Best way to keep live bait alive in minnow bucket??

[Crappie Chaser]

Don't forget we have a new sponsor on the board...Dry hands minnow bucket. Looks pretty neat. Click on it and check them out.

I really like the Dry hands Minnow Bucket. During pre-fishing and tournaments, I can keep the minnows alive for a few days by keeping the mounted aerator running and changing half of the water and batteries every other day. The polyurethane liner around the bucket really helps keep the water at a steady temperature, although I'll cover the top with a towel to keep the sun from warming the water. Never have to toss and tie a bucket off the side of the boat or keep changing water while fishing to keep minnows alive again. I haven't used this bucket in the dog days of summer yet, but you can't beat this bucket in cold weather. It sure saved my hands and fingers from frostbites!

[davidcarolina]

I got a 5 gal. water cooler (gott or rubbermaid) from wal-mart took a battery powered bubbler drilled a hole in the center of the lid ran the air tubing through it it keeps minnows for days its insulated and it will outlast any styrofoam containers and it has handles..

[TAE73]

Any old cooler and one of the air pumps that run on D batterys will work good.

[Gar-Getter]

seems to me like a main concern also is to make sure whatever you use is clean, clean, clean. nothing sucks worse than getting out on the lake with 5 dozen minnows in the live-well only to have them die on you in about an hour!

[ShortStorie]

Who makes a good minnow bucket to keep live bait alive? How do some of you minnow fisherman keep yours alive? Thanks.

[ShortStorie]

Who makes a good minnow bucket to keep live bait alive? How do some of you minnow fisherman keep yours alive? Thanks.

I found a fairly quiet aerator... The Aerobait "Quiet Air" made by Magic.
It "put-puts" instead of the annoying buzz of most aerators. $10 at Burtons Bait and Tackle in Smithville. I get extra treated water from the bait shop and don't change it... Seems to work better than lake water. Can put 4 doz. in 5gal bucket and lose none. Leave the lid on (loosely) to keep the sun off the minnows.
Could probably put another 2 dozen or so. When it's real hot, I put in a 20oz plastic drink bottle... frozen solid. No chance of chlorine contamination.

Doesn't make me a great crappie fisherman but I don't have to stop grumbling to remove dead minnows!

[krappiekrazy]

If you are serious about minnow fishing you should look at oxygen. Alot of the pros carry oxygen in their boats. You can run tubing to livewell and minnow bucket. There are a few companies out there that sell the whole kit. It can be found at The Crappie Store www.northamericancrappie.com . You can also use welding oxygen or medical oxygen. But too much oxygen is as bad as not enough.