Again...Thorne Brothers Mystrey Tournament

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Treatments help take ammonia and other toxins out of the water that as well as protect the fish's slime coating. Ice is good for high water temps, water 10 feet down is cooler than surface/livewell water, and cooler water can hold more oxygen. It's all about taking as much stress off the fish as possible.

OP, if you don't have a recirc/aerator you can buy an after market one for cheap. Moving water removes toxins,adds O2, and cools water.

[Craigums]

From another HSOforum:

It is recommended that you don't cool the water any more than 4-5 degrees at one time. Anymore than this will put the fish in shock. So your fishing a tournament and you have a limit. You've got your livewell cooled and all is good. You took the time to cool it slowly and all your fish are healthy.

You catch a cull fish. Now you want to take a fish out and release it and put your bigger fish in the well. Now you're going to shock two fish. The one you let go and the one you're going to put in the well.

For me it's best to simply keep the water circulating with fresh water from the lake. If a pump fails, I'd have to replace the pump if mortality was truly an issue like with tournament fishing or transplanting.

I tend to agree with this. For the most part I just make sure I pay close attention to my fish, I hit the aerator anytime I think they are looking a bit sluggish

[TonkaBass]

I never turn the pump off ever. Its true about shocking fish, but a handful of ice every 20 mins does the trick just fine. When water temps are around 80 to 90 you have to make sure to fill your livewell in the am and circulate that water, not refilling with surface water throughout the day. It would be best to take water from the depths to get cooler, more oxygen rich water if you can with a bucket or a hose and pump.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I run my aerator/recirc pump nonstop too once I get a limit or a few big fish. I think thats the best thing you can do.

I dont always have ice with but when the water temps are what they are I like to have it to maintain a steady temp in my livewell. I wonder how much ice you'd need to knock 4-5 degrees off a 30+ gallon livewell. Im guessing more than a frozen jug.

[mww24]

i was reading somewhere that it would take a ton of ice to cool a full livewell that much. More than would be practical.

[ANYFISH2]

also one has to remember you draw surface water into your livewell which is the warmest water on the lake. the fish you catch is coming from water a few degrees cooler than the surface anyway. unless your putting 40lbs of ice in, your water will be cool but not shockingly cold.