gatorade in livewells

[livewell]

I have always used please release me in my livewells. Had a friend tell me he had heard of some people putting gatorade in thiers. Have any of you done this if not what do you think of it?

[Shimano4Life]

I have never heard of this before. I could see where it might help: citrus acid to help with bleeding, and Gatorade contains electrolytes too.

However, the stuff you can add to livewells to take the stress off your fish is probably cheaper than Gatorade is!

[DJD]

How much sugar is in that stuff? I bet that would be a sticky mess if it wasn't kept clean.

[raincheck]

I started using what the bait stores put in their tanks.Seems too be doing a good job so far but i added ice too.Will post how it works after this weekends Tournaments.Its alot cheaper than the name brand stuff.Salt works too i read.Terry Adolph

[Col Forbin]

I have had good luck with "please release me" in the summer. It seems to slow down the metabolism, where rejuvenade seems to give them a second wind. I usually will cycle out the livewell on the last hour or so, and add some rejuvenade - it will make them alot more lively and they release better. Ice is your best friend in the summer months. I keep about eight large water bottles in my cooler frozen solid, and add one about every hour that fish are in there.

Also, recirculation can speed up water toxicity if the temps go up - so I like to keep pumping in freshwater pretty often rather than recirculate the water. If you keep the fish in the livewell on your mind at all times, you will have much better odds at a healthy release. I haven't had a dead penalty in three years of regular tournaments.

I would stay away from gatorade - all that sugar in it can't be a good thing.

[JD7.62]

Gatorade? No!

Buy a 40lb bag of the yellow Mortons water softner salt at Walmart for like $4 and use ice. Just as good and ALOT cheaper then anything else out there.

Buying/selling and shipping fish is something Ive done alot of and salt works WONDERS. Dont be afraid to add alot. Use about a tblspoon for every 2-3gallons.

[DJD]

I have had good luck with "please release me" in the summer. It seems to slow down the metabolism, where rejuvenade seems to give them a second wind. I usually will cycle out the livewell on the last hour or so, and add some rejuvenade - it will make them alot more lively and they release better. Ice is your best friend in the summer months. I keep about eight large water bottles in my cooler frozen solid, and add one about every hour that fish are in there.

Also, recirculation can speed up water toxicity if the temps go up - so I like to keep pumping in freshwater pretty often rather than recirculate the water. If you keep the fish in the livewell on your mind at all times, you will have much better odds at a healthy release. I haven't had a dead penalty in three years of regular tournaments.

I would stay away from gatorade - all that sugar in it can't be a good thing.

Same here I always keep the fish on my mind. I have been fishing tourny's for over 20 years and have not lost one fish (came close a few times).

Fishing those hot tourny's in Florida taught me allot about ways to keep them cool. You pretty much nailed it.

[CoonCreek]

Just make sure that your ice is frozen in bottles. Ice is made with chlorinated water and that is hard on your fish when it melts. Plus its a lot cheaper to toss a few 2 liter bottles of water in the freezer and get em out when the time comes.

The best thing that I can tell you is to install a KeepAlive Oxygen infusor. It basically is a bilge pump with an oxygen "masher" for lack of a better word. Rejuvenade is a great product. I started using these a couple of years ago and haven't lost a fish since. In fact, I forgot about two 3 pounders in my livewell after a night tournament last summer because of a dispute at the ramp. I remembered when I heard the KeepAlive kick on in the garage when I was hooking up to the charger. They were so fresh two days later that I couldn't even catch them in the livewell to put 'em back in the lake!

[DJD]

Just make sure that your ice is frozen in bottles. Ice is made with chlorinated water and that is hard on your fish when it melts. Plus its a lot cheaper to toss a few 2 liter bottles of water in the freezer and get em out when the time comes.

The best thing that I can tell you is to install a KeepAlive Oxygen infusor. It basically is a bilge pump with an oxygen "masher" for lack of a better word. Rejuvenade is a great product. I started using these a couple of years ago and haven't lost a fish since. In fact, I forgot about two 3 pounders in my livewell after a night tournament last summer because of a dispute at the ramp. I remembered when I heard the KeepAlive kick on in the garage when I was hooking up to the charger. They were so fresh two days later that I couldn't even catch them in the livewell to put 'em back in the lake!

Welcome to the site! What do those infusors cost?

[Jbyrd]

Ok guys going to share something that will reduce the guess work out of icing down fish... Added a temp gauge to the live well when you get to your first spot just put in a gallon jug frozen and fill your well about half full add your rejuvinade or what ever you use . IF and when you catch your first fish just finish filling it up Replace the jugs or 2 liter bottles and monitor the temp gauge and keep it around 75-79 degrees. Recirculate the water and pump in some new about every 2-3 hours .Add new jugs as needed My fishing partner has done this and even when the water is around 90 degrees we have not lost a single fish doing this. Even in all nighters catching small mouth 30 ft deep and deeper. ALSO if you fizz a small mouth go down his throat. 75 % of them die if you needle them in the side... SMALLMOUTH !!!!!!!


OH YEA IF YOU HEAR of a BOAT COMPANY STARTING TO DO THIS just have them send my royallity check in the mail (ha ha).

[CoonCreek]

Welcome to the site! What do those infusors cost?

Depends on what you want - recirculator, permanent, etc. I just have a portable unit that I mounted in my livewell. My livewell is really big though. I think mine was the 79.99 model.

Check out all the options at keepalive.net

[DJD]

I'll do that, thanks. I just use a large cooler for my livewell with a aerator which works fine but I would like to improve the conditions.