When I was a commercial salt water tropical fish collector, we used a small bilge pump with a home made in-line activated charcoal filter that took out ammonia before it sprayed the water back down on the fish for aeration. This made them last much longer between water changes and Key West to Miami was a very long drive. The ice water is a great idea for warm weather.
I use the blue ice things for lunch boxes to cool the water. they only cost a dollar at Wally World and pretty much last forever. I just built a livewell for my Canoe for when I go hit the creeks and small rivers using a solar powered (battery back up) airator and a USB powered little fountain pump that plugs into the airator solar panel and a igloo cooler to keep the fish cool and breathing. Recirculated and airated ready to go on my canoe. I don't tournament fish but keeping them alive and fresh is always a plus until you're ready to clean and cook them and if I'm camping no worries about extra batteries with the solar panel charging the system.
These are good tips and it's important to try and keep those big fish alive. However, there have been studies saying when the water is as warm as it is most of the summer months fish mortality is very high, even if not initially. Bigger problem is those culling clips (Ardent) I see in the live well. Culling clips that pierce the mouths of the fish are detrimental to a fish's ability to create suction and therefore be an efficient predator. Something really needs to be done about it. I'm here on Kentucky Lake this summer as I know some of the Wired2Fish crew is as well and I have caught a lot of really beat up fish. Multiple tourneys every weekend coupled with the repercussions of numerous invasive species could turn KY Lake into a reservoir void of largemouth for future generations if changes aren't made. I have never been exposed to this amount of fishing pressure by dedicated bass fishermen as on KY Lake. When the pros complain about boat traffic I empathize, there is a bass boat scanning/fishing a high percentage of the spots I want to fish. Anyhow the weights are still there in the tourneys so nothing will be done about it until those same tourneys are being won with 3 and 4 fish limits being the norm. Okay I'll get off my soap box now.
Alex Vaisvil I feel your pain certainly Alex. I get very disenchanted with Kentucky Lake and a lot of the anglers on it this time of year. It's overcrowded and apparently every tournament organization in the world thinks they need to have a least one tournament if not multiple tournaments, championships, regionals, college and wildcard events here. Most of us that fish here all the time are already starting to see a down trend in the quality of fishing on the lake. I would say the North end of Kentucky Lake is headed for a down cycle in the next 5 years. Lakes typically come back around as fishing gets tough, pressure gets less and the lake generally rebounds. The one saving grace would be if the grass would ever get established on more places on Kentucky Lake. I was seeing several small sprigs of Hydrilla a few weeks ago above the 68 bridge, but I've not seen as much lately. That was a bit disheartening as that would really help this lake withstand the added pressure it has now, high volume of tournaments and the carp that are absolutely changing the quality of bass fishing on this lake regardless of what any biologist says that isn't on the lake every day like we are. Some of the best ledge spots haven't had bass on them in years thanks to carp always occupying those places now. -Jason (Sorry to borrow your soap box; you can have it back now).
I use the 16 oz size of Gatorade bottles, fill with filtered water, add Catch and Release and then freeze. I then take top off and drop one into each side of live well. Cools slowly and fills with Catch and Release at the same time.
Very good point about going to the end of the dock to let them go. I have always done this. I hate seeing ppl dump them out carelessly right off the bank in super shallow water. Careless and lazy
RacerEckss We like MLF style too. But that only works for 8 guys they have fishing on any episode who all have score keepers in the boat with them and TV cameras on each one. Be very hard to police with 150 anglers. I think BASS could get there since they have marshals and maybe do something with GoPro cameras to validate each measurement.
There is cheating in the current format let alone in the more open format that you are proposing. You can put up YOUR money in that format of tournament and hope that people aren't cheating you out of it, but I will hold on to mine thank you very much.
When I was a commercial salt water tropical fish collector, we used a small bilge pump with a home made in-line activated charcoal filter that took out ammonia before it sprayed the water back down on the fish for aeration. This made them last much longer between water changes and Key West to Miami was a very long drive. The ice water is a great idea for warm weather.
The V-T2 Livewell Ventilation System is the complete solution. The future of our sport!
I use the blue ice things for lunch boxes to cool the water. they only cost a dollar at Wally World and pretty much last forever. I just built a livewell for my Canoe for when I go hit the creeks and small rivers using a solar powered (battery back up) airator and a USB powered little fountain pump that plugs into the airator solar panel and a igloo cooler to keep the fish cool and breathing. Recirculated and airated ready to go on my canoe. I don't tournament fish but keeping them alive and fresh is always a plus until you're ready to clean and cook them and if I'm camping no worries about extra batteries with the solar panel charging the system.
These are good tips and it's important to try and keep those big fish alive. However, there have been studies saying when the water is as warm as it is most of the summer months fish mortality is very high, even if not initially. Bigger problem is those culling clips (Ardent) I see in the live well. Culling clips that pierce the mouths of the fish are detrimental to a fish's ability to create suction and therefore be an efficient predator. Something really needs to be done about it. I'm here on Kentucky Lake this summer as I know some of the Wired2Fish crew is as well and I have caught a lot of really beat up fish. Multiple tourneys every weekend coupled with the repercussions of numerous invasive species could turn KY Lake into a reservoir void of largemouth for future generations if changes aren't made. I have never been exposed to this amount of fishing pressure by dedicated bass fishermen as on KY Lake. When the pros complain about boat traffic I empathize, there is a bass boat scanning/fishing a high percentage of the spots I want to fish. Anyhow the weights are still there in the tourneys so nothing will be done about it until those same tourneys are being won with 3 and 4 fish limits being the norm. Okay I'll get off my soap box now.
Alex Vaisvil I feel your pain certainly Alex. I get very disenchanted with Kentucky Lake and a lot of the anglers on it this time of year. It's overcrowded and apparently every tournament organization in the world thinks they need to have a least one tournament if not multiple tournaments, championships, regionals, college and wildcard events here. Most of us that fish here all the time are already starting to see a down trend in the quality of fishing on the lake. I would say the North end of Kentucky Lake is headed for a down cycle in the next 5 years. Lakes typically come back around as fishing gets tough, pressure gets less and the lake generally rebounds. The one saving grace would be if the grass would ever get established on more places on Kentucky Lake. I was seeing several small sprigs of Hydrilla a few weeks ago above the 68 bridge, but I've not seen as much lately. That was a bit disheartening as that would really help this lake withstand the added pressure it has now, high volume of tournaments and the carp that are absolutely changing the quality of bass fishing on this lake regardless of what any biologist says that isn't on the lake every day like we are. Some of the best ledge spots haven't had bass on them in years thanks to carp always occupying those places now. -Jason (Sorry to borrow your soap box; you can have it back now).
I use the 16 oz size of Gatorade bottles, fill with filtered water, add Catch and Release and then freeze. I then take top off and drop one into each side of live well. Cools slowly and fills with Catch and Release at the same time.
Great advice an another good video on taking care of fish.
Thanks Lee. A lot of fish care tactics out there. This is a good one for sure.
Cool little/ smart tips!
Excellent information
Very good point about going to the end of the dock to let them go. I have always done this. I hate seeing ppl dump them out carelessly right off the bank in super shallow water. Careless and lazy
I freeze Creek water ,keep aeration going in old aluminum cooler no problems !
Why even bother with weigh-in's anymore?! Live scoring is where its at. MLF has the right formula.
RacerEckss We like MLF style too. But that only works for 8 guys they have fishing on any episode who all have score keepers in the boat with them and TV cameras on each one. Be very hard to police with 150 anglers. I think BASS could get there since they have marshals and maybe do something with GoPro cameras to validate each measurement.
Wired2Fish Really, all thats needed is one marshal on the boat or a co-angler to police one another. Should be easy for BASS and FLW to implement.
RacerEckss gopro(s) mounted to boat, weighed so the cameras can see.
There is cheating in the current format let alone in the more open format that you are proposing. You can put up YOUR money in that format of tournament and hope that people aren't cheating you out of it, but I will hold on to mine thank you very much.
second
First
I eat bass