Livewell options

[keen_as_mustard]

Looking at fitting a livewell to my 14ft tinny for holding bait and the odd keeper fish. Plan to have a scoop off the transom to recirc water when moving and also a pump (possibly on a timer) to push the water thru when stationary.

Anyway my question is on building the livewell. The commercial ones I have seen are not the ideal size and very expensive. If I am going to spend that much I may aswell custom make one (either myself or pay someone) to fit my boat perfectly. I imagine aluminium is probably the best way to go, but i will need to see a fabricator to get that done.

Does anyone have any options or ideas that could help me out here - especially ideal size, dimensions, or alternate material I can build at home?

Thanks

Martin

[TimNQ]

another way of going about it would be to make up a model of the tank with card board and make sure it all fits and then use that to coat with fibre glass. sand it back smooth and maybe even paint it and it should cost you next to nothing for a good looking and working bait well. i have done this with a friend when building a cold air induction pipe in his car. turned out perfect with about a full days labour.
Tim

[basserman]

size will depend on what type of fishing your going to do and what type of fish will be going into it
if only mullet for the flatties then 15 liters will do but if you going to put big slimey macks in it that in will need to be about 50 liters and even bigger if its for bonito

and again depents on what keeper fish it will be
bream don't need half as much room as a couple of barras

[Willo]

Hi Marty
Here's what I use In a 4.2 Quinntrex Dory
Iuse a 500gph Bait pump. Ionly usually fish by myself so I don't need a large bait tank and this one works fine for me.
Its also portable so you cant take it out when ever.
Starting with the water pick up.

[Willo]

Pic of Esky

[Willo]

Pic of esky 2

[Willo]

Pic of outlet Make sure that you get the biggest one ya can to let the water flow freely,those 5oogph really push the water through the tank.

[Heath]

Marty,

I can vouch for Willo's setup. Works perfectly.

Just have a look at the fish he's been getting latley...

[basserman]

heres mine a bit smaller but is only used for small fish and a couple of med when chaseing jewies

[basserman]

the plumbing!
the pump is mounted outside only because of lake of room inside
but here it is on a slide so it can be in the water when in use or slid up when not in use and out of the way

[basserman]

theres a whole overview as you can see the livewell is hiden under the rear casting platform

[keen_as_mustard]

basserman,

nice looking setup - I am also planning ot hide the livewell under a rear casting platform.

one question though - wher did you get the slide the pickup is mounted on - that is an excellent feature that I would love to replicate!

thanks

martin

[basserman]

just brought a normal slide that is used for the sounders from my loacal marine shop and rivited a metel pickup on it that screwed the bilge onto the pickup
the slide is acually bolted through the transom
as i sayed i had to go this way because of lack of room but works a treat! hardest part was to find the double sided hose plug the acuale box was from a old deepcycle battery box just filled the holes and plumbed it

[nictim]

Hey Willo
Do you have a pick up as well as the pump?
If so does the pick up have enough preasuse to push water into the tank without using the pump. I was thinking of having my inlet at the top and running a pipe on the inside of my tank 3/4 of the way down but i am worried that the pick up wont have enough preasure to push the water through. Hope ya can help
Steve

[basserman]

the pick up on mine works fine i just have the pump so when i'm casting i can have the water pumped throught to keep the bass or bream in tip top condition