what is the best minnow bucket

[alamancecreek]

Here's what I use in the hot days of the summer. We place the minnow bucket down inside the cooler, bag of ice around the minnow bucket. It's square, doesn't tip over in the boat, has a drink holder on top, a flip top for storing smokes, lighters, etc. Plus inside the cooler has a small tray that we use to place extra grubs, weights, hooks, etc. Almost never have to leave the seats with this sitting between the two of us.

Here's the link.....Igloo Ice Cube 50qt Marine Cooler - Product Reviews and Prices - Shopping.com

[Alamo]

Take a look at this website (mollycoolwrap.com)
It works great! Better than foam you don’t have to worry about it cracking and when the buckets gets dirty just replace it with another one.

[NeonMoon]

Here's my cheap solution...I'd acquired surplus coolers over the years, so I added a pump to one, and some PVC piping with a dozen or so small holes drilled on the bottom of the horizontal pipe. Cooler was paid for years ago, unsure if I'd had the pump laying around or bought it (but they aren't expensive) and maybe $5 worth of PVC and wire/clamps. I don't leave it run constantly, just kick it on every hour or so for 5 minutes. I do keep ice in (which also adds oxygen to the water) it if it's hot outside though. I've been told (by talking to the guys at the bait shops) that keeping minnows at around 50 degrees is best.

[Cray]

You can take the cheap styrofoam bucket and place it in a 5 gallon bucket like a home depot bucket etc. Bought bucket today, they are $2.54. Ok, now you can buy a can of the spray foam and seal strofoam bucket in 5 gal bucket real good and it will marry the cheap styrofoam to the bucket and also further insulate it. Its also hard to turn over and holds a good bit of water for minnows. Then for the top, just attach one of the real small bunjy cords across the bucket top to keep the cheap lid on while traveling. you can attach a minnow bubbler to the bucket side too and it will stay secure for you. You now have a minnow bucket for all year. When its summertime, take you some water bottles like you buy at wm or sams etc, and freeze them in freezer and take to lake in cooler. When minnow water starts to warm, throw in a water bottle (that you can reuse over and over btw) and minnows stay cold and lively all day. Tip of the Day.GCF

BPS sells a styrofoam liner called a bucket liner made just for 5gal bucket larger than styrofom bucket about 5 bucks. Then everything else the same as GoneCrappiefishin said.

[Crappie 1]

That's a great idea. Our minnows were even dying in the bucket over the side of the boat. I made up a good one for winter(in this thread) my problem is keeping them in the summer.

[Alamo]

Try a 5 gallon bucket insulator at mollycoolwrap.com there will be more room for minnows without the foam

[Crappie 1]

Cray: How much of that spray foam do you put in the bottom of the 5 gal. pail? Do you also put it on the sides of the Styrofoam liner? Thanks, I got the stuff today to make it with..

[Cray]

Cray: How much of that spray foam do you put in the bottom of the 5 gal. pail? Do you also put it on the sides of the Styrofoam liner? Thanks, I got the stuff today to make it with..

Hopefully you got the low expansion. It docent take much, remember it will expand. If you are using the regular styrofoam bucket, place it in the 5 gal bucket mark the top of bucket about 3 or 4 in below top on out side of plastic bucket, pul out styrofoam bucket then drill some 1/4 in holes around bottom half of plastic bucket to install foam tip, put in a little at a time. The other holes will allow for expansion. Around the very bottom is where you will need the most. The foam will fill the voids and also glue the 2 buckets together. Around the top I use aquarium sealer. It is clear and just run a small bead around top edge to seal. I have found other sealers are to very toxic to the minnows or fish in live wells. I have started using the bucket liner made for 5 gal bucket and it fills bucket up with very litt clearance. A little foam sprayed around the bottom then place liner in before it expands and seal around top. My old bucket with styrofoam minnow bucket inside 5 gallon is going strong after 15 years. Hope this helps and good fishing.

[Crappie 1]

Cray, I gotta tell you. I found a liner that is almost to the top of the 5 gal. pail. I didn't use any foam, it fits really good in there. I'm using minnows that I bought yesterday. Every few hours I put a frozen water bottle in the pail. Have the bubbler going, might have lost 3 minnows...Works great, thanks...

[jimfish]

I use the foam liner in a 5 gal bucket and on hot days i put my aerater in my lunch cooler instead of pumping 90deg. air you are pumping in 40 deg air. dont ever have dead minnows.