I rarely loose a fish if I leave my fill on all day. I use recirc when running around

Ice doesn’t create oxygen, just allows more oxygen to be dissolved in the water.

Adequate recirculating should result in saturated oxygen. Believe what he is saying is that adding a bubbler is not going to put more DO in water if it is already saturated. If the water is already saturated in DO, the only way to get higher DO levels is to reduce the temperature.

Yes I fill my livewell early then do not add additional water. I use aerator on timer in the morning, and then on full time anytime motor is running, and then full time from about 11:00 to weigh in depending on temperature. I always use additive and ice as well. Was the first dead fish I ever weighed in.

The point of my post is everyone fussing about throwing back dead fish. Some tournaments don’t allow you to weigh in an iced or chilled fish. So if you do have a fish die early in the morning for whatever reason, will that fish be edible at 3-4 in the afternoon if you aren’t allowed to put it on ice?

If you run pure oxygen you don't even run your aerators. Just fill early and keep temps about 6-8 degrees lower than lake temp, add stock salt. All you really need. That's what Todd Driscoll runs, tpw biologist.

How long does 1 tank typically last?

Just add a set of VT-2 live-well vents and be done with it. no need for any o that other stuff. The fish will be crazy energetic and you won't have to anything more.

Frank, how do those do anything when the boat sits off-pad for 90% of the day? I've never been convinced of that gimmick.

I would say NO on eating a dead one held more than an hour or two in a livewell. Freshwater is already teeming with bacteria. Ask any doctor.

A small 15cuft tank discharged at 1/8 of a liter per minute gives you about 7 tournaments at 8hrs per tournament.

Those are my thoughts.

So if you are fishing a tourney that doesn’t let you weigh in an iced fish, what are you supposed to do with it?

I understand dumping dead fish at the ramp might not be the best thing, but they most likely won’t go to waste dumping them in the water. People would probably complain about the stench putting them in the dumpster, and no one is going to launch their boat to go dump a single dead fish in the middle of the lake.

I like to think everyone is trying their best to keep their fish alive. I’ve seen it cost people money our last 2 club tourneys even though the far majority of the fish > 95% are in good shape.

A lot of what people may be seeing is delayed mortality, that is often times unpredictable.

If you are fishing a tournament that won't let you weigh in a dead fish (or "release it"), then what would stop you from moving it to a cooler immediately upon discovering it has died? You've already set up the scenario that it can't be weighed, so it's out of play, and into the cooler it can go!

You made some good points here.

Electro-Mechanical aerators: Mr. Bubbles is cheap aerator and will saturate fresh water DO regardless of the water temperature and 100% DO Saturation is definitely safe for transporting tournament bass in any bass boat livewell.
It makes plenty bubbles to do that. Another very popular aerators incorporates an air venture on the inlet side of Rule livewell water pump impeller that will definitely make zillions of micro-fine air bubbles (some fishermen and aerator salesmen claim that micro-fine air bubbles are better than larger macro air bubbles). This kind of aerator may not increase the DO greater than Saturation, but this will definitely produce Nitrogen supersaturation in livewell water.

So what do you think can happen to your tournament bass that have been in bass boat livewell water that is supersaturated with Nitrogen 7-8 hours on a hot summer tournament day?

About those air bubbles and aerators…

Fish Pathology - Gas Bubble Disease APRIL 15, 2020 By Hugh Ferguson https://fishhistopathology.com/home/2020/04/15/gas-bubble-disease/
In aquaria and hatcheries, GBD may be caused by leaks in pump manifolds or valve systems, air being “sucked in” and forced into solution – the so-called Venturi principle. Alternatively, it can be seen in fish being transported by air, a consequence of altitude (and therefore pressure) changes.

This kind of venture type aerator is popular, it entrains air on the inlet side of a Rule livewell pump: Keep alive KEEPALIVE AERATOR 1100 GPH new $75.00 https://www.ebay.com/i/264299173122..._nN-I6gIVGW-GCh3vaQAIEAQYASABEgJdKvD_BwE
Here’s another kind of venture type aerator is popular, it DOES NOT entrain air on the inlet side of a Rule livewell pump. It entrains air or pure oxygen distil to the pump impellers: Danco Live Well and Bait Well Venturi https://bottomdwellerstackle.com/product/danco-live-well-and-bait-well-venturi/
Live Well and Bait Well Aerators
Engineered Multi-Ported Venturi Creates Millions of Microscopic Bubbles..
Air (oxygen) enters the Water Stream AFTER the Water travels through the Pump.
Water Flow Through the Pump is NOT Affected if the Air Volume is Metered.
Extremely Strong Air Suction – Can be Used with Tank Depths 4 Ft. and Greater without affecting air flow.
Tests Show this Multi-Ported Venturi will Deliver More Air (Dissolved Oxygen) to Your Live Well in the Shortest Time when Compared to the Leading Competitors. Models and Sizes to Fit Your Needs.
Retrofit Your Aerator with our Venturi Kits.
SAFELY add Pure Oxygen to Live Wells since the Aerator is Downstream of the Pump.
Pure Oxygen Flowing through any Electro-Mechanical Device is Considered Extremely Dangerous.

It is important to compare and understand these different aeration system as well as all these different kinds of livewell oxygen systems too. The differences may be shocking to some of you if you have no idea just how different they really are and how they work.

Surely we all want to provide the best tournament bass care possible and that care we chose is relative to the type of livewell aeration/oxygenation equipment we chose to use for the catch. Be informed and choose wisely because the safety and quality of the livewell care you are willing to provide for your bass is always your personal choice.

A side-bar fact: The fishery biologist at the Lunker Program in Athens, Texas are real experts when it comes to providing the absolute best bass care water quality for transporting those big trophy Lunker-bass across Texas and from Florida to Texas. Their transport DO Saturation requirement is always 100% DO Saturation for all live bass transports and they maintain that saturation continuously for the trip back to Athens.

If we really want to provide the very best bass transport care possible for our catch, we should really pay attention to and learn how the experts transport are transporting live bass. Call them and find out how they haul live bass with no post transport mortality.

Interesting thread now that summer is back again and tournament bass kills will happen at any bass tournament now. Sure
wish a TP&WD Inland Fishery biologist would come out and join in, offer insite on this topic. Where's Todd?

The reverse osmosis is only part of the process. After they filter it they blend it with city water at 60/40% to get chlorine in it to help prevent bacteria.

I totally understand the skepticism. I’ve run across many people who are more scientific in their Thought process that didn’t believe. All I can tell you is my own personal experience. I was losing fish badly in summer. Tried ice and sure life etc.. it was helping but still problems. I began to research solutions. Fished a derby without Them and had 2 fish die and The other 3 were struggling. Dead of summer. Installed These and the fish were literally jumping out of the livewell less than 2 weeks later. Scientifically I don’t exactly know how they work, but I do know They work and work very very well. Just an option. I’ve had great success. I just try to promote them because they’ve worked so well for me and aren’t we all trying to have better mortality? Isn’t that the goal of all this? Just my 2sense. I wish you The best my friend.