Home bait tank set up

[Bucketcastle]

Anyone else run an at home bait tank to save their minnows?  I know MN regs regarding minnow transportion.  In the summer I only bring enough minnows I'm willing to throw away or I have to bring my own water from home to transport them in.  I got the aquarium tank for free, and got a cheap plug in aerator and fish tank filter.  Shiners are the toughest to keep alive.  I've gotten four weeks out of them.  I have suckers now, they should last a bit longer.  My basement I store them in is usually in the upper 50's temperature wise during winter.

[SaintPaulPaul]

I also keep my minnows alive at home after fishing.  Getting large shiners is difficult at best, and they go for almost $1 apiece. I keep them in an old coleman chest cooler with a removable top. I run a $8 fish tank aerator in it, and change out the water every couple of days. The municipal water is chlorinated here, so I let the change-out water sit in a 5-gallon bucket for a least 24 hours to let the chlorine evaporate out. Give them SMALL amounts of fish food (flakes, get in pet supplies at Fleet Farm); they seem to eat it but it builds up if you overfeed them and fouls the water quickly. I can keep them alive for weeks if need be and it eliminates the need to stop for bait. It seems like a lot of work, but it gets to be a routine and saves a ton of money.

[JBMasterAngler]

I just keep them in the minnow bucket, and leave them in the garage. Use an air stone, and change water periodically. The only issue I’ll encounter, is when temps fall below zero (my garage isn’t heated). I just cover the bucket with my ice armor jacket, and that prevents it from freezing.

[Wanderer]

I’ve posted before about the Engel bait coolers and still think they’re worth the money but mainly because of performance on the ice.  They do make it easier to manage your bait at home without a tank.

 

At home it doesn’t seem to matter what you keep your minnows in as long as they’re kept cool, water changed as needed (non chlorinated), and aerated.  Except that crappie minnows can do fairly well without and aerator as long they’re in a cheaper open cell styrofoam bucket or cooler.  That fact I’ve proven to myself over and over.  I assume they’re getting some O2 through the foam? The styrofoam sucks on the ice though.  Breaking, freezing, tipping, lid blowing away...

 

Always thought about doing an aquarium but I don’t have the right spot for one; stable cool temp wise.  I like hearing about the fish food.  I’ve considered that before on extended keeps.

[Sculpin]

I've had the largest (30 quart) Engle for a half dozen years. I like it, and its a very effective bait keeper, but it has some downside. It's expensive, and the big cooler is very heavy when filled, and not easy to carry and transport, very cumbersome, and the small handle makes it difficult with gloves on. I have also just burned up my second  pump, so there's another $20. I have friends who have the smallest one, 7.5 qt. and it is just as effective, unless you really overload it with minnows. The overall run times are great, literally a couple days on the batteries, or you can use the 12volt option, or AC adapter as well. Not even sure I will buy  a new pump.

The  new Frabill is a nice unit, very competitively priced, and I have seen it in use, the big bail handle is nice. 

At the end of the day, I try to buy only what I need minnow wise, keep the water changed, and keep in a cool place, and they're good to go.

 

[IceHawk]

I use the Frabill yellow white minnow bucket with Aerator and have been happy with it for years. Also run a bait saver 5 gallon minnow bucket and that works great if you can keep it from freezing. Key I've  found out is changing water often and regulating the water temps is huge in keeping the minnows alive for extended periods  of time. Here some good and bad things about the Engels was going to pull the trigger on one but just haven't yet being I have the other ones. Eventually when others fail I may get a Engel. 

[Bucketcastle]

On 12/27/2019 at 7:24 AM, SaintPaulPaul said:

I also keep my minnows alive at home after fishing.  Getting large shiners is difficult at best, and they go for almost $1 apiece. I keep them in an old coleman chest cooler with a removable top. I run a $8 fish tank aerator in it, and change out the water every couple of days. The municipal water is chlorinated here, so I let the change-out water sit in a 5-gallon bucket for a least 24 hours to let the chlorine evaporate out. Give them SMALL amounts of fish food (flakes, get in pet supplies at Fleet Farm); they seem to eat it but it builds up if you overfeed them and fouls the water quickly. I can keep them alive for weeks if need be and it eliminates the need to stop for bait. It seems like a lot of work, but it gets to be a routine and saves a ton of money.

Minnows can stay alive for weeks without food.  Feeding them will increase the frequency of water changes.  I've had shiners for 4 weeks without feeding them, still seemed to have plenty of energy in them.  Also, if you dont use a dechlorinator for your tap water, aerate the water for a few days before putting minnows in there.  Most chlorine will be out, but you will still have a slight amount left.

 

Not saying you're doing it wrong just giving advice.

[Bucketcastle]

10 hours ago, Wanderer said:

I’ve posted before about the Engel bait coolers and still think they’re worth the money but mainly because of performance on the ice.  They do make it easier to manage your bait at home without a tank.

 

At home it doesn’t seem to matter what you keep your minnows in as long as they’re kept cool, water changed as needed (non chlorinated), and aerated.  Except that crappie minnows can do fairly well without and aerator as long they’re in a cheaper open cell styrofoam bucket or cooler.  That fact I’ve proven to myself over and over.  I assume they’re getting some O2 through the foam? The styrofoam sucks on the ice though.  Breaking, freezing, tipping, lid blowing away...

 

Always thought about doing an aquarium but I don’t have the right spot for one; stable cool temp wise.  I like hearing about the fish food.  I’ve considered that before on extended 

Very true, temperature is key.  I have to swap out frozen 2 litre bottles, i use as ice packs, in the summer time to keep water temp below 60.  Once the temp gets into upper 60's or 70, I start losing them.  Learned that one the hard way.

[Bucketcastle]

Update: 17 days with same suckers in bait tank, no floaters

[IceHawk]

Great Idea and very cost effective for sure they don't give minnows away anymore !

[BobT]

I buy crappie minnows early in the season and can keep them alive all winter if I change the water about every few days and keep them in a refrigerator. We have an old refrigerator in our back porch that I use for this and beer of course. 

 

Shiners are another story. The colder the better and fresh water more often along with aeration seems to work best. Possibly replace the appliance light with a screw-in receptacle for powering the aerator inside the refrigerator. I haven't tried this but the thought just came to mind.

[Borch]

I used a small freezer on a timer to regulate temperature and a filter system that I used when I kept bulheads in my flathead catfish fishing days.   I still have it and should probably look at moving since I don't use it anymore.

[ozzie]

A tip for the Bait cooler guys to save on the portable pumps is to have a cheap aerator from the pet store that plugs into the wall to use when you are not on the ice or in the boat.  I have 2 Engle coolers of different size and usually leave the big one connected to this pump to use for between trips.

[Bucketcastle]

6 hours ago, Borch said:

I used a small freezer on a timer to regulate temperature and a filter system that I used when I kept bulheads in my flathead catfish fishing days.   I still have it and should probably look at moving since I don't use it anymore.

I saw a guy on youtube with the same setup.  That setup is my goal for someday.  I enjoy trapping minnows in the summer, thats the reasoning for all of my interest in bait tanks.  

[IceHawk]

I know a few guys who use 55 gallon drums covered in spray foam to house there redtails and creek chubs in summer fall. There system seems like a good option if you got the space to put one. They have  a circulizeation system areoator and filter system, with water valves  to add new water and release old water out a hose into yard. Works slick they keep a bunch alive all through the warm summer fall. Smaller version would probably work slick for chubs and fatheads.

[Bass Thumb]

I use a $20 cooler, a $10 dual aquarium aerator with XL aerator stones as big as Oreos, a $5 50w aquarium heater hooked into a $5 electric timer that runs for 30 minutes every 6 hours. Keeps the water about 40-45 degrees in an insulated, unheated garage.

 

Couple times a week I do a 5-gallon water change, letting the fresh bucket sit in the utility sink overnight to allow some of the chlorine to evaporate. I've been keeping fatheads and small walleye suckers in there since early winter.

[Bucketcastle]

On 1/10/2020 at 10:22 AM, Bass Thumb said:

I use a $20 cooler, a $10 dual aquarium aerator with XL aerator stones as big as Oreos, a $5 50w aquarium heater hooked into a $5 electric timer that runs for 30 minutes every 6 hours. Keeps the water about 40-45 degrees in an insulated, unheated garage.

 

Couple times a week I do a 5-gallon water change, letting the fresh bucket sit in the utility sink overnight to allow some of the chlorine to evaporate. I've been keeping fatheads and small walleye suckers in there since early winter.

I got a few old beater coolers I want to try that set up next winter.

[Bucketcastle]

Update: i have used 4 suckers so far.  8 suckers left no floaters water temp 58 degrees, 26 days in the tank.   I usually only bring out 3 or 4 suckers when I go out.  The one I use on a tip up I dont bring home.  Working 60 to 72 hours a week I'm lucky to go out once per week, hence the need for a homebait tank so I'm not throwing away money on bait each time I go out.  I wish more bait shops would let you buy a half dozen, some still will work with you on that.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Bucketcastle

[VikkiD]

On 12/23/2019 at 12:38 AM, Bucketcastle said:

Anyone else run an at home bait tank to save their minnows?  I know MN regs regarding minnow transportion.  In the summer I only bring enough minnows I'm willing to throw away or I have to bring my own water from home to transport them in.  I got the aquarium tank for free, and got a cheap plug in aerator and fish tank filter.  Shiners are the toughest to keep alive.  I've gotten four weeks out of them.  I have suckers now, they should last a bit longer.  My basement I store them in is usually in the upper 50's temperature wise during winter.

This the exact set up I have.  I want to get a bigger aquarium.   The only thing I struggle with is the PH and Nitrate levels. I keep so many bait fish I constantly test the water.  

[Mike89]

3 years later?   good luck!

[smurfy]

8 hours ago, Mike89 said:

3 years later?   good luck!

Come on Mike, VikkiD just joined 9 hours ago.