JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
Just a nice semi-overcast day on the Bay. Caught about 15 spot on Berkley
bloodworms and very small hooks, dumped them into the livewell, and went
in search of big fish via livelining. Caught a few blues, one decent sized
striper, but he escaped. Neighbor who accompanied me caught a keeper
striper. May try again tomorrow if the forecasted wind doesn't
materialize. Didn't see Herring out there.

I understand keeping live bait alive in a livewell. I also understand
keeping fish alive in one when tournament fishing.

With that understanding........what is the purpose of keeping fish intended
to be on the dinner table in one knowing you eventually have to put them on
ice during the trip from the boat to home (knowing they will die along the
way)? I have no problem keeping my catch fresh on ice in the cooler
throughout a day of fishing.

Lastly....how do you start up and then shut down a livewell after a day of
fishing?

I never had a livewell so excuse the questions.



I don't know of any reason to keep those fish you intend to eat at the
end of a day's trip in the livewell. The spot I caught were intended as
live bait for livelining and were used that way. Where there are slot
limits for fish, some guys might "livewell" a smaller fish in hopes of
catching a larger one of the same species, and then dump the smaller
one, still alive, back in the drink.

Most livewells, at least the ones that are professionally installed,
suck up their water through a bronze through-hull fitting on the bottom
of the boat. A shut-off valve sits on top of the through-hull, inside
the boat. An electric livewell pump takes the water from there and pipes
it into the livewell. The livewell usually has a plumbed overflow pipe
so that water coming in pushes out the "dirty" water already in the
livewell. My livewell, which holds 30 gallons, is on deck and serves as
a platform for the two main swivel seats behind the center console. It
has a second pump to help drain it at the end of the day, though it will
also drain via gravity through an outlet on the transom.

There are several other ways livewells can be plumbed.