Burgess Cooling Aerator
By Leslie Kelly
One of the coolest things I saw at The Fishing Show on planet Houston last
month was the new ~twist on the Burgess Aeration System being demonstrated
on the boat set up in their booth. If you are a live bait fisherman, you're
probably already familiar with the Burgess aerator. It's available in almost
every tackle shop on the coast for a very good reason, it's the best mechanical
aerator I've ever used. It only draws 1/2 amp. of power so the charge on your
battery lasts a lot longer. The unit floats on top of the water unlike submerged
aerators. Also, with the intake up out of the water, there is no problem with
the intake becoming clogged with floating debris, impeding the aerating action
of the unit. The improvement to the system is with the intake where the air
is taken into the pump and diffused into the water. The intake air is drawn
through several yards of copper tubing laid back and forth, radiator style,
covering the bottom of a separate ice chest. This cools the air, which in
turn cools the water. With the cooling chest iced down with drinks and/or
fish, Harry Burgess reports he can lower the water temperature in the baitwell by as much as 10 degrees. With the addition of
chemical additives like Croaker Saver, baitfish can be kept alive for several
days. Anyone who has had the experience of watching fifty bucks worth of croakers
go belly-up in overheated water will appreciate this new livewell system.
Options include a timed circulating pump that will automatically change the
water in the baitwell a little at a time, allowing the fish time to become
gradually adjusted to the fresh water, lessening stress and shock for the
baitfish If you're a live bait fisherman, especially a "croaker soaker,"
this aeration system can save you a lot of money.
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