minnow help

[jhill10]

im planning on a fishing trip here n the next couple months. and im wanting to buy my minnows at a local bait shop. probly a pound or 2. and its about a 7 hour drive to my fishing destination. how is the best way to keep my minnows? temperature shouldnt b a problem. planning on earl march. i was thinking about using a 40 qt cooler and i hav 2 small aerators. anybody hav any ideas?

[Handicrappie]

When I buy my minnows in bulk they put them in a large bag filled with oxygen. Never had a problem with them dying in cool weather and they are usually in there 12 hours or more.

[SeaRay]

I keep minnows a week or more in a styrofoam cooler. I use to use a plastice bucket and they would not last a day. Someone told me that styrofoam breathes and lets oxygen in the water. Never heard that before, but I have kept them alive for weeks in a foam bucket.

SeaRay

[gabowman]

A 40 gallon bait tank would be the best but if not, have the minnows put into two different bags (a lb in each) with oxy. and you wont have any problems until you can reach your destination and transfer 'em to your cooler. Just make sure the water in the cooler is about eh same temps as what's in the bags.

[TDHcrappiemaster]

I use a plastic cooler as well and have kept 2lbs of shiners in there for three weeks in November. Never lost one including the ones we used and put back into the cooler.
I say you will be fine with what your going to use... By the way post pictures of your catch so we can all be jealous...

[Slabs Inc]

How about keeping them in your "live well"?

[rnvinc]

This is my bulk minnow system...

2 110v aquarium aerators
12v power invertor
Large styrofoam cooler



Rickie

[abarkley]

im planning on a fishing trip here n the next couple months. and im wanting to buy my minnows at a local bait shop. probly a pound or 2. and its about a 7 hour drive to my fishing destination. how is the best way to keep my minnows? temperature shouldnt b a problem. planning on earl march. i was thinking about using a 40 qt cooler and i hav 2 small aerators. anybody hav any ideas?

That should work fine.

[NaturalStateNative]

You could lay the bags in the cooler with water in it so they would be acclimated to the temperature of the new water by the time you get there. That's how you introduce fish into an aquarium, should work fine.
Also, I keep my minnows in a small igloo cooler with an areator while I fish, then put that cooler in my big refigerator in the garage when I get home (stays around 42 deg). I have kept minnows alive for almost 2 months without running the areator, changing half of the water each week. Does anybody else do something similar?

[jhill10]

them r sum great ideas. thanks guys