Live wells

When utilised effectively, your live well is a valuable fishing tool. It can improve your results at day’s end in respect of fish numbers, their size and eating quality.

When ‘release’ fishing, you can use your live well to help you catch  more fish. If you're targeting bream, bass or estuary perch, you shouldn’t release the fish in the same place as you are catching them.

It is not unusual for released fish to spook the rest of the school.

Simply store them in the live well and release them at the end of the bite. This technique produces a more productive fishing session and is harmless for the fish.

HIGH GRADING
If you are using a live tank and you have reached your bag limit, you are still able to upgrade your catch. This means you can keep fishing and if you catch another legal size fish that is larger than one you have in your live tank, you can exchange this fish for one in the tank.

Anything that allows you to extend your fishing time and increase your fish size has to be a winner. So it is with a decent live well.

LIVE BAITS
The key to keeping your bait sprightly and ready to perform when stored in a live well is water flow. More active bait equals more quality fish.

Keeping your live bait well oxygenated with fresh changing water via your live well pump. This also removes wastes and ammonia.

Remember, if your flow rates are too strong the fish can suffer exhaustion working against the produced water movement.

Using your hand to try and catch your livies can be frustrating and time consuming. Use a small bait net to retrieve livies from the well. This is more effective and less stressful for all involved.

KEEPING THE CATCH
Live wells can also be used to keep your catch as fresh as possible if taking it home for a feed. As well as water, an ice slurry or block ice can also be used to fill your well, keeping your fish in pristine condition from the moment they are landed.

Partitioning your live well to separate your fish species is another simple and effective tip to maxing your fish-eating qualities.

So, remember a live well system has advantages for you, your bait and your catch. And with smiles all round, an enjoyable day’s fishing will be had by all.

Yours in Fishing
Paul Worsteling
IFISH TV