Keeping minnows alive

[luckystratos]

Bought 1/2 lb minnows yesterday and only used a few. Planning to go today and most all are dead. Didn't hookup my small Aireator. What you guys do to help keep them alive.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by luckystratos

Bought 1/2 lb minnows yesterday and only used a few. Planning to go today and most all are dead. Didn't hookup my small Aireator. What you guys do to help keep them alive.

So I didn’t have to keep spending money on batteries for my aerator I bought one you just plug in at a pet store. I can keep minnows for a while as long as I change out the water. I’ve used better bait minnow keeper. Im sure several products like this work. Good luck.


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[notorious]

I picked up an aquarium on the side of the road added a new blubber and bought a ziplock bag of the blue stuff from the bait shop. It seems to work well for standard minnows and shiners as long as the water temperature doesn't get to warm. I keep it in the garage next to the boat so it is a easy transition.

[tkwalker]

Originally Posted by notorious

I picked up an aquarium on the side of the road added a new blubber and bought a ziplock bag of the blue stuff from the bait shop. It seems to work well for standard minnows and shiners as long as the water temperature doesn't get to warm. I keep it in the garage next to the boat so it is a easy transition.

Putting them in a refrigerator helps .... <'TK><

[FishAddict]

Put plenty of water in a larger cooler and hook up a 110v aerator with a stone on it to it to keep dissolved o2 in there. If it is cooler outside than inside, keep them outside, cooler temps reduce metabolism which reduces nitrogen wastes in the water that accumulate and messes up the water. If keeping longer than a few days I run down to the lake and grab a bucket of fresh water and add to it. If you are not near fresh water you can use tap, but you have do dechlorinate it or let it sit out a couple of days prior to adding. Keeping minnows alive a week sometimes longer is very doable.

[luckystratos]

Thanks Guys.Sounds like a cooler and aerator w/bait alive will work.Dang things are like every thing else getting too expensive not to take care of them.
I did here a guy say once that if you take care of minnows in the boat they will be more lively and produce better.Like offering a T-bone instead of bologna

Originally Posted by FishAddict

Put plenty of water in a larger cooler and hook up a 110v aerator with a stone on it to it to keep dissolved o2 in there. If it is cooler outside than inside, keep them outside, cooler temps reduce metabolism which reduces nitrogen wastes in the water that accumulate and messes up the water. If keeping longer than a few days I run down to the lake and grab a bucket of fresh water and add to it. If you are not near fresh water you can use tap, but you have do dechlorinate it or let it sit out a couple of days prior to adding. Keeping minnows alive a week sometimes longer is very doable.

I don't use minnows anymore but at one time I used them a lot. To solve my water problem I used rain water an 120 volt aerator and a women pantyhose with a handful of activated charcoal from the pet store. I would hang the charcoal in the bubbles. worked great for me.

[SAMBOLIE]

Originally Posted by ALANRAYG2

I don't use minnows anymore but at one time I used them a lot. To solve my water problem I used rain water an 120 volt aerator and a women pantyhose with a handful of activated charcoal from the pet store. I would hang the charcoal in the bubbles. worked great for me.

If my wife found pantyhose in my minnow bucket I doubt she would believe it was to save the minnows.

[tkwalker]

Originally Posted by SAMBOLIE

If my wife found pantyhose in my minnow bucket I doubt she would believe it was to save the minnows.

How True, How True ... LOL !! ................... <'TK><

[lupanfreitag]

I bought probably 30lbs of minnows last year. If I lost 2-3 per pound I was upset.

The keys are the baitkeeper to keep ammonia at bay.
Cool water, I put ice in the bucket.
The cooler the better but do not put too much in and shock them.
I also keep in quiet place. Let's noise and lights, the calmer they are.
Good aerator.
Temp and ammonia management are key.

I have kept them for up to 4 days with little fall out in 5 gallon bucket. As noted below if you have a cooler and put ice in with a aerator you are gold.

Merry fishing.

[TNBronzeback]

Maybe it was just the chlorine level in our tap water in michigan, but we had to use distilled water to keep minnows for an extended period of time or they would be belly up in no time.
Are you guys just running tap water when you get low?

[agelesssone]

There is an aquatic product called ChlorAM-X that conditions tap water, removing chlorine.
Pricey, but effective. 1 oz treats 235 gallons of water.
I have a 50 gallon bait tank on my boat. I'll put a teaspoon of it in my tank and fill it from my garden hose. Then I either go catch shad or buy shiners and put in the tank.
ChlorAMx IMMEDIATELY kills the chlorine.
For minnows, I'll put in a pinch of it, fill from our hose and put minnows in that bucket
At home every two days, I'll fill another bucket with water, pinch of product, them switch the minnows to that bucket. I've kept the minnows for weeks like that.

[jaybird]

Agree with the sentiments here. To keep them over night, I change the water with tap and put some chlorine treatment from the pet aisle in Wal-Mart. A cap full will treat 10 gallons. I also put the minnow bucket in the cooler with ice in the bottom. Loose a few overnight but most are ready to rock the next day. Agree with Sambolie too. Panty hose anywhere near the boat or minnows could be a bad day for a guy LOL. Wife may question that fishy smell on your hands. If you just have to use panty hose, make sure they are at least XXX size and just tell her Skillet was fishing with you

[luckystratos]

I have been trying to stay away from buying minnows. But if wife or daughter go we must do minnows. You guys are awesome. Thanks for all suggestions

[Halli]

I just drop a $10.00 Whisper pump-filter and add rain water when needed they stay highly active for weeks.