I am not tournament fishing, but would like to keep some panfish and walleyes for eating. For those of you with small boats, what do you do?

They sell live well baskets that you hang over the side of the boat or you could use a stringer. Some people have made live wells out of coolers.

Either five gallon bucket or just buy a http://www.walmart.com/ip/Berkley-15-Floating-Wire-Basket/16880503 Gander mountain sells them in different sizes. Just hang it over the boat. Probably what GTrombly was talking about aswell.

Make one out of a cooler! I think they sell ariator pumps and tubing and bars for coolers. If not, get a bilge pump, flex tube and PVC tube and make one. I'm sure you can find info on line if not here on how to do it. It's a requirement in our small club to have a functional livewell to insure that all fish come to the scales alive.

If you are going to take them home just whack them on the head and put in a cooler with ice.

If you are going to take them home just whack them on the head and put in a cooler with ice.

x2

If you're taking them home to eat, there's no need to keep them alive If you want a portable livewell to keep them alive, then you can make one out of a cooler.

What they said. If you're eating, get a cooler and a 10 lb bag of ice. When you catch a legal fish, lift the lid and put the fish on the ice. Close and repeat.

We always used to just tie a fish basket to the side of the boat. But I agree with most here, if your just taking them home to eat just throw them in a cooler with some ice.

I'm with the ice in a cooler suggestion. I'll add one more thing. Get a cooler with a drain and leave it open. It might not be a problem with freshwater fish, but it sure ain't good for saltwater fish to sit in icy fresh water. Either way, the cooler with ice is a more practical than a livewell. You don't need all the plumbing, a pump and wiring.

I'm with the ice in a cooler suggestion. I'll add one more thing. Get a cooler with a drain and leave it open. It might not be a problem with freshwater fish, but it sure ain't good for saltwater fish to sit in icy fresh water. Either way, the cooler with ice is a more practical than a livewell. You don't need all the plumbing, a pump and wiring.

Fishing Rhino why is it not good? I never knew.

Fishing Rhino why is it not good? I never knew.

In the case of any saltwater critter, be it fish, lobsters, crabs, scallops or whatever, their flesh will soak up the freshwater and render the meat nearly tasteless and mushy. I remember reading about why saltwater fish do not soak up saltwater, and maybe the same for freshwater fish not soaking up fresh water. I remember it was very interesting, but do not recall the particulars.

In the case of any saltwater critter, be it fish, lobsters, crabs, scallops or whatever, their flesh will soak up the freshwater and render the meat nearly tasteless and mushy. I remember reading about why saltwater fish do not soak up saltwater, and maybe the same for freshwater fish not soaking up fresh water. I remember it was very interesting, but do not recall the particulars.

So as long the ice that's melting is draining the saltwater fish will be Ok? Thanks Rhino.

So as long the ice that's melting is draining the saltwater fish will be Ok? Thanks Rhino.

You should not have a problem as long as the water drains. On draggers, they put a layer of ice, a layer of fish, a layer of ice, as needed. On some boats, such as the longline swordfish boats, they make slush ice from seawater. The seawater ice is colder than fresh water ice, so it keeps the fish better. Because it's seawater, the fish don't soak it up.

You should not have a problem as long as the water drains. On draggers, they put a layer of ice, a layer of fish, a layer of ice, as needed. On some boats, such as the longline swordfish boats, they make slush ice from seawater. The seawater ice is colder than fresh water ice, so it keeps the fish better. Because it's seawater, the fish don't soak it up.

Thanks Rhino and that's neat to know about the layer ice and the seawater ice.

Bucket.

Bucket.

AWWWW Your keeping bass,lol.

A little weeding for a friend. All dinks.