fish odor in live well

[rebs]

well I might as well say how the live well got so fish smelly, this is a little embarrassing. But what happened is I had a couple guys out fishing and they wanted a few small mouth to go along with some walleye we caught. Upon getting back to the dock I thought I took all the fish out of the live well and put them in their cooler with ice. The problem was I some how over looked a small small mouth and it was left in the live well. I pulled the drain and headed home. Three days later I went to take my boat out and man it smelled like fishand when I opened the live well hatch I was shocked to see the small mouth still in there. I don't know how I missed seeing this fish still in there, but it was. My live well is huge and the hatch is in the center and not big enough to see the entire well without getting your head real close and looking.
This was the reson for the fish smell so bad.

[locomoto]

Dang rebs! Reminds me of a certain baitwell that had medium shiners left in it for a week in the summer sun. Opened the top and it looked like beef stew with the occassional eye floating around, and smelled even worse. Flies wouldn't even land in there!!

[teamlund]

haha I once left a salmon head on my well for two weeks.....yuck!!!!

[Water Wolf]

Originally Posted by Kdawg1966

For my last 3 boats I've done the same thing and over 15 years now, haven't had a stinky livewell or baitwell: When I get home, and sometimes it's not until the next day, I take the garden hose and thoroughly spray out the livewell and baitwell. I then leave the cover open for a full day outside or even for a few days inside the garage.

I do the same thing with my Ranger. As soon as I get home from a trip, I use a garden hose to rinse and flush the livewell and baitwell. Then leave the hatches open to dry the compartments. It's inconvenient when you get home from a long day on the water and you're tired, but it definitely works.

[fish4trophy]

I use Bleach, about a cup and then recirculate the water for about 30 minutes while I'm cleaning fish. This works great. Just be careful and don't get the bleach on anything but the inside of the livewell.

[shalabama]

Originally Posted by Water Wolf

I do the same thing with my Ranger. As soon as I get home from a trip, I use a garden hose to rinse and flush the livewell and baitwell. Then leave the hatches open to dry the compartments. It's inconvenient when you get home from a long day on the water and you're tired, but it definitely works.

Same here too. Thorough rinse as soon as I get home usually does it. Will on occasion throw in good amount of baking soda and fill up live well to soak for a day or so before rinsing again. I try to stay away from bleach. Of course I usually don't have enough fish to create much of a stink!

5% vineger
1 cup per livewell mixed with water..

This is also environmentally safe. works like magic.. you'll see. its also 2.99 a gallon

[dabirdsman]

Originally Posted by rebs

well I might as well say how the live well got so fish smelly, this is a little embarrassing. But what happened is I had a couple guys out fishing and they wanted a few small mouth to go along with some walleye we caught. Upon getting back to the dock I thought I took all the fish out of the live well and put them in their cooler with ice. The problem was I some how over looked a small small mouth and it was left in the live well. I pulled the drain and headed home. Three days later I went to take my boat out and man it smelled like fishand when I opened the live well hatch I was shocked to see the small mouth still in there. I don't know how I missed seeing this fish still in there, but it was. My live well is huge and the hatch is in the center and not big enough to see the entire well without getting your head real close and looking.
This was the reson for the fish smell so bad.

Did you release it or fillet it?

[386 owner]

I love that smell!! just with a little less death attached with it. Wipe it down with lemon extract. The plastics absorb the smell the only thing you can do is try to mask it and lemon work well..

[rebs]

Originally Posted by dabirdsman

Did you release it or fillet it?

I released it way in the back yard for the wild animals & foxes to enjoy