Keeping Fish Alive in Livewell's in Tourneys or Hot Weather

I have been researching this subject for the last few days since I don't have much to do during my surgery recovery. I installed the V-T2 livewell lid vents from newproproducts.com this past summer. This simple product works, and the concept is read on.
I have a few ideas of updating recirculation pumps, and lines. Possibly add a bubbler line for the livewell and when using minnows.

What set up do you have, or what do you do to keep your fish healthy for the weigh in and for the table!

Thanks,
Brian

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Keep some frozen bottles or ziplocks of water to put in the well to help keep the temperature down and stable. Add some G juice or similar additive to help calm the fish. I use an oxygen system with one of the click type regulators and fine diffuser stone. Have a few friends that use one of the 12v double bubblers along with frozen water and the additive with good results. We do not use the recirculating system when we do either of the methods mentioned above.


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I have a 30 gallon live-well with bait-well built into one side. I have my pump on a timer and pump in fresh water every 1, 3, or 7 minutes depending on air temps and volume of fish in live-well. Pump runs for 1 minute then shuts off for 1/3/7 minutes. I don't have any trouble keeping fish alive.

When camping for the weekend the minnows stay in the live-well all weekend. The boat comes out of the water and sits on my trailer in camp with me for about 16 hours a day. I use a Mino-Mizer to keep the water aerated and cooled while off the lake. I also keep the sun off the live-well to help keep it cool. If temps are in the 90's+ I throw a couple of ice cubes in there once in a while too. Or I'll add a gallon or two of campsite well water to flush the ammonia generated by minnows. All fish get cleaned at the ramp when fishing is done.

I run a Crappie Club and we hold 7-8 tournaments a year. I like to camp on tournament weekends, especially for the further away lakes. Keeping fish alive has not been a problem for me here in Central Illinois. We don't see too many 100+ degree days.

I have never tried to hard to keep crappie alive, but learned a hard lesson when a few dead bass cost me $2000! Here is the system I use now. 1. Fill wells, plug overflow and run re-circ pump on continuous. 2. Keeping water cool is a MUST! I use 1/2 gallon frozen jugs to keep live well temp 8-10 deg. cooler that lake surface temp. I used the remote temp sensor from a PDRT-WBL T-ducer to display temp on my Lowrance. 3. Add rejuvenate or something similar. 4. Occasionally if the water gets lots of suds I will change it out for fresh water once during the day, but that also makes it difficult to cool the water again. 4. With bass (I'm sure would apply to crappie) that are caught deep I also use fish clips to keep them upright. I am have had mixed results with fizzing. Although I have do not have a bubbler or add any oxygen, I can't see where it would hurt. I can tell you that just pumping in fresh water all day and letting it overflow does not work for me. Hope this helps.