I … Minnows. You can purchase zeolite by calling Matt Kurtz at Kurtz Fish Hatchery at 484-364-6044. How To Keep Your Minnows Alive One of the best fishing baits to use is live minnows, as fish are drawn to the movement of live bait. If the ammonia concentration gets too high, it will basically suffocate them. I got one aereator that runs on electriciy, also an aquarium pump/filter for 20 gallons. Keeping the temperature low helps keep their metabolism lower so they don't give off as much ammonia. 06-13-2012, 08:43 PM #2. bailey. I use that water in a 5 gallon pail with a 110V aerator to keep my minnows in. While Mud Minnows are more heat hardy than many other baitfish, it is still a good idea not to store the container they are being kept in directly in the sun. Since I caugh zero fish that day, I kept my minnows overnight in the bucket. The big key to keeping minnows is fresh water with an aerator and cool water. They survive well in aerated bait tanks and in small minnow-style buckets placed overboard while fishing. At our store, we keep them at around 48 degrees. Hi guys,Here's a quick explanation on how to keep minnows alive for extended periods of time. This is the same stuff that keeps the minnows alive in … Transcribed by Tech-SynergyPage 1 of 1 I toss in a tablespoon or so of fish food flakes into the minnow buckets ever week or so.. the tiny holes tend to keep it in there long enough for the minnows to go nuts. I keep them in the ref. Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk. Because tuffy minnows are short, the jig or bladed Road Runner adds length to the total presentation. I have keep flatheads and crappie minnows alive between trip sometimes 4-5 weeks. You can add a small aerator and keep minnows alive for days. In order to keep them alive when fishing they must have fresh water added regularly. Adding crushed ice to the tank is an option. I collect rain water in a plastic 55 gallon barrel that sits on the north side of my house in the shade. Duckworth suggests freezing water inside a two-liter soft-drink bottle and placing it in the baitwell. When you buy the minnows they are usually in colder water and when that water warms its a shock to them. Keeping bait in bait pens in areas of poor water quality (low oxygen in the summer-hypoxia) can be deadly and disappointing when your bait dies overnight and you must delay your trip to catch more runners. "The solution to keeping bait healthy during hot weather is to circulate oxygen and keep baitwell water cooler than the lake." Fix that problem – drop the OE diffuser into the pen and bubble pure oxygen into the pen overnight. Add your baitfish and change about two-thirds of the water each day to keep them alive. Fill a cooler approximately two-thirds of the way full with spring water or water from a local stream. Anybody keep their own minnows alive? And that's how you buy minnows and keep them alive. You'll keep most alive, but you're going to lose some. That will ensure that your minnows will stay lively throughout the day. However, they can be a little more difficult to use, as minnows need to be kept alive long enough to be used as bait and this requires some know-how. If not, periodically dip out about half of the water in your minnow bucket and add fresh lake or river water. I have a small fish tank aerator that I put in there to keep it oxegenated. Where crappie over a pound in weight are the norm, the added length helps attract the bigger fish, either Black or White crappie. I put them in a cooler, keep an aerator running on them, and add about a half of seven pound bag of ice to them before bed. The second thing is something that may be out of your control. Minnows give off ammonia. Goldfish and tuffie minnows (fatheads) are no problem keeping alive. Some buckets are lined with a foam plastic liner that helps keep bait cool in summer and insulates them in winter. For about a decade, scientists, environmentalists and water managers have gone to great lengths to keep silvery minnows alive, in accordance with the Endangered Species Act. Minnows can be a challenge to keep in the summer, but it doesn't need to be that way. The key is don't try to keep too many minnows in one container, and keep them aerated. It's tough to keep them alive this time of year. Minnows can be very fickle during summer. I keep the temps down, even have them die out during the winter. Ideal conditions include: Feed the fish a small amount daily Use an aerator to incorporate more oxygen in the water Avoid overcrowding the bucket Keep the water in the bucket cool at all times Do partial water changes every each day This gives a bigger profile in the stain water and will hit the crappie found your bait better, a must for the summer time. These are battery powered, insulated, aerated bait bucket. If you are fishing in an area where you can place the minnow bucket directly into the water to keep them fresh that is recommended. With a little effort and the proper storage, it's possible to keep minnows effectively even on the hottest days. To recharge simply wash thoroughly then soak in saltwater for 24 hours, then rinse and your good to go. It’s not easy. in a small cooler (6 pk size) in the summer and I keep them in the garage when it's cold. During hot weather I keep my minnows in a styrofoam cooler and keep a few ice cubes floating in it with one of those little bubblers going in it. I only buy bait one time.. at this time of year.. I toss in a couple yellow minnow buckets in there.. each loaded with minnows and can keep them alive all summer. As summer heats up, you might find it difficult to keep minnows alive. Keeping blue crabs alive is relatively easy. My brother kept some alive in aquarium with filter and aeration for weeks. Aerated is really important. I keep a small air pump and air stone in the cooler, feed them either brime shirp or tropical fish food and change the water every couple days. View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries Senior Member Join Date Jun 2011 Location alabama swamp ny Posts 972. Start up your battery powered bait aerator to oxygenate the water before putting in the minnows. Everyone has dealt with the loss of a bag of shiners or sucker minnows before even hitting the … When I fish with them, I give them at least 5-6 gallons of water in an 8 gallon bucket with battery operated aearator. A well aerated bait bucket can keep Mud Minnows alive for 6+ hours with out refreshing the water. Try to keep in the garage when it 's cold the winter pk. How you buy minnows and keep them alive 'll keep most alive, but you going. 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