Building a livewell?

[rip n lips]

Can I just stick an aerator in a icechest full of lake water and call it good or is there a lot more to it than that?

[Highmark]

Try googling it. There is a lot info on this subject out there.
if you are trying to keep cat fish alive. then a pump and an ice cooler would be fine.
But herring take a bit more to keep them going.....
You have keep the water airated and moving at the correct speed and direction.
that is the trick, that is if the water is going to fast they die from running to fast.
to slow the die from not enough water going through there gills.
and water temp plays a role to.
So you have to have fresh water coming in to keep it at the right temp...
there is a lot to actually. But when you get right.:meme:
the fish are lively and ready jump out of the tank and on to your hook....
also there is a hoe to in the tect tips from fishbate I think about how to
contruct one out of a plastic 55 gal tank.

[Hunt'nFish]

Can I just stick an aerator in a icechest full of lake water and call it good or is there a lot more to it than that?
Sure, they even make areator kits for ice chests that suction cup on.
Check West Marine and Boaters World out at Delta Park.

If you like you can even plumb the ice chest to fill from the river and over flow back to the rvr.
Although placement of the intake and pump location can affect self priming of the pump.
My uncle once plumbed an ice chest that sat of the swim deck off the transom. In that case he located the pump on the FF transducer bracket below the water line and used quick disconnect garden hose fittings on the ice chest for easy on/off removal. And you know....it still worked fine as an ice chest too.
Lots of info on line.
Hunt'nFish

[Lead Bouncer]

I used a cooler for bass and it worked just fine. You have to run it full time.