Live Bait...transporting

BigNiner19 · Post by **BigNiner19** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:32 am

those of you catching bait and bringing it to a certain spot to fish...how are you going about this...greenies and pilchards can only last so long alive without being in the ocean and current and swimming free....whats a good way to catch live bait...and keep it alive for a little while?

I've seen the little buckets with the air tubes on them...but I question how well this would really work...a small bucket still could only hold so many baitfish and I doubt they live long in there.

Also...is there a way to avoid a mess...cuz Ive seen those buckets with the air tubes on them will probably spill out water when making a turn in a vehicle...

Cory

BoatlessFisherman · Post by **BoatlessFisherman** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:49 am

We use large Live wells, any round 40 gallon Container and above from my experience works the best, an aeration system like double bubbles or similar.

If you have around 40 gallons you can keep 3 dozen baits alive for 4 hours I would say safely and we exchange water once and while to keep moving about if it will be longer. Live Shrimp is Different they live much much longer

This works best in the case of getting bait in Fort lauderdale and going to Juno Pier I do this alot when the bait leaves Juno in and around the end of August.

It does make a mess if your not careful

BigNiner19 · Post by **BigNiner19** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:06 am

how do these airation devices work that you use...they are obviously battery operated right? Where can I get this airation device? So a smaller more standardize bucket will not suffice very well with say...2 dozen live bait in it with an airator device?

Cory

BoatlessFisherman · Post by **BoatlessFisherman** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:16 am

No not really the bigger the better, its the ammonia from the waste so more water help to keep this under control longer.

Sports Authority, Boyds Bait and Tackle, I am sure Bass Pro will have.

They have Bait Saver buckets about 30 gallons that work pretty good.

kyfisherman · Post by **kyfisherman** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 3:33 pm

If you can't haul a big live well like BF is mentioning you may want to try out some water treatment stuff from your local pet store, they have stuff you put in the water that helps out with the amonia levels in your container, I do this hear when carrying live bait, it seems to really help and add several hours to your bait.

sunlion333 · Post by **sunlion333** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:24 pm

I have one of those Cool Bubbles 5 gal portable live wells and it works great. The only bait I have to worry about are the shrimp(don't last) and the small fishbaits. The crabs are like cockroaches and seem to live through anything. The product I will use next time I think is called Aquasafe. It is supposed to neutralize the ammonia levels. Last Saturday my bait, including the majority of the shrimp lasted from 12:30pm until 10:30 pm had to give away some of them not to waste. Also, the batteries lasted way longer than they state in the manual. I think it cost me $51.99 at Bass Pro.

fishnfool73 · Post by **fishnfool73** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 8:56 pm

A trick I use is put the bait bucket in my cooler. This works 2 fold one my water doesn't spill everywhere and 2 with the ice in there the water doesn't get super hot. The water can get to cold so I put a towel around it. I also carry an extra bucket of water and dump half of the water out after an hour or so and add the fresh water if I am heading to the Keys or such ..... this works great on mullet pinners and shrimp Pilchards and herring just don't last unless you have a big well and even then they die quick if overcrowded.

Harpmanr · Post by **Harpmanr** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 8:21 am

My father who was a commercial fisherman taught me a trick to keep shrimp alive for a loooong time. You don't need a bucket of water. Get a cooler and put a thin layer of ice in the bottom. Then put about 6 pages of newspaper in the bottom lightly soaked in saltwater. Put a layer of shrimp then cover them in a couple more pages of salterwater lightly soaked newspaper. keep layering if you have a lot of shrimp. They will stay alive for a really long time and you don't have to keep add/changing water. The key is not to put a lot of ice on the bottom just a very thin layer.

Cookinman · Post by **Cookinman** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:33 am

Harpmanr wrote: The key is not to put a lot of ice on the bottom just a very thin layer.

I tried this technique Wadefishing in Crystal River area by the powerplant last summer. I used a 6 pack cooler on a shoulder strap to keep bait with me. It did not work well, all the shrimp died. I have heard tell of this alot, so I am SURE it works - I just did something Wrong. I believe my Ice Layer was too thick and also I may not have allowed the shrimp to breathe as I had put them in a plastic bag to keep them from Drowning in the melted fresh water of the ice. Now I know better for my next visit !

Also, I have heard that a small plastic tube such that they sell at Wal Mart for keeping your Ritz crackers fresh after opening can double as a bait tube while wading provided some holes are drilled in it. Same Holds trie for a spaghetti container provided it is plastic. ( an ol Timer Wading the same oyster bar recomended that one to me....Actually he recommended an old Mayo jar or Pringals container. )

Harpmanr · Post by **Harpmanr** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:52 pm

The plastic bag is probably what killed them. They have to be able to breath, the wet newspaper keeps them alive.

fishnfool73 · Post by **fishnfool73** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:20 pm

I have used the newspaper trick before on shrimp and it works great but the trick is to not let the shrimp touch the melting ice water as the chemicals kill them. I use an icepack and it works great with no muse no fuse.

Daeron · Post by **Daeron** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 7:50 am

shrimp can cope with fresh water, too.. tap water certainly isnt the best, but aerating tapwater with an auarium stone for two days is more than enough to clear it of any chlorine.. and my landlord and I have had shrimp live for days in freshwater aquariums... I read this, and my thoughts were

A: the ice lowering the temperature obviously helps prolong life (most bait shops have some way of chilling their water a certain amount for a live shrimp tank) AND

B: the layering and the newspaper probably helps immobilize them further, so they use a minimal amount of oxygen.

The lowering of temperature lowers their metabolism, so they are less energetic and use less O2 anyhow... but the immobility has to help metters even more. Sounds like a good idea for long transport, as someone already noted...

Cookinman · Post by **Cookinman** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:55 am

Great info guys - This will be a big help- Ice Packs and newspaper !