# how to make your own live well in an ice chest



## austinbayfisher (Jul 22, 2007)

This is a how-to question. I do not have a live-well on my boat; I did this intentially to keep the boat as light as possible (it's a flatscat - I go in skinny water a lot so I want it light). However, sometimes I use the cooler (the ice chest under the leaning post), partly fill it with baywater, put a battery operated aerator in it, and put some live bait in there. This setup does not have water flow through the ice chest, so the fin-bait and shrimp do not last as long as I think they would if there was salt water flow. The ice chest has a drain plug. I am wondering if there is a way to set up a pump and tubes to provide baywater, maybe through the boat rear deck drain holes, into and out of the ice chest. Anyone have any ideas on whether there is a way to do this. All comments are welcome.


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## Sundance (Sep 20, 2008)

http://kayakfishinggear.com/hook1baittankkitwithbrasssnaps.aspx

This is how you do it. I bought the package from Hook1....supplied my own small cooler box for my kayak. Keeps shrimp live all day.


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## bayou vista (Jun 28, 2008)

*o2 system*

buy you a o2 system for that cooler,needs no battery, makes no heat,works under way which your pump system will not due to the water pickup will be out of the water on plane- contact texxan1" thomas" ,i beieve he sells them,i have one and it is the only way to go for live bait


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## Capt. Harold (Jun 16, 2004)

I also have a Flats Cat. This is how I rigged a removable water circulating live well that's work quite well w/out an oxygen tank. PM me if you want more details.


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## adpostel (Jan 14, 2006)

There are a lot of options with keeping bait alive in a portable live well, I need to pony up and get with Texxan1 and get me one of those O2 systems. You would have a great portable setup and could take it on your boat, your buddies boat, walk in wading, pier, surf, you wouldn't have any issues transporting bait, lots of pro's to an O2 system and its portability. I have to say X2 on getting with Thomas and I bet you could even mount the O2 bottle right on the cooler as well.......


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## hammerdown (Jan 10, 2009)

Bait? Huh?


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## austinbayfisher (Jul 22, 2007)

Great feedback from everyone! This will give me some ideas to get some water flowing in the cooler. My understanding is that airating or oxygen-only certainly greatly helps keep the bait alive. What I am primarily concerned about is that I think fin-fish bait in particular excrete formaldehyde (or something like it) as part of their normal metabolic process, which accumulates in the water in the cooler and kills the bait unless fresh bay water is recirculated. This is why I'm thinking about how to circulate beyond only airating or oxygenating the water. Even with the water airated, the fin-fish die, so something is killing them (I dont put sunblock on my hands - which quickly kills bait - and use a net dipper to retrieve the bait. All comments are welcome!


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## Sugar Jay (Feb 10, 2010)

I have a floating pump that I can throw over that will pump in fresh water, and an aerator both. I have it on a timer so it will pump fresh water in for 30 minutes switch and run the aerator for 30 or for however long you would like it to run. I can run just the pump or just the aerator as well.


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## adpostel (Jan 14, 2006)

I understand what your saying about the fin-fish excreting whatever chemicals they do ammonia as well, but I can say I've ever had an issue with fin fish dying in the bait well, and I have always only used a small igloo marine cooler with a pump in it. Maybe some others will chime in on how long, say 3 dozen croakers or 2 qts of shrimp will stay alive in a cooler with an oxygen system.....


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

Here is a simple one I made to keep bait when headed to the surf and need to keep live bait from the bait shop to the surf. I used the white marine sealent around the screws that hold the pump in place. I should have mounted the pump closer to one end or the other instead of right in the middle.


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

adpostel said:


> I understand what your saying about the fin-fish excreting whatever chemicals they do ammonia as well, but I can say I've ever had an issue with fin fish dying in the bait well, and I have always only used a small igloo marine cooler with a pump in it. Maybe some others will chime in on how long, say 3 dozen croakers or 2 qts of shrimp will stay alive in a cooler with an oxygen system.....


I keep croaker alive all day long with the one I posted pics of. I do add fresh water to it every few hours. I will dip some water out with the bait bucket then replace with fresh surf water. Shrimp last just as long.


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## cfulbright (Jun 24, 2009)

http://www.stylefeeder.com/i/jwbp64mr/Bait-Saver-Aerator?sw=1

They have this at Academy to. The best I have used. It infuses air from the top of the shaft into the water and keeps the water cool because the motor is on top out of the water. Will keep shrimp, mullet, and croakers alive for days. A 5 to 15 gal trash can, or cooler works great depending on how much bait you need, just put you a hole in the top. If your going to use it for over about 6 hours you should get the pills to correct the ammonia and other chemical levels in the water.


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## specsultan (Apr 2, 2009)

*Portable bait wells*

Back in the day (late 60's/early 70's) "Bayou Ed" was the best. An insert for a 48 qt. Igloo w/ no modifications. Only negative is the pump motor was in the same water as the bait, thus heating the water.
I made my version of that w/ the motor (a Mayfair w/ 90 degree base) on the outside of the cooler. Same spray bar setup as "Bayou Ed".
Later, I made one out of a 10 gal. water barrel w/ a Power Bubbles air pump & diffuser ring from Academy.
They all keep shrimp, croaker or shad alive for a couple of days. With croaker & especially shad, change the water after they poo within the first 20 minutes. Then add fresh water a couple of times during your trip.
The MOST important thing is to use Amquell (available from any pet store) and Foam Off (at some Academys, FTU and Tally's in Port Arthur). Also, add frozen water bottles to keep the water cool during these hot summer days.
My new (to me) boat has a recirculating bait well and performs about the same as my portable setups. I even made up a pigtail to run the portables off my trailer light plug when I get bait the night before and not towing the boat.
I do have an oxygen setup as well, but I seem to run out of oxygen at the most inopportune time. I always have a hot battery.


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## specsultan (Apr 2, 2009)

Have pics, but can't figure out how to resize !!


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## WestEndAngler (Jan 30, 2007)

I don't have the ability to keep much live bait alive on my 1860... When I do carry bait I have a pint of shrimp in a cooler on an 02 system I bought from Thomas here on the website.


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## specsultan (Apr 2, 2009)

Let's see if this works!


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## specsultan (Apr 2, 2009)

One more.


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## USMCBay (May 4, 2006)

Good thread... Just got an O2 bottle.


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## DMC (Apr 2, 2006)

Aren't we getting close to lure season though?


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