Livewell Options for custom Jon Boat

[whj812]

I have a jon boat that has been customized with casting decks, seats and such.  I am looking for a way to further customize the boat by adding a livewell.  

What options do I have for adding a livewell to my boat.

[Matt Fly]

I would say adding a ice chest and piping it would be the easiest.    Two pumps, one for recirc, and one to fill.

What is nice about customized livewells are:   you can rig an extra hose with weight on the end to pull water that is cooler in the summer from deeper areas which gives you cooler water over the  hotter surface temps.    Cooler water aides in fish survival in livewell in the heat of summer.  

When not keeping fish, it doubles as an extra cooler or storage.  

Can be easily removed if not needed.

Can be used as bait well also.

Matt  

[MattStrykul]

We have a big cooler that we use as a livewell. It's a 100qt and works great. We mounted an aerator timer (http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_896_200003005_200000000_200003000_200-3-5_) on the outside of it, aerator, and oxygenator on the inside and ran it all to a cigerette lighter and then plug the cigerette lighter into one of these (http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=862&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults) which is run to the battery. This thing is great, it controls the lights, and fishfinder.

[dampeoples]

It's expensive, and I didn't pay that much for mine, but check the Toho rig in Bass Pro, it's a nice divided setup, even has storage in the middle section.

In my club, most guys have a cooler with an aerator inside of it, some fill it with a jug, some hold the aerator over the side and fill it that way. Even had one take a cooler, remove the top, placed it under the front deck, and built a top for that. I just flip the pump into the water over the side of the boat to fill my Toho rig, also have a timer that does the rest for me, just switch it on, and forget it.

[bassnleo]

I also have a Toho Rig. I formerly used a 100 qt cooler but had problems keeping it divided, everything I fashioned fell apart. I took the spray bar set-up from my cooler and it fit nicely in the Toho. I then took the pump that came with the Toho and made up a fill pump. I just drop it over the side and fill the livewell up. If I have a limit of fish I pump the water out about once an hour and then refill. Only downside to the Toho IMHO is that it is a little heavier than a cooler which slowed me down a little, especially when the Toho is full.