Best Livewell/Baitwell for a Parker ?

[DougM]

Any thoughts on the best livewell system to intall on a Parker for Bunker and Hearing ? if you have a picture that would be great also.

 

[dave-j]

What kind of Parker? Pilot House, Center Console, size?

 

[miky2884]

I have a 2320 and i bought a 30 gallon keep alive live well, i got it for 130 i believe off of amazon. I plumbed it into my salt water wash down pump and then plumbed a drain at the top and ran hose out my scupper, works good doesn't take up much room and easy to take on and off the boat when needed, i don't have any pics of how its plumbed although I can take some and post but here is one the tank kinda gives you an idea

 

[Bryan 2530]

I plumbed it into my salt water wash down pump and then plumbed a drain at the top and ran hose out my scupper,

Who plumbed it???

I second that liveweel for cheap, easy and flexible installation vs. a solid mount.

 

[pelagic2530]

watch out for plumbing the livewell to the washdown pump. some of those pumps arent designed to run continuously. it would be better to plumb in a separate livewell pump to run the livewell, rather than risk burning out the washdown pump.

 

[Sully]

I got a 40 Gal blue chlorine barrel it is the mid size they have bigger
Got it for free and I like it because its blue stresses out the bait less
Like the fancy ones with the blue linings on the Big sport fish boats
Hey cheep and it works
Hooks up to the salt water wash down and drains out the hole to keep the level
I don't run the wash down continually but enough to keep it aerated
Separate circulating pump is by far better

 

[miky2884]

I dont run my continuously either, i let it fill and then run it every 10-15 mins to let it circulate , i like to keep fish that im taking home for the dinner table in there as well i bleed them out and let them flush in the water makes for a nicer filet. And its easier to clean then the fish box in the stern of the boat.

 

[jacksdad]

So Mike you'd cut gills then toss in the livewell with water running to flush?

Do you only do this below a certain water temp? Wondering about spoiling if too warm.

 

[miky2884]

Yea, i usually only do it during black fish season oct-december, so yea the water is on the colder side, but it still works in the summer after i cut just let them flush for 10-15 min and then drain the water and put in the cooler with ice, it really makes a Hug difference in the filets on white meat fish like black fish the filets come out nice and clean and you don't get the blood lines in them.

 

[mrfunandson]

UT-29 Ultra tank. Use a seperate livewell pump (forked off the seacock for the washdown) and drain is plumed to a through hull in the battery box (the exhaust hose is not in this picture but runs alon the fill hose) Bungie cord attaches to the bottom of the rod holder and a simple eye bolt by the cockpit light to hold it in place. Easy to put in and remove, but I rearly take it out.

 

[DougM]

Thanks for all the input. I'll be ordering a 2520XLD in the next couple of weeks and was considering having Parker install their live well. now I believe the best way to do it is to have a portable live well like the UT29 described above. get a separate live well pump installed and be able to remove the live well when not in use. I wonder why Parker doesn't design a live well option where the fish box is. the fish box could be half the size and the other side could be the live well. probably not the best way to keep bait in a elongated space but the fish box seems like it could be utilized better.

 

[miky2884]

I thought about converting my stern fish hold into a live well as it has a drain plumbed that dumps out the starboard side, but it just isnt deep enough and the square shape would not be good for keeping the bait a live, but i do agree it would be nice to have one built in, but got to keep in mind its a simple no thrills kind of a boat and that's what makes Parker special

 

[Bryan 2530]

but got to keep in mind its a simple no thrills kind of a boat and that's what makes Parker special

I get plenty of thrills on my Parker 8) 8) 8) .

Here's my setup, basically the same as everyone else, and the price was right.

 

[Hungry1]

I have factory plumbing with an aftermarket tank. I had the permanent tank removed because I mostly spearfish and I wanted the deck space. Its a great set up, I keep all the plumbing under a deck plate and its easily accessible when I need it. The bait tank I bought is a 42 gallon Kodiak Proflow and I'm really stoked on it. It takes me about 5 minutes to add or remove the tank.

http://www.kodiakmarine.com/pro-flow.html

If you want photos of my set up, let me know and I'll snap some for you. Its definitely a good option if you're not always going to need it.

Best,
Justin

 

[bigk23surf]

I have the Parker one and love it. It never gets in the way and is nice to have somewhere to put stuff when I'm not using it.



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[Smittles1179]

I have a 2120 DV that came with two coolers. I turned one of them into a live well because money is tight. I use the wash down pump to fill and exchange water when needed. I stopped at home depot and picked up a shower drain and some pipe to create a filter system and using a bass pro shop bought 750 GPH pump for recirculation and to filter the water. I added a power bubbles dual air support system with two stones for additional air. Two fused switches allows me to turn on and off the recirculation filter system and just run the dual air stones or vice versa. If I need to cool the water, I just turn on the wash down pump and bring in new cold water. The over flow hose I put in drains out the extra water overboard. I run this to the battery via 12 volt clips so I can remove the complete setup for a day of cruising with the Admiral and friends. Sure it’s not the best system as it’s not round or blue, but I’d rater have confused anxious live bait than none at all. So far I haven’t really had any issues, the bait fish have done very well, right up to the point where they got chopped in half by a Blue.
~Capt. Bill Smittles

 

[Megabyte]

I plumbed it into my salt water wash down pump and then plumbed a drain at the top and ran hose out my scupper,

Who plumbed it???

:lol:

 

[DougM]

I thought about converting my stern fish hold into a live well as it has a drain plumbed that dumps out the starboard side, but it just isnt deep enough and the square shape would not be good for keeping the bait a live, but i do agree it would be nice to have one built in, but got to keep in mind its a simple no thrills kind of a boat and that's what makes Parker special

I agree, I dont think the depth or the shape would be good for bait and it would be tough to net them also.

 

[DougM]

Sure it’s not the best system as it’s not round or blue, but I’d rater have confused anxious live bait than none at all. So far I haven’t really had any issues, the bait fish have done very well, right up to the point where they got chopped in half by a Blue.
~Capt. Bill Smittles

If it works who can argue, I have the same type system in my garage over the winter for big pond shiners I use ice fishing for pike. they stay for weeks because its forty degrees in my garage. I just do a water change once a week..

 

[dave-j]

I know this doesn't help with the current question, but i have to say that the live well on my 23DVCC is the best I have ever used. It is large enough to hold a ton of livies, gravity drains, is easy to access, and doesn't take up any incremental deck space, being directly under the leaning post. Everybody who fishes with me says great things about the design.

In contrast, my buddy's 23 Regulator has it in the bilge, accessible through a relatively small hatch (that you better make sure is closed or you will step into it, busting your leg), and requires a macerator and a pump to empty. Pure nightmare!

The only picture I could find has a buddy's kid giving his approval to the bluefish we bled out in the livewell, hence the bloody color.