I just got back from a tournament at Oneida Lake, my first after having installed my new V-T2 Livewell system from New Pro Products. This unique system is designed to improve the overall quality of your livewell both when it’s holding fish and when it is not. If you’re like me, you probably had no idea what was happening in there. You add water, recirculate it from time to time, make sure the aerator is working, keep a bottle of Rejuvenate on hand, and have been told to keep ice on your fish when it is really hot. Stop right there, and listen to what I’m going to tell you because that kind of behavior is actually harming your fish.

When you run your livewell, you are adding everything in the water around you, to your boat. When you empty it, a lot of that stays behind. They are also boxes, with very little ventilation, exposed to constant heat and humidity. The cooler you make the house, the more comfortable you make the inhabitants. This is especially true for the fish that are dwelling in the deeper depths. Even if you’re fishing for food, you want your catch to be as fresh as possible when you eat it (at least that’s what I’ve been told, I admit the odd paradox of the guy who aspires to fish every day but doesn’t eat anything that breathes underwater…).

To begin with, the V-T2 requires no power, is 100% safe, and is made in the USA. It’s designed to expel noxious gases and heat from your livewell, both of which are harmful to your fish; while simultaneously increasing oxygen. when you’re not on the water, your livewells will be airing themselves out on the ride home, and drying properly. No more mildew, scrubbing them clean (or not and having residue), and it is completely safe environmentally. It’s easily installed, requires no maintenance, fits any boat, and costs less than $45. By eliminating the need to use ice, it will pay for itself in less than one year of tournament fishing. That’s not just good for your wallet, most ice people purchase is made from chlorinated water, which we all know is not good for fish. By increasing the oxygen, your fish will be healthier and you’ll reduce the risk of having weight deducted at the stage. Sometimes that half a pound is the difference between a win and tenth!

In just one tournament I have already seen the difference myself. We measured the temperature of our livewells in two different boats before weigh in. Both boats had within .5 pounds of weight, both had 5 fish limits. The boat with the V-T2 registered 69 degrees, the other registered 78.5 degrees. Both were 20 foot boats, both had black carpets, both fished in the same bay with the same depth of water. The results were so undeniable that 7 other boaters were going to buy one. It’s such a simple thing that we can do to help our fish, help protect our investment in our boat, and ultimately improve how we finish.

For more information on the V-T2 system or to find a dealer, go to www.NewProProducts.com.

Authored by Jim Root, check out his website www.jimrootfishing.com, or his blog at Weather Underground Reel Weather. Connect with Jim on Fishidy