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Bait dying, red tide or other problem?

3K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  Bluecape 
#1 ·
We caught bait today but I noticed just a few minutes after putting it in the livewell it started dying. Used sabiki's to catch some small hardtails and threadfin herring and the hardtails were dying within a few minutes. Ran about 20 miles to where we were going to fish and all but a few herring were dead when we got there. Is this possibly red tide in the water that was pumping into my livewell? Or maybe someone decided to "doctor" my livewell with something? I have put up to a 40 shot of baits in this livewell during snapper season and had very few die. I did just replace the livewell pump and this was the first use, maybe something in the pump? This has me stumped and I didn't want to immediately jump to the conclusion that someone had sabotaged me. I normally keep my boat in the dry barn but have had it in the water under the covered dock at my marina for the last couple of days. I noticed when I untied this morning that someone had tied one of the lines differently but sometimes people like to "help" if they see a problem.
 
#2 ·
It’s probably some shady characters that want you not to have live bait when you get to your spot, but not shady enough to steal any electronics or anything like that, you should install a camera system onboard and catch them sabotaging your live well. Good catch.
 
#3 ·
The most simple explanation is usually the correct one.
Either you made someone mad enough go out of their way to slightly inconvenience you but not cause any real damage or take anything of value, even though (if your well is like mine) the water will recirculate and flush the live well clean in a few mins.
OR
The brand new pump you installed might be faulty in some way
OR
You hit a patch of red tide which has been killing fish for hundreds of miles of coastline

Depending on how sure you are in your mechanical skills or brand reputation I’d bet it’s #2, then 3 and I’d be shocked if it’s #1.
 
#6 ·
My bet is a rouge dolphin, we had a rash of dolphins in this are that were irritated with the humm/buzz of the pumps and would put there snout in the pickup tube blocking water from circulating in the live wells killing the baits. It happened to me twice. Once I kept hearing this tink tink noise but that is another story......
 
#10 · (Edited)
Boat is not named Reel Addiction LOL! The pump is a rule 500 gph that is the snap in cartridge type so no sealant needed. I turned the pump on as I came past crab island, ran out the pass and about two miles east where we started catching bait. There is a lot of red tide in the bay right now, that's why I asked about that. The boat is a 31XS Cape Horn and it's the transom livewell, I would guess about 10 gal capacity.



I have never used any kind of cleaner or soap to clean the livewell. Never had a problem with bait dying before. Last trip out was a couple of days before hurricane, bait lived all day.



I do run charters and could possibly be the victim of some jealousy or something. I suspect some foul play because my dock lines were messed with, a couple tied differently than I tie them. I put my boat in the water and parked in the covered dock a couple of days ahead of family coming down to fish so the boat was ready to go whenever we wanted to fish. There are cameras on the dock so I guess I will get in touch with the marina and see if I can take a look.
 
#15 ·
I rinsed the livewell really good with fresh water and left the lid open so maybe it will clean out whatever is in there. Going again tomorrow so we will see. I probably turned the pump on too early and got a bunch of red tide in there. I will wait until I am out where the bait is before I turn it on this time.
 
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