Embrey , I'm not exactly sure what your referring to by saying " that doesnt sound very good on fish if you catch anything of size...". Using a cooler as a livewell? The cooler holds 48 gallons of water, I don't know what a normal livewell holds, it insulated so it keeps the water cool against summer heat, it has an aerator that adds oxegen to the water and a water pump that circulates new water throughout tournament hours, on top of that I always add a little " catch and release " solution to the water. As mentioned in my previous post, most tournament fisherman will point you in the right direction, the modified livewell was added as I talked to other guys , and learned the safety of fish handling. I am always up for any new suggestions too. Though I've only been tournament fishing for one year now, and my biggest bag has only been 12 lbs, I haven't killed any fish yet. But, me like you, the safety and future of bass and bass fishing is always a big concern of mine.