Minnow Fisherman

[mrgreenheads]

I like to use the minnows under a bobber and to tip the jigs while spider rigging. SO with this in mind I acquired a large tank like the bait stores have and got it rigged with aquarium bubblers just like when i take them in the boat. So I go out and get two pounds of medium minnows and add them in the tank after getting the water adjusted for them. But I have been loosing quite a few as of lately and was wondering what you guys who buy minnows in bulk do to keep your alive for a long period of time.

Insight is the root to all is well. Any pictures of setups will also be welcomed.

[scrat]

I catch my minnows now. I have tried to keep minnows in the past and I know what you are going through I use to buy mine by the pound. They can be expensive especially if very many die. I have used old deep freezers and the commercial spin type minnow agitators. I have used Better bait and other products also. But the best thing that I have done to keep minnows is to keep them in the lake that I fish. I use a 5 gallon bucket with a top. I cut the bucket half into add a piece of 1/4" hardware cloth in the middle of the two pieces making it how ever tall you want it as to how many minnows you need to keep. I drill holes use the small plastic zip ties to build them. Then I tie mine to a old post that is out in about 8' of water in the lake about 2' below the surface of the water. You could also tie it to a dock also or a old tree out in the water somewhere. When I get to the lake they are already there and they stay healthier than any other way I have tried. I have been doing this for years now and maybe I have been lucky but no one has ever bothered them. I catch my minnows in the family pond with a cast net and use 4 leaf clover traps that I also make myself. You can see how to build these traps on youtube. One other thing I remember is if you use any water with chlorine it will kill your minnows. Well thats how I do it, hope this helps. Good luck with the minnows

[matzilla]

keep them dark, hungry and clean water

[DockShootinJack]

Filtration helps out allot. And cool water temps. I don't keep them in the summer.

[sparkie51]

Water temps will kill the minnows. My cellar is a nice 65 degrees in the summer but I still loose some. To keep them longer I will freeze a few milk jugs and place one in each morning. Switching them out daily. I can keep them all year long. The colder they are the less stress they have on them. I run 2 aquarium pumps one on each end of the tank. Both pumps have outlets for 2 hoses. I think I paid around $9 each at Wally World.

[RiverSlabber]

Your tank is cycling, basicaly building up bacteria on the filter media to break waste down into ammonia, then nitrite, then nitrate. (Nitrate you remove by changing the water) its a nautural cycle for an aquarium, which is essentially what you have. Once the bacteria is established You don't have to worry about it again. it can take about a month for that process to finish though. Go to an aquarium store and see if they sell a product calles Bio-spira (it hould be refrigerated) , dump it in and itll complete the xyxle overnite. Itslive bacteria that can break down all of the waste in a pouch, rather than waiting for ut to grow on its own.