Thread: Three more fine days at Santee

Another 3 banner days Tim. Congrats. Share with me how you keep those minners from curling up when they hit that 85* surface temp lake.

Thanks Butch, for the most part if the minnows are fairly fresh when purchased keeping them alive isn't too much of a problem. I use a 3 gallon bucket that is wrapped in one inch think foam rubber and secured using duct tape. When purchasing bait I insist that they fill my bucket full with the same water used in the bait tank, this prevents them from going into shock. If it's extremely hot outside, I monitor the bait throughout the day. If the minnows are all coming to the surface that indicates the water is getting to hot. I simply apply ice to get water temps back down to an acceptable range. I also use a 12 volt aerator to keep plenty of oxygen in the water.

Originally Posted by gabowman

Another 3 banner days Tim. Congrats. Share with me how you keep those minners from curling up when they hit that 85* surface temp lake.

Great catch....

Good catches Tim, great shots of the cooler's!! I have one of those Engel Live Bait Coolers on order. Better work well for the cost of them but if they do it will pay for itself quickly. In the boat it isn't hard to keep the minnows alive but when using the kayak room is key and the Engel Tank should fit nice behind me seat. Like you I do try to add ice when needed.
Congrats on your three days.

Way to go Tim!! Congratulations on your 3 days! I bet your fillet knife was wore out by saturday night. lol!! Thanks for sharing the report and pics.

Tommy came up with the foam rubber idea and it has been beneficial to us in regards to keeping the bait healthy. I'm aware of the cost of those high end bait tanks, I hope you get what you pay for. I understand your situation in regards to saving room in the Kayak, you need something that works, but is small in in size. The bottom line is keeping the water oxygenated, and water temps in the acceptable range will keep your bait alive and well throughout a hot summers day on the lake.

Originally Posted by STUMP HUNTER

Good catches Tim, great shots of the cooler's!! I have one of those Engel Live Bait Coolers on order. Better work well for the cost of them but if they do it will pay for itself quickly. In the boat it isn't hard to keep the minnows alive but when using the kayak room is key and the Engel Tank should fit nice behind me seat. Like you I do try to add ice when needed.
Congrats on your three days.

I do understand trying to get the water from the minnow tank to fill your bucket, aeration in your minnow bucket, and even adding ice to keep the water comfortable for the bait. My question was how do you keep the minnows from curling up when they hit that extremely HOT lake water because I know it's alot warmer than the water theyre used to either in the bait tank at the store or in your livewell. The last time I fished minnows they were alive and well in my bucket but died as fast as I dipped them into the lake. Just thought there might have been a secret to it. Maybe having fresh minnows from the supplier instead of buying several week old minnows from a store makes ALOT of difference...dunno.

Fresh bait is key, but how your bait supplier maintains his/her tank is critical. Most bait stores keep their bait tanks too cold! The colder water keeps bait alive longer in the tank, but has devastating consequences at the lake. As the days progresses while on the lake you want the bait water temps to rise, but not to an extreme. That is the reason for monitoring the bait, If bait is huddled on the bottom, water is probably too cold. All bait on top, water is too hot. You want bait that's swimming freely in all parts of bucket. This means temps are near perfect. When bait is properly maintained they will survive being dunked in the lake a few times before croaking. One must remember that surface temps are hovering around the 86 mark, once below that first couple of feet, the lake water is much cooler.

Originally Posted by gabowman

I do understand trying to get the water from the minnow tank to fill your bucket, aeration in your minnow bucket, and even adding ice to keep the water comfortable for the bait. My question was how do you keep the minnows from curling up when they hit that extremely HOT lake water because I know it's alot warmer than the water theyre used to either in the bait tank at the store or in your livewell. The last time I fished minnows they were alive and well in my bucket but died as fast as I dipped them into the lake. Just thought there might have been a secret to it. Maybe having fresh minnows from the supplier instead of buying several week old minnows from a store makes ALOT of difference...dunno.