What's the best method to clean livewells?
What's the best method to clean livewells?
The inside i'll wash with soap and rag and to clean out the hoses and pump i'll use water and 1/2 cup clorox, fill livewells up and let the pumps circulate for about 15 mins (continuously), drain and repeat a few more times (with water only) and until it has been clean of the clorox....
YOU are not entitled to what I have earned!!!!!
2014 Phoenix 619 Pro / 2014 Mercury 200 Pro XS
I use Dawn dish soap, recirculate a while and then flush livewells out.
It was suggested that fresh water fishermen use salt to kill migrating critters. I use it and then flush fresh water thru system. After just wipe them out.
I got nothin
Just wipe them down with fresh water after each use and your good to go
2021 Skeeter ZX225
2021 Yamaha SHO 225 VF225LA
I use baking soda ....right after a tournament (or any use) I shake some in each livewell, put in a couple buckets of water. Wash down with a rag and run recirc pump for a few minutes and then pumpout. When I get out the next time I pump in some clean water and recirc again, and pumpout. My livewells never smell and are squeaky clean. Any residue of the baking soda never seems to harm the fish although I would think very little would be left anyway. Been doing this for 25 years on several boats.
I don't think I've ever cleaned my livewells. Maybe scoop out crawdads or choked up shad once n a while. That's about it.
Little tip---using your LW as a crapper is more trouble than its worth.
2005 206
BRP 225 H.O. (E225DHLSOF)
Fury 4 24p @ 5,750 fully loaded
I hit mine with the pressure washer when I'm cleaning the deck.
2022 21PHX
Previous boats:
2017 Phoenix 721 ProXP
2000 Triton TR186
First line it with a 30 gallon trash bag.[QUOTE=magnumb;8488147]Little tip---using your LW as a crapper is more trouble than its worth.[/QUOTEg.
I need to clean mine, somebody come by my place at lake Sam Rayburn and show me how. I will hold your beer!!!
White Vinger and water. Run threw pumps. And then wipe out wells with rags.
This^^^ Make sure you get every bit of solid stuff out, i.e., scales, dirt, etc.Originally Posted by woppercatcher
After every trip I just add a drop of dawn in and let it recirculate for awhile. Then rinse with plenty of fresh water. My livewells look as clean as the day the boat left the factory.
Baking soda and water, dawn may be safe for baby ducks but not necessarily good for the fishes membranes, the residue will stay in there and the recirc pumps for awhile.
At weigh in, leave your water in the wells, add 2oz of Simple Green ( safe and bio-degradable) to each well and turn on your recirc pumps. After weigh in ( or 20 minutes or so) turn off the recir and turn on your pumpout and collect some treated water in your weigh bag to clean it. Then turn off your pumps and pull your drain and go home.
I don't know what dawn your using that leaves a residue but you may want to try again. Been cleaning my livewells this way for several years and have never found any residue, nor have I lost a fish.
The best method with method being the key word is to simply do not let them stay dirty. Make sure they are clean after every use. If you go fishing but do not put fish in the livewell the only thing that should be left behind is a small amount of water. I have a routine I go through when I get home with my boat that only takes a couple of minutes. When I plug in my battery charger I prop open both my livewell lids. I use a shop vac to suck up what little water is in my livewell. Also I rarely remove my bilge drain plug because this fat boy has found an easier way to drain the bilge. I also use the shop vac to suck up what little water is in the bilge area. A few hours latter or the next day when I go to unplug my battery charger I close both my livewell lids. They will be bone dry and have zero smell.
In the event I keep fish in my livewell I will make sure any crawfish/shad/fish poop or any other waste is clean buy simply wetting a rag and wiping any leftovers off the the sidewalls and bottom. If there is a odor I will pour hydrogen peroxide onto my cleaning rag. Once done I leave the lids open. Then the next day when I go to unplug my battery charger I close my livewell lids. This may sound time consuming but I have a rag on a hook right next to my boat. My shop vac sits on the floor right next to my boat. I can plug in my battery charger, dry my bilge and livewells in about 2 minutes.
Pop the screens off after cleaning crawdad pieces and anything else out then hose it down,, went out thursday and had some puke out some craws and I didnt clean them when i got home, the next day went out to the garage to unplug charger and I almost puked myself from the smell, it was like a cow died in there, that will never happen again, good Lord, it was awful
2007 Z21 / 250 VMAX HPDI
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