livewell, keeping water colder

[Eldiablo]

hi everyone, hope all are keeping safe. i don't post much but thought this was an issue i was having and could use a little help. How do you keep the water in your live-well cold so the fish don't cook.
The water is warm at best and adding ice just melts.

Best i could do is bring a cooler with large chunks of ice and bleed the fish and put them on ice in the cooler.

Is there is a way to keep them alive in the live-well this time of years with the water being so warm?

Thanks,
Dino

[Longshank]

have had no issues by putting in 2 frozen jugs of javex containers......washed out fill with water and freeze


loose ice will last a couple of hours, but this is good for 8 for sure

[Eldiablo]

Thanks longshank

[sdcaller]

I never use my live well as such. What I have done is cut and "press fit" 2 inch styro-foam insulation to fit the bottom and sides. The seat cushion insulates the top.

I use it as my fish cooler now and when I go out a 4 litre jug of frozen water lasts all day.

Saves room in the boat as I don't need to take a cooler out.

SDC

[sabmgb]

I fill a large zip loc bag fiull of water and freeze it. put in a soft cooler. I don't seem to have a problem with the fish staying alive as long as I keep the water pumping. Once done I put the large block of ice in and head home.

[mydogbites]

I was tutored from SDC & Longshank, I use 2 frozen windshield washer jugs for the boats live well, plus a little water. The water stays cold as ice all day,when at home wash off the jugs, freeze go to go again. Good question Eldiablo

[Eldiablo]

all great info.....thank you

[Disco]

For bleeding the he fish I just started bringing a Rope stringer.
I just put the fish on a stringer and tie it to a cleat and bleed the fish. After it’s bled I toss it in the cooler/livewell. Keeps things much cleaner.
The livewell water is best kept cold as Longshank said with frozen jugs of water.