June 2020, Volume 114
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Boat Care Tips
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LIVE WELL AND FISH CARE
This month we are going to talk about making sure your live well is working properly, because it is getting hot and fish care is very crucial in the summer months. Right now the weather and waters in South Louisiana are starting to heat up, and there is nothing worse than busting a big sack of fish in your local tournament, only to pull up to the scales with 5 dead fish and a boat load of deductions that puts you out of the money and keeps you from being able to release the fish to fight another day! This is something that happens very regular in the warmer months and it is something that can be avoided by doing a few simple things before the tournament and a few things while on the water.
One of the major issues with live well pumps, is they build up a "scale" or calcium deposits around the impeller and cause it to not spin all the time or burn the motor up on the pump. The best thing to do is fill your live wells up with good clean water and add bleach to your live well. Once you have a mixture of water and bleach turn on your recirculating pumps and let them run for at least 30 minutes to an hour to try and get them as clean as you can. With your fresh-water fill pump it is best to try and take the pump out of the cartridge and clean it with a brush with a bleach and water mixture. One thing we recommend to our customers is to keep an extra pump in your boat with some butt connectors and a pair of electrical pliers to be able to replace a pump on the water if you can access them. Something that is new to the market that works really well to help keep live wells ventilated, are the PRO PRODUCTS V-T2 live well vents that
mount in the lids of your live well. These vents allow the bad gases to escape and put fresh air into the live well while you are running. These work very well. Another good thing to install in your live well is a TH MARINE PRO AIR SYSTEM. This is a 12-volt electric pump with two air hoses that run into your live well with charcoal filters at the bottom that pump oxygen straight into the water all day.
During the summer it is always a good practice to put some ice in your live well first thing that morning, and after you fill up the live well with water add some kind of G-GUICE or STAY ALIVE live well treatment to the water. Fish care is very important during the summer months, especially with bigger fish because they require a lot of oxygen and a cooler environment. Believe me when I say that a very good day on the water can turn into a very bad one in a hurry when fish start dying in the well!! Keep these few small things in mind during the next couple months and you will be alright!!
As always TIGHT LINES,
CAJUN OUTBOARDS
Pro Products VT-2 live well vents and a TH Marine Pro Air System are sure to keep your big catch healthy enough to count at the scales. Looking to add a system like this? Check out Cajun Outboards for your service needs.
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