Fuel Tank for Livewell

[sublauxation]

I'm planning on adding a livewell to my boat this spring. There don't seem to be many available and I'm guessing having one built would be pretty spendy. When I resto'd the boat I bought a Moeller Below deck permanent fuel tank from the Cabelas Bargain Cave for $50, but never used it.

The size is 12X16X18 inches and it holds 14 gallons. Any thoughts on whether or not this would work if I cut a hole in the top? The plastic is pretty durable but my worry is how it would be affected by cutting and drilling into it for the pump etc. I'd hate to rebuild the deck only to have it crack. It would be a shame to butcher a $180 gas tank only to have it fall apart.

Also I rarely catch big fish but does this sound worthwhile as far as size? I mostly fish walleye and panfish.

My other thought was to cut some aluminum and try my hand at using the allumaloy rods I have stashed. Anybody ever try that or use them?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Fuel Tank for Livewell

I think I'd sell the tank, or keep it, before butchering it. A livewell can be made from any container-lots of people just use a cooler and add aerator, fill/drain, etc.

As for size, well, your freshwater keepers are our saltwater bait!

 

[livetohunt123]

Re: Fuel Tank for Livewell

I agree with the cooler. They work great. And when your just cruising you can use it for your......soda

 

[NYBo]

Re: Fuel Tank for Livewell

Another vote for using a cooler. It will also help keep the water temp down on those hot days, which is a plus.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: Fuel Tank for Livewell

I think I'd sell the tank, or keep it, before butchering it. A livewell can be made from any container-lots of people just use a cooler and add aerator, fill/drain, etc.

As for size, well, your freshwater keepers are our saltwater bait!

They need a laugh out loud button for each post, I like your bait line. I've never had a boat with a livewell, hence the size question, but I'm sick of slinging a slimy stringer into the boat.

I should probably just use a cooler but I'd like to maintain floor space in case the kids start getting antsy, and my wife hasn't gone for the bigger boat idea yet.

 

[jondavies]

Re: Fuel Tank for Livewell

My wife hasn't gone for the bigger boat idea yet.

Not that I wish your wife any ill will, but if she trips over a cooler and the aerator wiring a couple of times she might come around to your way of thinking (or maybe not ...)

 

[roscoe]

Re: Fuel Tank for Livewell

Fish don't live long in a livewell, without fresh water replacement and an aerator.

If you place your livewell below the deck (below the waterline ?), an overflow tube connected to a drain will be difficult to engineer. You will need a pump and plumbing to bring the water in, and a pump to empty some out if you want to add fresh water.

Anyway, fish taste better when put on ice after the catch, as opposed to floating around dead and bloating, in a warm livewell.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Fuel Tank for Livewell

I'm with Roscoe. A livewell is good for bait, but not for keepers. You should either keep the fish and ice him, or release him. Due to the fish mortality you shouldn't keep one hoping to trade up for a bigger one. And in some places, if you have your limit already, you break the law if you keep fishing, hoping to trade up.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Fuel Tank for Livewell

Thus the reason I have a built in cooler on one side and a livewell on the other, I can keep baitfish in the livewell and drinks on ice in the other.

As the drinks are emptied they are replaced with fish that is kept on ice. There are a few posts here on Iboats about building a built in cooler if you want to go that route, put a drain on it and the ice can drain as it melts if you like.