Need help on selecting live well for 15 s - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Whaler Repairs/Mods
  Need help on selecting live well for 15 s

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Need help on selecting live well for 15 s

reeltime2 posted 05-24-2000 09:44 AM ET (US)
I have a 15 ft sport just bought it its my first boat and I love it. Any way i plan on doing alot of salt water fishing here in south florida and I need a live well. Someone told me you can use the front storage compartment as a well he said just remove the drain plug in the front and let the compartment fill up with water. Has any one ever done this? If it wont work can someone suggest a live well that will fit in my boat and not ruine the apperance of the boat?
Thanks in advance,
Rick
Eric posted 05-24-2000 10:31 AM ET (US)
Some considerations on bait wells:
1: placement forward of the center of the boat gives too rough a ride and will kill your baits.
2: the tank should be higher than it is wide, to eliminate water slopping, also very hard on the bait. Either that or baffles are needed.
3: a round shape is preferable, but at least rounded corners are a must. The bait will get stuck in corners and die.
4: a constant flow of clean water is also essential, and the flow must cover the tank top to bottom. Waste from the baits can build up in the bottom of the tank and become toxic.
5: size matters, if you are serious about live baiting, then go with at least 25 to 30 gallons. The guides here say no less than 35 gallons! (or two 18 gallon tanks). Also, get the next size up pump for your tank, so if you have a 30 gallon, get a pump rated to 50 gallons, etc. Many pros use two pumps.
6: limit the hardware, like pipes, etc. inside the tank. Baits get stuck behind obstructions and die.
These are just the basics on tank selection. Talk to guides that specialize in live baiting in your area about how they rig their tanks. Fishing with live bait can be a lot of work, especially when the bait is hard to find. The last thing you need is to spend hours obtaining your bait, then after a long run to the fishing grounds, find a well full of dead baits!
Finally, I will be rigging a classic 17 footer for fishing, and need to select a tank for type and placement. Any replies to this topic would be appreciated. We all hope to learn from the experience of others!
Good luck, Eric

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Need help on selecting live well for 15 s
reeltime2	posted 05-24-2000 09:44 AM ET (US) I have a 15 ft sport just bought it its my first boat and I love it. Any way i plan on doing alot of salt water fishing here in south florida and I need a live well. Someone told me you can use the front storage compartment as a well he said just remove the drain plug in the front and let the compartment fill up with water. Has any one ever done this? If it wont work can someone suggest a live well that will fit in my boat and not ruine the apperance of the boat? Thanks in advance, Rick
Eric	posted 05-24-2000 10:31 AM ET (US) Some considerations on bait wells: 1: placement forward of the center of the boat gives too rough a ride and will kill your baits. 2: the tank should be higher than it is wide, to eliminate water slopping, also very hard on the bait. Either that or baffles are needed. 3: a round shape is preferable, but at least rounded corners are a must. The bait will get stuck in corners and die. 4: a constant flow of clean water is also essential, and the flow must cover the tank top to bottom. Waste from the baits can build up in the bottom of the tank and become toxic. 5: size matters, if you are serious about live baiting, then go with at least 25 to 30 gallons. The guides here say no less than 35 gallons! (or two 18 gallon tanks). Also, get the next size up pump for your tank, so if you have a 30 gallon, get a pump rated to 50 gallons, etc. Many pros use two pumps. 6: limit the hardware, like pipes, etc. inside the tank. Baits get stuck behind obstructions and die. These are just the basics on tank selection. Talk to guides that specialize in live baiting in your area about how they rig their tanks. Fishing with live bait can be a lot of work, especially when the bait is hard to find. The last thing you need is to spend hours obtaining your bait, then after a long run to the fishing grounds, find a well full of dead baits! Finally, I will be rigging a classic 17 footer for fishing, and need to select a tank for type and placement. Any replies to this topic would be appreciated. We all hope to learn from the experience of others! Good luck, Eric