What to do about a Live Baitwell??

[Angel Fish]

Hey all, it's good to here amungst other
SeaCraft lovers.

We have had a recurring issue concerning our
'78 SeaCraft… what to do about a live baitwell.
As it is we use a 5 gallon bucket and a
Mr. Bubbles, it works great for 2 dozen pilchards
but, as we all know it's not good enough.

I'm wondering what fellow classic SeaCraft owners
have done.

Thanks everyone! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Reel Smoker]

Angelfish, I completely got rid of the old livewell on the deck and did one in the transom, it works great but it was a task. You can see the pics under Diego Toirans 23. Yes 2 dozen pilchars wont get you much.

[Dave Hirshberg]

Angel fish, I don't know which model you have but here's what I did on my last boat.

http://www.theboatzone.com/gallery/album06/livewell

[FELLOW-SHIP]

HA ANGELFISH
Did you go out this weekend? I ended up working on my boat and will probably be doing the same over the 4th. As for your question when I re did my 23 CC I removed the old well that fit against the transom and build a 32 gal. & moved it forward from the transom and just behind the gas tank. That is the same place that the newer SeaCrafts have theirs. That could be a major project for you and your boat unless you have a access hatch to that area by a sealed hull plat that you probably don’t have in your boat since it is a 1978. The next best is the store bought tanks by Kodiak http://www.meltontackle.com/shopping...oduct_id=10430
They aren’t cheep but they are the best. You can keep lots of Hearings, pilchards, runners gog’s even some live ballys in it and they will stay good all day long the 27 gal would by my first choice for a 23. will need to mount it above deck and have plumbing coming in and out to work correctly. Remember approx 8.5 lbs per gal so I would not keep it to close to the transom due to the weight. Or you could probably mount the 17 gal under your leaning post seat that one will keep about 60 to 80 bait alive and kicking pretty good. Use a 500 gal pump on it. I owned a 17 gal on another boat and never ran out of live bait on a ¾ day fishing trip the 17 is not big enough to live chum but sometimes you can’t have everything.
Fellow-Ship [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[John R]

I know up here you need roughly 1.5 gallons per bait to keep a not so sturdy fish like herring alive. I use a 35 gallon KeepAlive and - with maintenance - it will keep 2 dozen buckies alive.

A 27 Gal tank is too small IMO for baitfishing (frist time I mildly disagreed with FS [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] )

[JohnS]

I guess it all depends on which "bait" you are planning on keeping alive. For some, it is a pin fish, small at best. For others, like a guy I happen to know, they use "bait" that I would consider the catch of the day! Only kidding but it all boils down to what the size of the bait is.

[FELLOW-SHIP]

HA JOHN R
What’s a Buckie? I never here of those things sounds like they are real fragile type bait probably as fragile as our ballyhoo down here. I guess as John S said it all has to do with the type and size bait you are using that will control the amount you can keep in your tank. Most guys down here will use tanks that have a scoop sucking in fresh water and spitting it out again at the tune of 500 to 800 gal per hr. for me that makes all the difference in the world as to how many I can keep. Most of our bait down here don’t need any current pushing water through their mouth and out their gills like small tuna they just need fresh oxygen in their water supply they are getting. There are now some guys down here that are buying pure oxygen cylinders and shutting it into their tanks just to make the bait hyper fresh.
Fellow-Ship [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[ScottM]

FS,
"Buckie" is Rhody-speak for herring (bluebacks, alewives, river herring, etc.). The biggest little state in the Union has quite a few slang terms all its own, right John? [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Herring are very fragile and require delicate handling. A buddy of mine has an oxygen system in his bait tank and it's like the herring are on crack! You can barely scoop them up they're moving so fast.

[Angel Fish]

Thanks for all the replies guys. FS… I havn't been out in 3 weeks, partly because I had LASIK surgery done on my eyes. But, Mr Af went out today and did pretty good on the Dolphin, apparently they're everywhere now. (I'm super jealous). [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

About the bait, we mostly use pilchards so fresh oxygen is all we need. We were planning on putting in an external well on the starboard side of the boat next to the transom. We are concerned about drilling in a 25 year old boat.

[John R]

FS - what Scott said [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] ... These bait will die with plenty of aerated water if they are left in a cornered bait well. For herring, you actually need a round or oval tank.

And Scott - I am a Masshole too, I just now happen to live in Rhody [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]