After having a fish die on me last night, I have been doing some research on keeping fish alive during the summer. With my last boat, I had a smaller livewell which did not have a recirculation option and I just ran my livewell pump on the automatic mode and never had a problem. With my current boat, my livewell is twice the size but I have not felt good about how my fish have acted after releasing by just keeping the automatic modes running and bringing in fresh lake water. From researching, I feel I need to utilize my recirculate mode anytime water temps are above 75 degrees.
With this method, I probably need to add a product to help, I have read about utilizing hydrogen peroxide as well as rock salt or stay alive or a similar product. I have also read about adding ice but have never used this too much due to the fact that I believe too drastic of a change will also hurt the fish.

I have attached some guidelines below which seem to be the simplest which I have found!

What do you guys do to keep your fish alive. I realize that in some instances, fish will die ina livewell and it can not be helped. But I want to do everything I can do to keep my fish healthy where they can be caught again!



Caring for Your Catch Fish Care Guidelines for Tournament Anglers


I. Fill your livewell early in the day. Fill your livewell at your first stop. It will be cooler and better aerated than later on. Use water from open lake areas with good water quality.

II. Turn on the recirculating aerator immediately. Set your aerator switch to manual (continuous operation). Run the aerator all day. If your pump only runs on a timer, run it as frequently as possible.

III. Land fish quickly and handle them as little as possible. Grasp fish by the lower jaw and hold them vertically. Bend the jaw as little as possible. Wet your hands before touching fish. Support large fish with a wet hand under the belly. Use soft, knotless nylon or rubber landing nets. Don't allow fish to touch boat carpet When deep hooks cannot be removed, cut line five or six inches above the hook Don't keep fish out of water longer than you can hold your breath.

IV. Care for fish while in Livewells. Fish in forward livewells are more likely to be injured from bouncing while traveling in rough water. Monitor livewell temperatures. When water temperatures are below 75 degrees, pump fresh water as often as your system will allow. When water temperatures are above 75 degrees, recirculate live well water rather than pumping in hot lake water.

Use ice to cool water and slow your fish’s' metabolisms.
One eight pound block of ice (one gallon plastic jug) cools water in a 30-gallon live well about 10 degrees for three hours. Block ice melts more slowly.

Add one-third cup of non-iodized salt per five gallons. It helps maintain electrolyte balance and reduces the effects of stress.
Use 'Live N Well' or 'Catch & Release' products to maintain metabolism.
Drain half of the livewell water every three hours and refill with fresh water to remove waste byproducts like carbon dioxide and ammonia.