oxygen for bass

[DJD]

I have used two types which most tackle shops carry i believe i have Please Release Me right now. I have used ice as well in the heat of summer but i don't have any proof the ice works. I have been told it does but i wonder how much ice?

[dcbasser]

When using ice i always just used a couple of 20 oz pop bottles frozen solid. Keeps the water nice and cool. One is usually enough to keep the livewell just right.

[Moose1am]

I have about 12 bottles of water frozen in my freezer. I need to get myself a bigger chest freezer so that I will have more room for my other frozen food.

I got the idea to free water inside plastic bottles from Cane Pole on crappie.com. Only I don't drink the water inside the bottles after it's melted from being in my minnow bucket like Cane Pole does. I spray a 10% chlorine bleach solution onto my bottles after they come out of the minnow bucket and before I put them inside my freezer at home. Leave the bleach solution in contact with the outside of the bottle for about 10 min to kill any harmful bacteria. But only put pure tap water inside the plastic bottles. So far this has worked great for me. I use the frozen water bottles to keep my minnow bucket's water at 60 deg F or lower. I can ensure that 1/4 lb of chub minnows will last all day long in my big minnow bucket even when it's 90 deg F air temp outside. It helps to have a Styrofoam insulated minnow bucket for this to work.

I also carry two extra 20oz or larger frozen water bottles in my cooler along with some soft drinks and ice. After half a day I can add another frozen water bottle to my minnow buckets to further cool down the water.

You can do the same thing inside you live wells.

Remember that fish will survive longer in cold water than hot water for many reasons. Cold water holds more dissolved oxygen. Also the fish's metabolism is slowed down by colder water and they release less ammonia into the live well or minnow buckets. And cold water lowers the blood temp and allows it to hold more dissolved oxygen in the blood stream. It's much better to hold your fish at 60 deg F water inside a live well than at 85 deg F water.

I do one more thing that really helps cool the water inside my insulated live well. I stuck about 6" of flexible thick walled vinyl tubing inside the inlet hole on the transom of my boat where water enters the live well pump system. Then I added a 90 deg elbow PVC fitting and to the flex hose. I stick this into the hole to make the water go though the 90 deg elbow before it enters the live well. Then I attached a 6ft long PVC solid pipe to the other end of the flexible vinyl tubing. This allows me to draw intake water from below the surface of the lake. This water can be as much as ten deg F colder than the surface water. I can do this because I am fishing on a small lake that only allows the use of electric trolling motors. If you are fishing a bigger lake and use the gas motor you may want to unhook the pipe before you take off to the next fishing hole. LOL I don't recommend going over 3 mph with pipe attached to the back of the boat. You may pull it out and lose the setup. I have lost one pipe so far but it was easily replaced as I only lost the 1/2" OD solid 7ft long pipe and the elbow and the flexible vinyl tubing stayed on the boat.

Regards,

Moose1am

[BassBest]

Hey, that post about the frozen bottle thing is right on, buying bags of ice will help, but to help both of you, freeze coke bottles, milk jugs, or whatever, stays frozen longer and is cheaper, and you will also eventually have cold water to drink too. I believe that the cold water slows down the depletion of O2 since molecules move slower when cold and faster when hot.
We generally release fish by hand and not by boat. What we have had happen is some guy will release his fish and (in the warmer months) there may be a couple young boys and girls who like to take the fish out of the water before they swim off, or whatever, so in the hot days, release the fish and make sure it swims off before leaving, one day a girl (swimiing near ramp) grabbed a fish and held it out of water for several minutes, some of which I was calling out the winners and not paying attention, but whewn I saw that, I politely told her that we must put the fish in the water, a 2.79lb LM, she did, but it rolled on its side. I immediately took socks and shoes off and went in the water and spent 30 minutes working with the fish. It would jitter a little every now and then but it was out of the water too long and did not have enough essentials to sustain life. The fish was donated to the family who said they would grill the fillets that night. I was saying a few words in my mind but a kid doesn't know any better, it is our 3rd and largest loss this year in the club, (local club),
Also, If you have a holding tank don't let it get too full before releasing some bass.
When you are dealing with a gut hooked bass, try to cut the hook with pliers or something if possible to help remove hook(do this in the water), or at least take the plastic bait off the hook.
I hope someone else chimes in with more ideas, I'm sure we could use them.


Elijah Orr
Kentucky Lake Bass Club
Asst. TD
270-354-5285
[email protected]

[BassBest]

I like the part about larger penalties for dead fish, it wouldn't be too shabby to not weigh dead fish either. :)

Elijah Orr
Kentucky Lake Bass Club
Asst. TD
270-354-5285
[email protected]

[plowboy]

1. All boats in a tournament must have a timer on the live well and leave it on at all times.

2.Larger penalties for dead fish

3. It would be great if one day bass boats had oxygen injectors for livewells. I know thats a long shot.

4. Educate anglers about keeping the fish alive (maybe at take off)