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Around here it is hard to find bait shops that carry minners through the winter. I am sorta thinking about fixing up my own vat and buying several pounds to use for myself but also maybe sell some. Has anyone on here ever done that? I am on city water so I would have to get some kind of chemical to take care of the chlorine, and I will have to get an aerator.
I carry them over during the spring from week to week. They sell a chemical at BPS that removes the chlorine-letting the water sit also is supposed to let the chlorine evaporate. My biggest problem was knowing how to feed them. Whenever I gave them some minnow food, some had the tendency to die-I believe they can go a long while without needing to be fed. I just felt sorry for them going hungry, and they ate good when I fed them. I got a filter at pet store and an AC aerator on line. I use a round plastic tub I bought at Mennards for about 8-10 bucks. I worked well for me so I could head to the lake earlier than the bait stores opened.
After feeding the water becomes polluted
Change 1/3 1 or2 times per week should take care of the problem..
If you let a bucket of water stand 24 hrs you can use it for a water change without needing dechlorinator.
The blue stuff everyone uses contains acriflavine and methylene blue other will damage bacteria in the filter.
Use a sponge filter, squeeze it out once per week in chlorine free water.
The bacteria that grow in the filter actually do the filtration.
I raised/ sold tropicals for many years.
Keep the air going to the filter at all times, it gets better with age
If you sell bait might need to check your states regulations . Here in Arkansas you need a permit from the Game and Fish Commission .
No but guess I should . Our local bait shop has closed it's door . They tried to sell various things to offset the slow months but walmart was selling more crickets/worms. Sad to see them go because to buy minnows it's a 20-30 mile round trip to tupelo or pontotoc .
I quit minnows over a decade ago . Catch all mine jigging .
I quit minnows went to a minnow pond cheaper in the long run. Quit minnows went to jig's. Cheaper and don't eat nothing!! Have to get permit from Game and Fish to sell not for your own. Selling minnows is the only dozen that's 13.LOL
When I used to keep minnows for my fishing partner who used to think that they helped I used a 110 gallon rubber livestock tank made of recycled tires. I have had it for several years and it doesn't rust and the sunlight does not deteriorate it. As for water circulation I just used a standard Coy pond pump and attached a hose to make the water splash thru the surface. I have kept minnows alive for over a month without feeding them in it. I also used it in the cold months when I did not feel like cleaning fish and had only a dozen or less, it would keep them alive until I decided to clean them. Keeping minnows alive is a little tricky so I would recommend trying it with just a dozen or two to start before you bought them by the pound. It is less painful to loose a dozen minnows than to loose a pound of them.
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