When you buy 3 dozen minnows at the bait store, some die before you get them to your lake, many die when in the minnow bucket, even though you think you are keeping them alive by keeping the minnow bucket in the water.The next morning, almost always the minnows are dead.
2007-12-16 14:50:55 · 11 answers · asked by Ed R 1 in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Fishing
Sounds like an oxygen problem. There are usually some aeration pills you can buy at the sporting good store sometimes. I have a Bayou Billy Bait saver that I bought at Walmart almost 20 yrs ago now. They sell something very similar I'm sure. The kit fits a 40 Quart Ice chest and runs on 12 volts. I have kept shrimp and mud minnows alive for a week during tournaments. 40yr exp
2007-12-16 15:00:19 · answer #1 · answered by steve s 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
If this happens all the time it is an o2 problem because of the depth of the minnow bucket in the water.The upper column of the water has a lower o2 level and because there is no or minimal movement water does not circulate well and will lose the holding ability for o2.(This will cause the water to hold their watse and that is very toxic on the minnows)
The use of a bubbler and ice will help prevent this problem!
In the winter time you will find this is not as bad a problem but the water may get to cold for the minnows.
If this only happens in fall season it is caused by old minnows look for fat or blackish minnows.
There are several things to look for in minnows to see if they are old or sick- do they spin in circles,bleed from gills,white patches on gills or body!
Also the shop you buy them from if the tanks are not cleaned properly wild carry diseases which will cause minnow death faster!
By the way aspirin can do damage to the minnows I would not do that!
2007-12-18 22:45:09 · answer #2 · answered by Injun 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have an insulated bucket (styrofoam bucket inside a 5 gallon plastic bucket) that protects them from the heat. also I found a little pump at my local bait shop for around $20. it came with a small hose and an emitter. so i strapped the pump to the bucket and ran the hose inside and to the bottom with the emitter on the end. so that pumps oxygen in. now I have a bucket that can keep minnows alive for 2 days. you might be able to find one already made look on ebay, search for "insulated bait bucket"
also you could have had too many minnows in one bucket. I dont know how big your bucket is but if it is smaller than 5 gallons then 3 dozen was probably to many. Hope this helps
2007-12-17 00:44:58 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be the minnows were handled roughly when being transferred from the bait store's tank into your bucket.
But I think the oxygen problem is more likely. When pier fishing as a kid I would buy live anchovies for bait and keep them in a bucket. I found that with 3 to 5 of them they'd last until I used them (up to half an hour), but with a dozen or more they'd go belly up in a hurry. People who had little air pumps to keep bubbles going in their buckets could keep them alive for hours.
I would guess that even with the minnow bucket in the water, there isn't enough circulation to keep the oxygen level high enough. One of those air pumps might solve your problem. (sorry I don't have a link for one, but I'm sure you could Google it.)
2007-12-16 16:03:14 · answer #4 · answered by Peter_AZ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the other folks had great insight, low O2 and heat tend to be killers. I have put broken shards of pottery in a bucket before as a temp o2 fix, but didn't work that well.
One other thing to look into before purchasing bait. what are the types of minnows you are using? some are really hardy (suckers) and some are super finiky (shad).
Ask the guys at the bait store for the approprite and most hardy minnow for the species of fish you are targeting....oh yeah, listen to the other folks and cough up a few bucks for a bubbler and insulated bait bucket!
2007-12-20 06:23:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Minnows do not take stress well, and a change of water environment is stressful. They must be well-aerated, as you apparently do by hanging the bucket in the lake water.
A battery powered air pump can prolong the life of the minnows. Traveling with them, I have heard that one aspirin dissolved in the bucket will help keep them alive. I haven't tried this, however.
2007-12-17 06:12:44 · answer #6 · answered by seeitmiway32 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How to keep minnows fresh:
Plenty of O2 in the form of a "pill" or a 12 volt "bubbler". (If your in a cold climate that has snow, you can dump a handful of snow in the bucket. The snow has O2 in it and will dissolve into the water while it melts.)
Heat kills bait! Heat dissolves the O2 in the water quicker and causes fish stress. Colder is always better!
Remember: If you can keep the O2 level high and the bait "cold" or cool then they will stay alive longer.
Steve pretty much summed it up!
2007-12-16 15:55:35 · answer #7 · answered by Swamp Zombie 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Sounds as though you need an aerator pump, simply clips on your bait bucket with a small battery and pumps in fresh air IE oxygen, also i would advise you change the water as regularly as you can and remove any dead ones, also make sure its kept cold.
2007-12-17 04:49:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
it could be many reasons y they die.it could b theres not enough oxygen in the bowl. it may not be enough water 4 the minnow to breath. . and make sure the water that you use is fresh and make sure that the water is same temp be4 you put the minnow in ur bowel.
2007-12-17 00:27:44 · answer #9 · answered by B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1
2017-02-09 08:28:28 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋