Livewell Upkeep

[jhol]

Ok

I just got back from my memorial day trip we did well and caught a lot of fish. Now my livewell has an extremely fishy smell, not that I mind but I want to make sure it keeps fish alive and does not become more than just an odor and starts killing fish. Any suggestions on what everybody does? Just water and a brush? Soap and water? Any other kind of chemicals? I looked through the old posts and could not find anything.

Background I just got this boat this spring it is a 3 year old lund pro-v had no smell before, and kept all my fish and minnows alive. I always keep the auto recirculate on as well.

Thanks

[PerchJerker]

I just use water and leave my lids open so they can air dry.

[rtwills]

same here, I wash it out with the hose when i get home, then put the plug in and fill it up,give it a quick once around with a rag ,then drain and leave the covers open

[Eric Wettschreck]

I've been known to just hose it out, then put a bag or 2 of ice in it. Leave the covers open and let it air out.

[snoozebutton]

You could let it soak with a little salt in the water, that always worked for smelly minnow buckets.

[PDOGG]

does anybody ever get sand in there's. Seems to be coming up the drain. I've had 3 boats before and never had this happen just curious if anyone knew why?

[Northlander]

Ya you will suck in sand at times when shallow. I had a product that came in little clear tubes. I cant remember the name. It was like a baking soda/laundry detergent looking stuff. Fill livewell and add this stuff. Let soak a half hour, scrub then drain and rinse. Worked very well. I would think some baking soda water could do the same. DONT USE BLEACH!!!!!

[Dale Rueber]

I've been known to just hose it out, then put a bag or 2 of ice in it. Leave the covers open and let it air out.

What does the ice do? Seems to me it would just melt and drain out. Am I missing something?

[Coach1310]

I hose mine out and use a little soap and water to soak if need be. Why not bleach? Other than the obvious of being some strong stuff and potentially harming the fish, does it do something to the hoses, seals etc. in the livewell system?

[Northlander]

You never seem to get all the bleach out and it will kill your fish. Plus I dont know if it does anything to hoses or not. My livewell drains out directly under itself. Lund Explorer. So no hoses to worry about. I had a friend bleach his livewell and it took several soap and water rinses to get it out of his. Killed several fish as well. I also had a friend bleach his minnow bucket and he had to toss that because it killed every $6 a dozen shiner he had in it after that.

[riverrat56]

Ya, but if you look at those shiners wrong they die....

A fishy livewell is a battle scar, I really enjoy mine...

[jhol]

I have to agree about shiners becoming dead at the drop of a hat. I think I am just going to go with water and drying. I do enjoy a fishy livewell but my old man let his get too fishy and now we call it the deadwell.

[fishgutz77]

Best livewell cleaner I've used us shaving cream. I thought it was a joke until I tried it and it works great.

take a small brush and apply to the inside and then rinse, it works great.

[Down Deep]

I once left a walleye in my livewell and didn't find it for a week. It was in the middle of July and I will tell you that when I popped the top of the livewell I almost lost my lunch. I filled it up and used Simple Green to wash it out. It took a few weeks to lose the smell, but the Simple Green made it tolerable.

[bassNspear]

I once left a walleye in my livewell and didn't find it for a week. It was in the middle of July and I will tell you that when I popped the top of the livewell I almost lost my lunch.

WOW, that just isnt right. Sorry to hear that!