[dlpanadero]

I posted this same question in my rebuild thread so apologies in advance for those of you that might’ve already seen that.

So I’m rebuilding a dolphin renegade hull and have a question about location for a livewell pickup.

Since there’s very little dead rise on the hull I’m a little skeptical about putting a scoop directly on the bottom of the boat. Running and poling so shallow i imagine it would hit bottom frequently.

My question is what about putting it in the little pocket tunnel? Apologies if this is a stupid question but it really would be a convenient location both inside and outside the hull. I’ve posted some pictures above to show exactly where it’d be nice to place it.

I just don’t know if putting a scoop here would A) cause problems in water getting to the motor and/or B) not be able to pickup water while running up on plane (which of course is the whole point of a hi speed scoop).

Thanks in advance if any of you have thoughts/experiences with this. I’ve pretty much eliminated the idea of a transom mount pickup with EZ Scoop because there will be trim tabs and virtually no space leftover for a thru hull pickup.

 

[Skiffmizer]

That’s a tough one to commit to. It might Aerate the water going to your prop. Might want to transom mount the pump with a scoop.

 

[commtrd]

Could just use artificial only and then not even need a livewell. Problem solved.

 

[dlpanadero]

Could just use artificial only and then not even need a livewell. Problem solved.

Haha I’m not that much of a purist I don’t fish with bait often but it’s nice to have the option for live bait when you take friends/ the gf out who don’t know much about fishing.

 

[Fritz]

Hopefully @Smackdaddy53 will weigh in on the tunnel question, I’m not at all sure how water flows in a tunnel and how an obstruction would effect your motors performance.

I am sure that you can make your own livewell pickup easily out of fiberglass, and that means you can make it any shape you want. I used modeling clay covered with PeelPly or plastic and got great results. So maybe if you just made it bigger or wider or whatever it takes...

Or maybe you could make a very low profile pickup and mount it outside of the tunnel, kind of a compromise. If you have a bit of deadrise, make it low profile and mount it as far off center as you can.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

My Maverick has a small bump about 1/4” tall with 5 small holes on the left side of the tunnel wall. I don’t use bait so my livewell is dry storage and I can’t say how well it works but the tunnel works fine.

 

[jimsmicro]

I think I'd prefer to use what they call a "high speed pickup" that mounts on the transom. As the water rises coming off the back of the boat it pushes up into the fitting and feeds your livewells while you run. The only thing that might be a problem is getting water when you're not running. But I feel like that could be a problem mounting it inside the tunnel also. A big air bubble frequently forms in the tunnel of my boat which I think would be an issue.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

My Maverick has a small bump about 1/4” tall with 5 small holes on the left side of the tunnel wall. I don’t use bait so my livewell is dry storage and I can’t say how well it works but the tunnel works fine. View attachment 101510 View attachment 101510

This one is essentially a high speed pickup, there’s no water pump to fill the livewell. The bump has holes in it that face at an angle forward and fill the livewell.

 

[Finn Maccumhail]

Haha I’m not that much of a purist I don’t fish with bait often but it’s nice to have the option for live bait when you take friends/ the gf out who don’t know much about fishing.

Probably less of a hassle to just get one of those little Engel bait coolers that run their bubblers off of batteries.

 

[Capnredfish]

If shrimp is your live bait of choice. Just put them in a baggie and lined with paper towel. They will live all day on ice as long as they don’t come in contact with it. No bait well pick up needed. Just do a transom pickup if you still need it. It won’t pick up underway. Just use a recirculating pump. Drain and refill when you stop.

 

[jay.bush1434]

My Vantage just has a regular thru hull on the bottom that the livewell pump is connected too. Works great, never an issue.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

If shrimp is your live bait of choice. Just put them in a baggie and lined with paper towel. They will live all day on ice as long as they don’t come in contact with it. No bait well pick up needed. Just do a transom pickup if you still need it. It won’t pick up underway. Just use a recirculating pump. Drain and refill when you stop.

Old salts used to walk the jetties and beaches with a cotton nail apron with wet sawdust in the bottom and they could keep shrimp alive all day in the pouch like that. They didn’t have aerators and livewells.

 

[Mike C]

My Tailfisher has a high speed pickup mounted in the tunnel on the right side. Works like a champ. I keep the valve closed when I'm not using the well to keep water out.

Mine has a fill pump and recirc also.

 

[dlpanadero]

My Tailfisher has a high speed pickup mounted in the tunnel on the right side. Works like a champ. I keep the valve closed when I'm not using the well to keep water out.

Mine has a fill pump and recirc also.

Interesting. And no issues with air bubbles or prop cavitation?

 

[Mike C]

Not at all. It's all factory installed equipment

 

[dlpanadero]

Not at all. It's all factory installed equipment

Hmm ok. Definitely something to consider

 

[omegadef]

I'm dreading this part of the build. I need to have a release well thought, because I intend to fish bass tournaments off and on as well.

I did not know you could keep shrimp alive without water though.