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.

Quote Originally Posted by gabowman View Post
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.