How To Keep Your Fish Doin' a Happy Dance

...And no, I'm not suggesting that you grind up a little "weed" and drop it in the livewell with your catch. Instead, I'm passing along a suggestion from Walker Smith of Wired2Fish about how to keep your livewells squeaky clean. As he points out, "These are the nastiest part of any fishing boat."

Bacteria, algae, fish slime, and fish waste build up over time and can cause harm to your catch, inhibiting a healthy release. Regular cleaning is the only way to prevent any fish-care issues.

There is more than one way to skin a cat, and the same goes for cleaning livewells. The method described here is the one Smith has used ever since he lost a few fish during a tournament back in his college days.

As he described the situation, "I couldn't figure out why, because I'm always very cognizant of fish care in my boat. After finally trying this trick I picked up from some random Internet forum, I have never seen more lively fish. I also have not lost a single bass in my livewell since I started doing it."

All you need is two gallons of distilled white vinegar and two 32-ounce bottles of hydrogen peroxide, which certainly isn't going to break your bank.

The vinegar does a great job at descaling your pumps so they run efficiently and at full capacity. The peroxide cleans all the old algae, fish waste, and slime coating out of the lines.

"Essentially," as noted Smith, "you're making sure that no old buildup is discharged into your fresh livewell water, as this will result in too much ammonia and carbon dioxide and sour your livewell. Any type of decomposing organic matter can and will kill fish. Additionally, making sure your pumps and lines run at full capacity is the most important part of livewell maintenance. This equipment is what keeps your fish alive and healthy."

Remove the valve screens at the bottom of your livewells, because they get nasty in a hurry. Removing them helps eliminate the old algae and fish waste that accumulates underneath them. Once they are removed, you can just leave them laying in the bottom.

You'll be running your livewells during this process, so make sure they are plugged, or the actuators are closed, so the livewells will hold water. Then fill them about 3/4 of the way full with fresh water. Now add one gallon of distilled white vinegar to each, as well as one 32-ounce bottle of the hydrogen peroxide. When that's done, turn on the aerators and let them run continuously for 30 minutes.

Once the 30-minute cycle is done, completely drain your livewells and refill them with fresh water for another 30-minute cycle. This flushes any residual vinegar and hydrogen peroxide out of your livewells and pumps.

For the last time, drain your livewells and wipe them down with a clean rag, and if possible, park your boat in direct sunlight, with the livewell lids open, to make sure they're completely dry.