Survival of the Pilchards

[Liam Idrovo]

Does anyone know how to keep pilchards (scaled sardines) caught from sabikis lively and fresh with a 5 gallon bucket and an battery powered aerator? I usually just fill the bucket with saltwater and fill it up with about 10 pilchards and use the aerator. I want to know how to keep them alive longer but still keep them frisky.

[crashmister]

Try to de hook em with a took instead of your hands. The size of your bait well determins how many and how long. Everything rare said is spot on. The more often you change the water the better your bait will be. The difference is between alive and lively. Lively baits attract better and last longer on the hook.

[Liam Idrovo]

oh ok then. I only need them for at max an hour. I also heard that you could drill holes on the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and just have it in the water underneath the pier with your bait in it. I don't know how this would work since every time i would want bait id have to bring the bucket up and all the water would just drain out.

[Miamipescador]

oh ok then. I only need them for at max an hour. I also heard that you could drill holes on the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and just have it in the water underneath the pier with your bait in it. I don't know how this would work since every time i would want bait id have to bring the bucket up and all the water would just drain out.

Lol, drill holes on the top smart guy

[Floridahogfish]

just dont drill holes all the way on the bottom, leave like 8 inches down the bucket with no holes, then there will be some water left

[Liam Idrovo]

WOOOOOOOW! didn't think of that hahahaha. Thanx for telling me.

[mogenmyle]

also if the fishing is good then keep two buckets one for your down bucket another too drop a couple of baits in too be on the ready

[PhishingPhanatic]

I don't know how this would work since every time i would want bait id have to bring the bucket up and all the water would just drain out.

I like that! I can bring that bucket up fast when fishing in the keys.

Make sure you move it to the other side of the bridge when the tide changes. I lost a nice down bucket when my rope frayed off from the current pushing it against the concrete when I fell asleep at night and the tide changed

[Chevy Juan]

All of the above mentioned advice is great and spot on.

Remember that most of those tips and techniques will also work for other bait including shrimp, pinfish, thredfin herrings, grunts, croakers, finger mullet, gogs, blue runners and small jacks.

They are all coming from the same place if you are catching bait in an area so there's no crazy mystery as to how to keep them alive because it doesn't vary much per specie of bait except for the amount of room and how many to keep per gallon of water.

Shrimp you know you can keep a lot together, then the other bait fish will need more room, keep it simple. Water, aeoration, change out water and just keep an eye on the bait.

As you catch more bait you will realize their tendencies and make tweaks here and there, it will be second nature man, good luck.