Video · Rigging & Gear
Starter's Guide to Livewells and Bait Tanks for Kayak Fishing
I go over the basics of choosing a container and pump for a kayak livewell or bait tank, so your bait and catch stay alive.
What’s in this video
This is a quick primer on the basics before you build a kayak livewell. First, the container. Shape and size get overlooked, but they matter. I like rounded corners or none at all. Fish do best swimming in circles, and in boxes with sharp 90 degree corners they pile up in the corners and many die.
Then the pump. Too much current beats up bait and stresses your catch, and too little lets dissolved oxygen drop. I share containers and pump brands I’ve liked. There’s no build here; my other videos show full builds.
Key moments
Quick takeaways
- Pick a container with rounded corners so fish don't pile up and die in the corners.
- Too much pump current beats up bait; too little drops the oxygen.
- Coolers, 5 gallon buckets and Gamma Vittles Vault containers can all work.
Gear from this video
Affiliate links: some of these links earn KayakDIY a commission at no extra cost to you. Links and codes are from the original video description, so prices and availability may have changed. Affiliate disclosure.
- Coolers
- 5 gallon Bucket Accessories
- Gamma Vittles Vault Containers
- Attwood Livewell Pump Kit
- Power Bubbles Aerator Kit
- Amzn.to
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