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Hey guys. I bought a 2009 Crestliner CX17 this winter and I'm still trying to get it all figured out on little things. My live well only has one function that I can tell, fill. I've seen others that have switches that can do two functions, fill and aerate. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what to do to improve fish survival in a livewell like this. It will fill, but once it's full what do I do? Several fish will fun out of air quick.
Turn the fill on every now and again, it will aerate the water, the excess water should go out the overflow. I had a 16' foot jon with the same one function livewell, I could keep a mess a fish alive for awhile by self cycling. The summer months it's a losing battle in MS with the heat. Or if our serious about it, you could install an aerator with a timer function an all.
Do you have a timer on your pump? I installed a timer and a spdt rocker switch. Push switch up and it fills, down and its on a 30sec on 3 min of timer. Never had a crappie die, not even in july with 80 bluegill over 8” and 40 crappie over 10” in it. If i notice them looking sluggish i just run the pump for 4-5min every once n a while
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I installed one of these years ago and have been very pleased with it.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/live...hTerm=livewell timer
Here's another way to do it. Friend of mine has a bass boat with dual live wells, side by side. He put one of these in and he keeps herring alive in the summer when we are striper fishing, They are one of the most difficult to keep alive and I was impressed enough I got one for my boat. I use one line for live well and one for minnow bucket. If not using minnows I put both lines in the live well. It doesn't hurt to also flush the water through the live well as mentioned, but this booger really put the air out.
http://www.marinemetal.com/products/.../power-bubbles
Thanks for all the info guys. I think I'm gonna try and install a timer for the pump. I've only had the boat for a couple months, and only on the water twice, but I'm pretty sure my accessory button doesnt do anything. It does have power running to it because it lights up when switched on but nothing noteable that i've discovered. I may hook the timer up to that switch. I'm pretty sure my factor livewell switching is a one position switch. Once it warms up a bit I'll start digging into it and let you know what I figure out.
Go get a marine metals dual bubbler and wire it to a switch and your battery. Works wonders. We don’t mess with the recirculating function often at all. Maybe keep a few frozen bottles of water around if it’s the hot time of year.
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It should fill and once it gets full it should go out the over flow. That is circulating water.
Indeed it is .... BUT, in most cases the pump that fills the livewell is putting water IN faster than the overflow tube can drain it OUT. So, if you're not careful ....some of the "circulating" water will be in the floor of the boat !! :Doh:Quote:
Originally Posted by striperking
Yes, and twice i forgot to turn it off until my buddy in the back yelled,"WE'RE SINKING!! "Quote:
Originally Posted by CrappiePappy
Abandon ship :RoflQuote:
Originally Posted by SeaRay
How big is the livewell? Can you plug it, put ice in it, not worry about keeping them alive? Especially in the summer?
Or plug it, have more storage. Then put a cooler in the boat with ice.
Attended the Crappie U classes in my area this past Feb and one of the speakers mentioned using oxygen to your minnows and live wells.
He said that the oxygen would keep both the fish and minnows alive like nothing else. Not very expensive to get set up either.
You might try a google search on this topic. Good luck.
Get and install the timer Scrat posted. It wires into your pump on off switch. Then like others said get that marine metals dual pump and wire it to acc switch. I run live well off 1 leg and 2 minnow buckets off the other.
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Only difference is that I invested in a Frabill that works for up to 100 gallons. I know it is overkill but with one tube in baitwell and one in minnow bucket it works great!
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Yeah I think this is the route I will go. Should cover everything. I'm not so much worried about them dying 90% of the time, but I do fish a few events during the year that I need to keep them alive for weigh ins (corp challenges etc.)Quote:
Originally Posted by Cray
Rig-Rite sells the switch and timer together as one unit. You can buy them from any major boat place. The down position (Run) will fill the livewell, the up position is for (Cycle) and will cycle the pump based on the timer attributes.
My recommendation for anyone that is serious about tournament fishing, boat rigging, and Oxygen PPM in the livewell is to invest in an Oxygenator system. That is the name brand "Oxygenator".