If you primarily use your boat for fishing, then you know
that there’s one area of your boat you might consider as important as the
motor: the live well. Cleaning and maintaining your live well can help you keep
your fish in the best condition possible and ensure that you have everything
you need to keep fish healthy without affecting other areas of your boat.
Here’s how to clean a live well.
What Makes a Quality
Boat Live Well?
First things first: why bother cleaning it at all? Does it
make sense to let it get dirty as long as you can’t see what’s going on inside?
Keep in mind that every quality live well often requires the following
characteristics:
- A healthy
environment. If you want your fish to be as quality as possible, you should
work to keep the live well healthy and strong. A clean, healthy interior
environment helps ensure that your fish will remain healthy. - Visual
access. Monitoring the health of your fish, for example, should be a top
priority. Many live wells accomplish this with a clear top lid. That means
you’ll want to keep this lid clear of debris and clean so you don’t have to
continue opening the lid to check on your fish. - A secure
lid. Closing the live well will help contain any water—often water that can
be full of bacteria—from spreading around to other areas of the boat. In fact,
many live wells include a gasket that pressurizes your live well so that
there’s minimal sloshing going on while your boat moves around. Any debris or
obstructions that get in the way of a secure lid should be cleared away while
cleaning. - Clean
inlets. The inlets that supply water into the live well are vital to clean,
because they’ll keep the flow of water moving and ensure that your live well
has everything it needs to support your fish.
How to Clean Your Live
Well
You may find recommendations for cleaning out your live well
using ordinary household detergents, but steer clear of these. You’ll want to
use marine-grade cleaning supplies specifically designed for use with boats.
We recommend using our Live Well
& Bait Well Cleaner. Here are the directions for best use:
- Fill the
well with water. If it’s already full of clear water, you should be able to
use that water as well. - Add the
cleaner and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. This will help the cleaner to
diffuse properly and reach every nook and cranny—remember, you want to keep
your inlets clean as well. - Pump the live
well out and rinse it thoroughly. If you let the cleaner/water solution sit
long enough, you should be surprised at how well everything dissolves and
allows for easy draining.
After that, you’re free to fill the live well again and use
it as soon as you can. Don’t forget to keep the lid clean and clear, as well as
the gasket. This will keep the live well functioning properly.
Want more ways to keep your boat in top shape and ready to
handle your next fishing trip? Browse our boat
cleaning products and supplies for all the marine-friendly cleaning
solutions you need.
