How to Keep Baitfish and Shrimp Alive Without a Livewell

There’s no doubt having a livewell or baitwell is a huge advantage for fishing with live bait. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have one, so I’m going to show you how to keep baitfish and shrimp alive without a livewell.

While this method isn’t the only solution, I’ve found it to be highly effective, especially when the temperatures swing to the extreme hot or cold side of the scale.

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How to Keep Baitfish and Shrimp Alive Without a Livewell Video

Recommended Equipment to Keep Baitfish and Shrimp Alive

• Engel Live Bait Cooler
• Engel Rechargeable Bubbler
• Sure Life Pogey-Croaker Saver (or similar additive)

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Key Takeaways

• A cooler does an excellent job of stabilizing the water temperature.
• Add a bubbler to make sure there’s plenty of oxygen in the water.
• Change out the water regularly to dilute waste toxins the bait naturally produces.
• In hot conditions, keep frozen bottle of water on hand to keep the water cool. Don’t add ice directly to avoid introducing contaminates.
• Don’t put your hands directly in the water. Use a net to avoid transferring contaminants from your hands into the water.
• Use a water conditioning formula to help remove contaminants and improve oxygen uptake.

How to Keep Baitfish and Shrimp Alive Without a Livewell

Equipment

I like to use a cooler when I don’t have access to a livewell. While it’s heavier than some options, it does a much better job of stabilizing the water temperature.

It’s not perfect, though. During the hot summer months, the temp can increase, even in a high-quality cooler. Not only does it shock your live bait, but it also drops how much oxygen it can hold. To help combat it, freeze some bottles of water before you head out and keep them in your drink cooler. As the day goes on, drop one into the cooler. Just do one at a time to avoid shocking the bait by dropping the temperature too much.

Avoid putting ice directly into the cooler, though. It often holds contaminants such as chlorine that can kill live bait in a closed system.

The other key component is a good bubbler. The more bubbles, the better, so don’t skimp by buying the cheapest one you can find. I recommend using a rechargeable bubbler. While it’s more expensive, you don’t have to worry about replacing batteries, reducing the amount of waste you generate.

Keeping Live Bait Alive

As you’re learning how to keep baitfish and shrimp alive without a livewell, your behavior comes into play.

First, be sure to change out the water in the cooler. As the bait sits in there, it generates waste products that can kill them if it gets too concentrated. Get into the habit of using a small bucket or large cup to change out some of the water every hour or so and keep it fresh.

Also, don’t put your hands directly in the water. Contaminants such as sunscreen, sweat, bug spray, and other chemicals can transfer into the water and kill your bait. It’s an even bigger concern when you’re wearing fishing gloves.

Instead, use a net to catch and pull the bait out. Some systems even have a drop-in net that fills the cooler, allowing you to pull all you bait out at once. Not having to chase pinfish around with a bait net saves times and help eliminate some banging around that can scare fish.

Another thing you can do to help is to use an additive, such as Sure Life’s Pogey-Croaker Saver. It can reduce the effect of some toxins while also making enhancing the water’s ability to absorb oxygen.

One More Thing

As you consider how to keep baitfish alive when you don’t have a livewell, there is a limitation of this method you need to keep in mind.

Open-water baitfish such as greenbacks, white bait, sardines, and the like don’t do well in this system. They need a constant supply of fresh water and do best in a round, circulating bait well.

In a cooler, these baitfish tend to bury themselves into the corners and die quickly, even when you have a good bubbler. If you’re trying to keep them alive, you’re better off using a system that sits directly in the water, such as the BaitShark.

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