Livewells filling with water not hooked up or turned on

[Vassillion]

I have a boat that has 3 live wells one in the bow and two in the stern which have flip seats on them. I put my boat in the slip and took it out for a few hour ride then it sat for a few days and I went back and the livewells in the stern are filled with water and the bilge isn’t emptying them. I’ve never had them hooked up and when I hit the button on the dash nothing happens because when I bought the boat they weren’t hooked up. Should I plug the two holes in the rear of the boat that are next to the drain plug? could there be a slow leak? This is my first time with it sitting in the water constantly normally I pull it each trip. Not sure what to do any insight will help. Thanks! I have a pic of the livewell filled attached.

 

[NiteHawk09]

Is there water in any other part of the boat? If not it appears the live well drain is not plugged. I'm pretty much a boat newb, but have never seen a bilge pump hooked up to a live well. Those are usually two different pumping systems. If the live well drains are plugged, then you may have a leak somewhere, and if so, there is probably water under the subfloor.

 

[jimmbo]

Every Live Well I have ever seen had a Drain. Some drained into the Bilge(a bilge smells bad enough, no need to really stink it up with fish crap/slime), others outside via a thru hull fitting. Still others use a Pump to empty it overboard, useful when the Boat isn't removed from water

 

[dingbat]

My fish box and bait well both drain directly overboard. Don’t want that stinky stuff in the bilge

When not in use, the sea **** on the pump intake(s) should be closed to prevent the flow of water into the boat.

 

[JimS123]

Live wells should have a valve on the inlet. If the pump is turned off, water can still come in thru the inlet, even if the pump is off.

Close the valve.