Picking the Right Livewell Pump
May 10, 2023 8 min read
Bait fishermen know that frisky bait is good bait. If you’ve ever opened up a baitwell lid and found your hard-earned baitfish lethargic or dying, then you know the awful feeling of watching a great fishing adventure turn into a mediocre-at-best struggle.
Quickly, you are faced with three options: go get more bait, use what you can while it’s still alive, or use the dead stuff and hope for the best. None of these are great options, and all of them are likely to detract from the quality of your trip, and likely your catch.
Contents
- 1. Picking the Right Pump
- 1.1 Begin With the Bait in Mind
- 1.1.1 Crustaceans:
- 1.1.2 Schooling Baitfish:
- 1.1.3 Hardier Baitfish:
- 1.1.4 Amount of Bait:
- 2. Pump Capacity
- 2.1 A good rule of thumb
- 3. Flow Rate
- 4. Types of Pumps
- 5. Water Pickup
- 6. Voltage and Amp Draw
- 7. Replaceable Cartridge Pumps
- 8. Other Considerations
- 8.1 Size and Dimensions:
- 8.2 Location:
- 8.3 Inlet/outlet dimensions:
- 8.4 Other uses:
Picking the Right Pump
The heart of your live bait system is the pump, and picking the right pump, positioning it, and directing its flow can have an enormous effect on how healthy your bait will remain throughout a trip. Expense conscious boat manufacturers often install inadequate pumps in these systems that can make your life more difficult than it needs to be.
Whether you are replacing a damaged pump or upgrading the pump in your current bait system, consider these factors to keep your bait alive, frisky and attractive to the fish you are targeting:
Begin With the Bait in Mind
Different bait requires different treatment, so it is important to choose your pump based on what kind of bait you use. For most bait types, there are two variables to consider — how frequently the water needs to be replaced (pump capacity), and how strong a current you need to produce (outflow shape and direction).
Crustaceans:
Shrimp and crabs generally need lower levels of flow, and too much can kill them. While some water replacement is important to maintain temperature and oxygen levels, a low-capacity pump or dispersed outflow is generally preferable.
Schooling Baitfish:
Pilchards, menhaden, sardines, and herring require both heavier flow and more frequent water replacement. In addition to requiring a stronger current, these fish produce a higher amount of ammonia and are susceptible to temperature change. All of these factors require a higher capacity pump that can cycle your bait wells quickly and produce a strong, properly directed current.
Hardier Baitfish:
Pinfish, grunts, finger mullet and similar hardier baitfish often do better with a low to moderate flow, and too much current can damage them. Water replacement is more critical than current, especially when using larger bait, so for these baits you may need a moderate to high-capacity pump, but a more diffused outflow.
Amount of Bait:
Regardless of your bait type, the amount of it you need to carry will directly impact your pump capacity requirements. The more bait you put into your bait well, the faster oxygen is used up and the more waste is created. If you are loading up your baitwell, you need a pump that will cycle that water very quickly to keep all that bait alive.
Pump Capacity
One of the first points of confusion for many boat owners is determining the right pump capacity, usually measured in gallons per hour (GPH) or gallons per minute (GPM).
While there are several factors that can influence your choice, the simplest way to think about it is to ask yourself how many times an hour you’d want to replace the water in your bait tank to keep your bait healthy.
Knowing the rough capacity of your tank is the first consideration. If your bait tank is 10 gallons, then a pump with a capacity of 10 GPH will replace all ten gallons once an hour.
A Good Rule of Thumb
Is to have a pump large enough to replace your entire live well capacity at least 6 times an hour, or every ten minutes. Keep in mind that the listed capacity for a pump is “peak” capacity, and you are likely to see less than that based on where the pump is mounted, the amount of plumbing between the pick-up and the bait well, as well as the vertical distance the water has to be moved from pump to outlet.
A higher capacity pump that replaces water in your bait tank multiple times an hour accomplishes three critical objectives; replacing oxygen, removing toxic waste produced by the fish (ammonia), and maintaining a constant temperature.
Flow Rate
While partially dictated by the capacity and power of your pump, flow rate can be modified by the size, shape, direction and position of the outlet in your bait well. A larger diameter outlet will generally reduce your flow rate, while a pinched nozzle can accelerate it.
Flow direction can also impact flow rate. An outlet pointed directly along a tank wall will move more water than one directed straight across, and a nozzle positioned above the water level will create less flow than one mounted below the surface.
Many live well systems have outlet nozzles that can adjust both flow rate and flow direction, allowing you to match the right flow rate to your bait type.
Types of Pumps
Not all pumps are created equal, and there is a reason that the same capacity pump can have vastly different prices. The three primary pump types are centrifugal pumps, displacement pumps and diaphragm pumps.
Higher quality pumps tend to be centrifugal pumps, and these are generally preferred by most bait fishermen because they introduce water into the well more gently and consistently. While less expensive, diaphragm pumps tend to have a lower life span and can be less reliable in the long run.
Water Pickup
Once you’ve figured out what size pump you need, you need to find one that matches the style your boat requires.
- If your pump is mounted externally, on the transom, it will not generally have an intake nozzle and will be mounted below the water line.
- If your pump is mounted inside the boat, you will need to pay close attention to the water pickup design.
Voltage and Amp Draw
Part of your pump selection has to consider how to power it. The amount of power your pump — or pumps — require is a major factor, especially when combined with the length of time the pumps will be used. Even a small pump with low amp draw can run down a starting battery given enough time.
If you run your system for long periods of time, this is important information to ensuring you maintain power to it.
Once you know which pump you need, you will need to ensure you have a battery with enough power and capacity to keep it running. Voltage is typically easy to find, but you may have to do some digging to find the amp draw of your pumps. If you run your system for long periods of time, this is important information to ensuring you maintain power to it.
Replaceable Cartridge Pumps
Even quality pumps can malfunction or die, and inevitably, they will do it at the worst possible times. Several companies make pumps that make replacement simple, as long as you have access.
These pumps, such as the SeaFlow Cartridge pump, have removable motor/impeller cartridges that can be quickly replaced without tools and without touching the actual plumbing or mounts. Clip and reconnect the wires, replace the cartridge, and you are back to fishing in minutes.
Other Considerations
Many complaints about the challenge of keeping bait alive and healthy have more to do with the live well system than the bait itself. Whether you have a new boat or a new-to-you boat, take a closer look at your pump — the capacity, the flow rate and direction. Upgrading to a pump and flow rate that are better matched to your bait needs means more time fishing and healthier, more attractive bait for your target species.
Size and Dimensions:
Depending on where your pump is mounted, physical size and dimensions may be a major factor in your decision. The good news is that baitwell pumps come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so take time to measure the area you plan to mount it to ensure you have the space you need.
Location:
Pump replacement can get more complicated if you are changing the location or orientation of the new pump. Most pumps have to be installed below the waterline of the boat in order to work properly, and changing the pump orientation can impact its ability to maintain prime.
Inlet/outlet dimensions:
If you are installing a new pump into an existing system, make sure you double-check the dimensions of the intake and outlet valves. While most pumps use a 3/4” diameter inlet, these dimensions vary. If you are upgrading the capacity of your existing pump, the larger pump may have a larger diameter valve.
Other uses:
Some pumps have a second outlet port to allow you to use a single pump and through-hull for multiple purposes. These pumps can support both your bait well and your washdown systems, simplifying your wiring and minimizing the number of through-hulls you need.
