Trouble keeping bait alive?????

How you guys do it? I used a bubbler and it helped but what it kept alive were the midget, small crappie, perch nibbling size minners not the bigger slab catchers I wanted??? I'm thinking bigger bait box is better too so I use an ice chest. Can you put ice packs in the bottom without shocking the minnows once they hit the lake water??? My dad said he's tried that before and it killed them. I'm looking to go out again later this week and it will be same thing all over trying to keep bait alive, only wish they'd hit jigs as well on our local lakes and I wouldn't have to mess with live bait. Seems like clear water lakes want live baits and I gotta figure out how to keep minnows alive.

Engel 30Qt minnow cooler. I can keep 2lbs of minnows alive in mine. Also make sure you use the blue additive something like finner shinner. A good bubbler and the finner shinner I think makes a world of difference.

x-2 on the bait saver stuff,,,,, you know most of the time you buy em and the waters blue they keep em in,,, that's the stuff that makes it blue

I was looking at these last week and think I will pull the trigger now.

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Originally Posted by mdperson

Engel 30Qt minnow cooler. I can keep 2lbs of minnows alive in mine. Also make sure you use the blue additive something like finner shinner. A good bubbler and the finner shinner I think makes a world of difference.

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I use a live well system sold at academy , it's made for ice chests, there's 2 different styles but both work well ,I use them for keeping bait alive and Ive also use them this year fishing the tournaments to keep fish alive for the weigh ins and they work well, used them last summer in 105-110 heat and never lost a minnowAttachment 126432Attachment 126433

I keep my minnows in a insulated 5 gallon bucket and keep my water changed. I put about 3-4 dozen in it and when minners come to the top, I take a few minutes to change the water out and get them some fresh oxygen rich water. I use lake water as it has the minnow accustomed to the water temp and they tend to take on the natural color of the water.
I also employ a floating minnow bucket to drag behind the boat. That's where I can keep another 4-6 dozen.

That's what works for me.

I use a similar rig I got at academy in Jonesboro in a igloo cube cooler,with wheels. Except I put a cigarette light adapter on the power.

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Originally Posted by Semo

I use a similar rig I got at academy in Jonesboro in a igloo cube cooler,with wheels. Except I put a cigarette light adapter on the power.

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I just wired in a toggle switch, works great

I have great success with an ice chest and 12 volt (in the boat) Mr. Bubbles with two air stones or 120 volt Mr. Bubbles in my shop or at camp when on the river. I also get from Wal Mart in the pet dept. I think its called "start right" for aquariums . Keeps my bait healthy and slick and treats the chlorine when I change water.

I use a 60qt cooler with wheels and an adjustable handle, an oxygen diffuser, and a bottle of oxygen with a regulator that measures in 1/64th. I have been keeping minnows for 3-4 days in a row without any abnormal losses. I've used a medium medical bottle of oxygen for at least 20 days, (not in a row tho) and with the regulator set at 1/32, I haven't even used a 1/2 bottle. You can add a little ice in the cooler to keep the water cool in the warmer months. I also don't use the blue stuff. I bought an RV water filter at Wally World, and screw it on my hose and fill up the cooler. It removes the chlorine and most other chemicals. Don't need any water conditioner with it. For keeping bait during a tournament, it's nice and convenient. Can do the same thing on a looooong weekend!!!! I use the cooler with the oxygen to take my catch to the weigh in so my fish are good and alive. I put a milk crate in the cooler so I can lift out my catch and put them in the tourney weigh in basket without having to handle the fish individually.