livewell

[nxs]

I'm having trouble keeping the walleye alive for some reason. Never has been a problem in the past. I've a fairly big livewell in the Lund and  I usually set the tank to fill and keep the pump running to put in fresh water. The crappie are all alive but the walleye are usually belly up before we leave.  Anyone else having trouble???

[dan hufferd]

I do I think it has more to do with water temperature. They don't do that in the winter, but I don't know for sure. Ice'm and eat'm. 

[Hammer time]

You might try opening live well valve as you go between spots, that drains live well completely and then refill with fresh water. I do this several times a day if I have fish in the live well. Seems to work and have had no trouble keeping the crappie and walleye alive. Plus I always do it before I load up to head home, I live in Repulic and they're always alive when I get home, about a hour drive. 

[Hillbilly Bass]

I read that a lot of tournament fishermen never circulate freshwater in. They only recirculate the water that's in the livewell because of the temperature difference between livewell and freshwater. 

[mjk86]

I much prefer to just toss em directly on ice.  Now I just fil my wells with ice.  1 gets drinks,  the other gets fish.  Just know which is which...

[Curtlow]

It's likely because of their air bladder.  If you catch them in deep water you bring them up to fast for them to be able to let the air out.   You have to "needle" or "fizz" them to let the air out.   Tournament fisherman who catch bass in deep water have to do this to keep the bass alive in a livewell.  Otherwise they will turn on their side and go belly up when they die.   Never heard of someone needling a walleye though since they either release them right away and they can go back to deep water or they don't really care if they die since they're keeping them anyway.  

 

 

[nxs]

Ok, thanks I'll give those a try.  Seems like maybe I use to recirculate instead of pumping in fresh water. I think the lund has small scoop when you're running that puts fresh water into the live well.  Not sure about the ice I'd be wanting to ice down Bud's  if I did that.

[cabinman]

We caught our limits of walleye sat and sun 20 to 24 ft. and had the  triton live wells set to fill on Timed. When we left both days we put the plugs in live wells at ramp which was difficult they were so lively and skittish, then turned on recirculate and drove back to south of Springfield all crappie, walleye, bluegill very lively. Actually we let them set several minutes in bucket before we cleaned them they are so lively. water temp 65 mid lake big sac arm.

[nxs]

I'll give it all a try and thanks!  Must be a combination in there that will work

[dan hufferd]

Had 3 in the box today, kept the livewell on auto, all were a live and kicking when I got home. The drive is over an hour. I didn't do anything special.