Livewell/suggestions.....

[SgT]

I recently purchased a jon boat/1648 grizzly tracker....(empty)

need some suggestion on installing or building a livewell w/ aerating system....

thanks..

[Skwerl]

The cheapest option (one I used for 2+ years) is a big rectangular Igloo cooler from Wal-Mart and a plastic iced tea pitcher. I used to catch my own live shiners and this setup worked very well. I'd go the night before my fishing trip to catch shiners, fill the cooler 3/4 full of water and take it home where I had an old cheapo fishtank aereator that I dropped in the cooler overnight. The next morning I'd unplug, load up and head for the lake. As soon as I was on the water I'd use the pitcher to swap out a bunch of the water in the cooler. My cooler had a double lid so I only had to open the smaller part and rarely had shiners jumping out. Depending on how many shiners I had, I'd swap out a few pitcherfuls of water every hour or so.

From there you can get as fancy and expensive as you like.  

[SgT]

thanks skwerl.....

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

If you were going to go nuts on the boat with decking, etc, I would suggest building one right in but if not, I would go with the cooler.  With a boat that big, you could go with an igloo marine series 128 gallon or even the 160.

This way, you can remove it if you plan to use the boat for hunting or anything else where room is important.

[grahamb]

If you were going to go nuts on the boat with decking, etc, I would suggest building one right in but if not, I would go with the cooler. With a boat that big, you could go with an igloo marine series 128 gallon or even the 160.

This way, you can remove it if you plan to use the boat for hunting or anything else where room is important.

I think you mean 128 quart....

128 gallons is over 1,000 pounds.

[Team_Dougherty]

Sgt,

Here are my suggestions,

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=883&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0002141013317a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&No=20&noImage=0&Ntt=cooler&Ntk=Products&QueryText=cooler&Ntx=matchall&N=4887&Nty=1

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0002143010303a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=aerated&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=aerated&noImage=0

Paul

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

Some folks around here built custom livewells framing it up with cottonwood plywood to reduce weight, then fiberglassing inside and out with one layer of cloth. The wood panels are epoxied together using clamps, cut to fit the boat perfectly. Each layer adds weight, the reason for using just one cloth layer and two coats of resin. Be sure to drape cloth to cover seams at least an inch of overlap rather than run cloth edges to a seam. If going with two cloth layers for extra strength, sand the first layer. It's no big deal and doesn't cost much doing it yourself. For a lid make one side thick enough at the rim to attach a lid with hinges. Just epoxy a strip of 2x4 cut in half to the edge of the plywood, and use a thick pine plywood panel for the lid so it can be sat on. Glue a piece of styrofoam panelling on the inside to insulate the box. You can fancy it up adding colorant and glitter to the resin, and just paint the lid top or put some seat padding on it.

Jim

[bassnleo]

I have same boat and use a 100 quart cooler I purchased at Wal-Mart for abot $40.00

Wal-Mart also sells a 12V pump w/ spray bar. I use this set up and never have had a dead fish. I also use Rejuvenade and change the water 2 or 3 times a tournament depending on how warm the water is.

I've modfied my spray bar some, I'll try to take some pics of it and post them to give you some ideas.

[SgT]

thanks everyone...

composite sounds complicated and labor intensive, but something to think about......

[langs15]

The aereator refreshes the water right? That's what I have in my little ''plastic'' boat. It's a bassmaster 10.6! babhahaha, nothing compared to you guys!

[boostnut]

Do yourself a favor and check out www.tempress.com  Take a look at the hatch catergory. You'll spend a few bucks more that you would on a cooler but have a nicer piece when you're done. Good luck.