You’re getting on your Quintrex boat for a day out on the water. You dust off the boat’s surface and straighten out some things. You check your outboard engine if it’s working properly. You find that it does. You open your storage compartments and check to see if you’ve got all the necessary boating gear you need. Check, you got it. But then, you open your live bait tank and suddenly your nose is assaulted with such a foul fishy smell that sent you reeling backwards. Your heart sinks as you realise that you forget to flush it out and now it smells awful and you may have to postpone your trip since you have to clean out the stench.

While it’s a pain to clean your livewell (another name for live bait tanks) you still need to do it. And when you do it, you need to clean it gently to avoid contaminating your livewell with harmful chemicals that make it a toxic environment for your baits and your catch.

Here is a guide on how to clean your livewell safely (and a little rundown on why these tanks tend to smell):

Why Do Live Bait Tanks Smell So Bad?

The most common reason why your livewell is basically decomposing fish, bait, or other materials stuck in internal pipes and hoses. Small baits can sometimes get sucked down into the pumps where they rot releasing a foul odour.

Some species, such as largemouth bass, trout, and catfish sometimes regurgitate what they have eaten when handled or placed inside a tank. Eww, gross.

That’s why it’s important to always thoroughly flush out its system with cleaners after every use. Don’t be lazy.

How to Clean Your Live Bait Tank Properly

You don’t need to splurge your money to buy a very expensive cleaner. In fact, you can find it in your kitchen. That’s right! The easiest and safest way to get the fish smell out of a livewell is to use white vinegar. This kitchen staple is a non-toxic and natural deodorizer. That’s why white vinegar is sometimes used in laundry and cleaning bathrooms.

Furthermore, white vinegar is colourless so it won’t stain. Plus, they are affordable and biodegradable so it’s a practical and environmentally-safe ingredient to use.

The first thing you need to do is to prepare and gather all your materials. Aside from white vinegar, you also need to prepare hydrogen peroxide to sanitize your livewell. If you don’t want to use peroxide, you can do it with baking soda as well. Vinegar and baking soda combine well together.

The next thing to do is to remove any screens and pile them inside the tank. Vacuum or wipe any loose dirt and debris. Once that’s done, start filling the tank with clean water. Insert the plug to keep the water from draining.

Fill the live bait tank at least three-quarters full. Pour at least half a gallon of vinegar into the water and around 32 ounces of hydrogen peroxide/baking soda. Turn on the recirculating pump to thoroughly mix the water and the cleaning agents. Scrub all surfaces with a brush, including the screens and the drain plug. Let it run for at least 30 minutes and then turn it off and drain the livewell. Fill the tank with fresh water and run your pump for another 30 minutes. This flushes any residual vinegar and hydrogen peroxide out of your livewell and pumps. Completely drain the livewell and then park your boat in direct sunlight while keeping the livewell lids open until they’re completely dry.

Once they are dry, they are now ready to house baits/catch. Make sure to clean your bait tanks regularly to avoid stinking your boat.