draws 1.5 amps and the manufactuer suggests adding a 2 amp fuse close to the battery.

[JohnR]

buy a Keep Alive - works great and you can use it in your boat and on the beach buggy

[cheferson]

Those look sweet, anyone looking to sell one?

[macojoe]

I use a 1/2 55 gal barrel that I put a 500 gph pump in works great

[cheferson]

macojoe,
I can get a barrel. Can you describe how you made the cover for it, etc? Thanks

[macojoe]

Well I have seen all kinds of things for covers!!
But I took a 1/2" piece of ply and cut it the same as the inside size of the cut barrel.
Then I cut a square hole in the cover and added a couple of hinges and a handle.
I gave it about 10 coats of poloyurathane to keep it from rotting.
Then set it into the barrel and used stainless screws all the way around the out side screwing into the ply. Cover is done!

Then I took and put a 1000 gph pump inside the tank with a strainer on the pump to keep the scales and stuff out of the pump. I have a friend that has a 500 gph and it also works good.

I drill a hole thur the side and put a 3/4 fitting on the tank. On the inside I took a piece of pcv and heated it and flattened it out so it pushes a fan spray .

I run the hose from the pump up thru the cover (need to drill hole just big anough for the hose to come thur. and put hose on out side of tank on to fitting. This will recirlate the water.
When you want to empty just pull hose off fitting and hang over board and let it pump till empty.

I drew a couple pic to show you. I am not the best at this. But if you need me to I could go and dig it out and take a pic.

Good luck

[macojoe]

.

[cheferson]

Sweet, thanks . Gonna start next weelk on it hopefully. How many herring can it hold?

[macojoe]

Well the Key is changing out the water!!

I put about 1 herrin per gal. This when done will be about 20 to 25 gal?? I try to change the water every hour or so?? Just pump some water over board then add freash water. Easy to do and no need to change all the water.
Just empty anough so they get a little crowed and then use bucket to fill back up.

I and I am sure other's have better systems! So you can take freash water and pump it in when you want. But that is a little more then I can explain here.

[CustomMarineProducts]

Do you use a regular bilge pump??

[macojoe]

Yes a Rule 1000 in mine and a buddy has a Rule 500

[Bob Senior]

A couple of years ago I built a 30 gal. for my truck w/ an 1100 pump. But herring scales clogged up the pump.

Fixed it by putting a whiffle ball over the input to the pump and snap tied a lint filter thing for clothes washers that I got at Benny's around the whiffle ball. (Imagine plastic mesh stuff shaped like a condom wrapped around a whiffle ball!!) It spreads the scales over a large area so just water gets through and it runs for hours without clogging.

If you make one, and you put herring in it (or just about anything else with scales), then you'll have to deal with the scales.