# want to make(or buy) 20-30 gal bait well



## javafish (Nov 8, 2007)

Does anyone have a design for making a bait well?


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## jaredtyler05 (Oct 28, 2008)

Here is a setup that I was looking at. Im planning on building one myself. He is building in for a kayak so you may have to change the hose lengths and get a more powerful pump but it look like a good setup if you are wanting to pump fresh water in and out with the old water. I'm not sure about the gallons per hour for pump for a larger tank. Anyway if you want to read and see the pictures of this guys setup here it is. Let me know what you do, I'm getting ready to do this as well. Good luck.



http://kayaksportfishing.com/equipment/submissions/ted/bait_tank/livewell.htm


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## javafish (Nov 8, 2007)

Thanks, I may give this version a try...although a bit larger


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## ted-hurst (Oct 4, 2007)

I have 2 of these Metal Marine portable livewells and love them, one is a 5 gallon and the other is a 20 gallon (I made the 20). In the 20 I've put 20-30 pin fish the night before going out fishing and they were all alive the next day. The one I made Ibought the pump at Academy and found an old 100lb chlorine bucket, put a door on top and put the pump in.

http://www.marinemetal.com/mmpweb5.html


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## bombtosser (Oct 5, 2007)

i just got done makin a 30 gallon well. i used a blue drum and cut half the top off and made a lexan lid. put the 3/4 line about half way to the top, then used a 1.25 inch bulkhead and tubing to dump the outflow over the side of the boat. the fish seemed to like it. and i could stack them up compared to the 7 gallon well the boat came with.. plus it cost me 25 dollars instead of 250.


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## javafish (Nov 8, 2007)

Thanks bombtosser ...any pics?


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## javafish (Nov 8, 2007)

ted-hurst..thanks, any pics on your homemade...I've got a lot of different designs, can't find the one i want 2 try. thanks


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## truklodyte (Oct 18, 2008)

There is a few simple ways to build a live well for your boat.Some are portable while others are permanent. The easy ones are a 52 quart cooler with air pump or a small waterpump to air ate water.

The other is take a 35 to 55 gallon plastic barrel and connect a thru hull pump tp it with discharge over side or out thru another thru hull fitting.You can stand up barrel but it means along reach to catch bait But I would suggest you make a cradle for it and lay it on its side and putsome screened dividers in it so you can keep different bait seperated like shrimp,mullet and choffers.The barrels you can get almost anywhere.Pool cleaners,proffessional pressure washing places,trucking companies or look in any of the many want add pages.

The last involves building it from scratch with Plywood ,Foam and resin.That would be a more permanet way to gther members have built their own and shaped it into their boats that look really good .They should have pictures of their accomplishments at molding theirs into boat.

If you have a center consoled boat most of the time you can change the seat in the front into a live well just by adding in the live well kit you pick up at any bait and tackle store.But I would suggest the simplest way to go which is the 52 quart cooler or what ever size you have room for.

Made in :usaflag


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## javafish (Nov 8, 2007)

Thanks Truklodyte, any pics of tanks or diagrams?


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## truklodyte (Oct 18, 2008)

:usaflag

Ok here is my simple designs for a livewell. First here is the 30 gal drum and next is the 15 gal drum.Basically you will have to choose which design will fit your needs. Full standing barrel or the laying down with dividers.You can purchase a premade tank with dividers installed but it will be expensive.I hope this helps you with your choice.

Can be assembled with PVC from lowes or homedepot. Airator is just a length of PVC with a cap on end and multiple small holes drilled into to spray water.Discharge tube is the spay except for larger holes to allow water to exit a little faster than its coming in.As for dividers you can use PVC panels cut to diameter of drum with holes big enough for water to pass thru freely and not allowing bait to intermingle(example Choffers will eat the other bait shrimp mullet).I will have to eventually get a drafting or cad program to draw better with measurements.But you get the Idea!

If you look at my boat picture below wife and me you will see the top of my live well I made into centerconsole.When I have more time I will make up the installation plans for live well pumps .For transom,thru-hull or side wall.:grouphug


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## javafish (Nov 8, 2007)

Lots of help.. thanks folks and friends!


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## truklodyte (Oct 18, 2008)

:bpts:bptsI have made someupdated drawings of installing and making a live well.I hope these will help another member out with their project.I believe in recycling old boats and build materials .



















:letsparty


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## truklodyte (Oct 18, 2008)

For all the new members that are looking at building a live well.Without cutting into deck.All of the above are for a temporary to permanent system .If you want a more custom look there is other postings in the boaters section.With Build in livewells and combination seats and live well combos.So if this is not your game there is others here that can assist you or build and install for you.Remember to recycle a boat before buying a new one ,you can always modify it to suit you.


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## Sea Monkey (Dec 26, 2008)

The OLE livewell. I made mine out of a 35 gallon plastic drum.. I,ve got a tru-hull strainer (1/2) THEN BALL valve, then pump (360hr) then 15ft. 3/4in. hose. hose runs up to livewell . Livewell has 1 1/2in. truehull for an overflow. Over flow then to another tru-hull on the boat. I can pull hose out of livewell and use for a washdown also. I had 50-75 large live baits at one time ..(hardtails ,porgys,bb's.) 

The top of drum is cut about 8in. oval opening , this helps reduce sloshing. I gat no water slshing ou t of mine at all. THe livewell holds 25 gal. of water. (35 gal. drum) . THe bomb livewell , freshwater continually pumped in with overflow.. Goodluck . Be carefull a livewell can sink a boat rather fast . Check and recheck all hoses and clamps ,bilge pumps, etc.


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