Hey all.
Any suggestions on keeping minnows alive when in boat without live well. Currently just dragging bait bucket behind boat while trolling. Thought there might be a better way. Thx
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Hey all.
Any suggestions on keeping minnows alive when in boat without live well. Currently just dragging bait bucket behind boat while trolling. Thought there might be a better way. Thx
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I always keep my minnows alive in cold water using frozen bottles in a Styrofoam bucket. In my experience they stay alive for a long time this way, and this even in my Florida heat!
as stated , insulation and ice helps lot's , an aeriation unit is a need to add , might try one of them there bait cooler thingeez
I use to do it this way too. Take several frozen bottles of water with me in a cooler. Put one in with the minnows and when it thawed out replace it with another. Then you can drink the one you took out while its still cold. You can keep them alive all day this way while quenching your thirst as needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slab
Thanks all. I will give it a try
I use a minnow bucket with bubbler. Like Slab I toss a frozen water bottle to keep the water cold.
I don't use a bubbler or aerator. They just pump in hot air IMHO. Just the cold water to slow down their metabolism so they don't consume as much oxygen.
Ok thanks all!
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If you get the water too cold it will shock them and kill them as soon as you put them on your hook and drop them in the water.
I have done that beforeQuote:
Originally Posted by RogerA
I purchased an Engel bait cooler and it’s amazing what a little insulation will do for ya. I use a mini bubbler and add a few pieces of ice from my drink/food cooler when needed also I add better bait. I can keep them alive for quite some time. Several trips usually. A cheap cooler could easily be converted and use you choice off bubbler the mini bubbler has been flawless for years costs less then $10 and will run on a single double A or two double A batteries for longer run times. Not a fan of the C and D cell battery ones they are to expensive in my opinion
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nova
what size Engle do you have?
thx
I bought a 13 with hopes of taking it in the boat kayak and ice fishing works good to keep minnows from freezing but you have to keep it in the heated shack or the lid will freeze shut most of the time. Turns out the 13 is even a little big and heavy extra weight to drag/carry since in the great state of illinois no snowmobiles or utvs are allowed on the lakes. I may get a smaller one for winter some day
I dont believe they actually pump in all that much air, but none the less, the water needs to be kept cool.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slab
I use a small cooler the size one would use for packing a hefty lunch and a 6 pak of your choice.
I drilled a small hole in the lid for the air hose to enter and hang a small bubbler on the side.
I have a second cooler of about equal size for the lunch and bottled water plus a few frozen ones.
I dont leave the bubbler run all the time, but i carry spare batteries in the boat.
In very hot weather i dont fish much, when i do i wont be using minnows, maybe crickets or worms or nothing but a small jig or a Beetle spin.
But i do also use the small frozen bottles as the weather gets warmer for the minnows.
Bubble box and Ice water like mentioned above.
me too frozen bottles and a cheap battery aerator in a cooler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slab
I can give you some good advice on this subject as I've done it all. Don't buy anything but the 11 quart Cool Bubbles minnow bucket. Grizzly jig sells them. If possible I fill mine with cold well water but it really doesn't matter. You can put in a pinch or two of Better Bait or some other water treatment. I can fish all day in close to 100 degree weather and not lose a minnow! A frozen 20 oz. bottle of water will help too but not really needed.
What I really like about the 11 quart Cool Bubbles bucket is that you can unplug the air line from your battery pump and plug it to a 110 AC pump at home to save your D batteries.
The Absolute Best Addition along with temperature is ShureLife Bait Buddies! I just bought gross of them as they are very hard to fine. I first found them at Tommy's @ the Hwy 43 Bridge on Ross Barnett. They chemically enrich the water with pure oxygen and eliminate Ammonia, Nitrogen, other undesirables. Give them a try and you turn the page on minnow issues.
Engel 19 qt .
Engel 19qt here. I’ll buy a lb at times and will keep them alive all day without the need of ice or or some type of bait keeper.