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Live well - Keeping bait alive
Posted on 5/20/13 at 3:16 pm
Posted on 5/20/13 at 3:16 pm
I am working on tweaking the live well on my boat. Currently, I have an aerator which pumps surface water into my live well. My tank is about 40 gallon tank with a plastic liner insert I added (for shrimp). I can keep shrimp alive for two days or so but, croakers are having difficulty making it through a day on the water.
After talking to my bait guy, he had a few interesting thoughts. He suggested there is pros and cons to both. The air pumps allow the water consistency and temp to remain the same. However, ammonia can build up and kill the croakers. The water pumps add new water to the surface and help reduce ammonia builds up – but subjects the bait to the conditions of your surface water. He says to get a high power aerator that just pushes new air into the same water to make the bait last longer. He said to run the water pump a few times a day when over cooler water to allow for new water to be introduced to the bait well.
I am about to add a 12 volt double power bubbles to the tank and run the tubes to the bottom. Anyone had any success with one v. the other? any advice to keeping bait alive longer or tank modifications?
I am going to add the bubbles machine anyway – for the sole purpose of being able shut off the water pump when in nasty water or when on the lift/trailer and still keep the bait alive.
After talking to my bait guy, he had a few interesting thoughts. He suggested there is pros and cons to both. The air pumps allow the water consistency and temp to remain the same. However, ammonia can build up and kill the croakers. The water pumps add new water to the surface and help reduce ammonia builds up – but subjects the bait to the conditions of your surface water. He says to get a high power aerator that just pushes new air into the same water to make the bait last longer. He said to run the water pump a few times a day when over cooler water to allow for new water to be introduced to the bait well.
I am about to add a 12 volt double power bubbles to the tank and run the tubes to the bottom. Anyone had any success with one v. the other? any advice to keeping bait alive longer or tank modifications?
I am going to add the bubbles machine anyway – for the sole purpose of being able shut off the water pump when in nasty water or when on the lift/trailer and still keep the bait alive.
This post was edited on 5/20/13 at 3:18 pm
12
Posted on 5/20/13 at 3:19 pm to Mako
The two main things that I try to do to keep bait alive is to keep the salinity the same and keep the water in the tank cool.
Only way to keep the salinity the same (or close to the same) is to add or change small amounts of water.
There are a number of ways to cool the water.
Only way to keep the salinity the same (or close to the same) is to add or change small amounts of water.
There are a number of ways to cool the water.
Posted on 5/20/13 at 3:24 pm to Mako
Do croaker throw up like pogies? If so you need to purge the water a few times. I can't ever recall having problems keeping croaker alive but we have never had a bunch of them at once. I would think some ice would help keep them alive also.
I also wonder if shrimp may just be easier to keep alive than croakers. Shrimp may be heartier when it comes to boat rides and sloshing around?
I also wonder if shrimp may just be easier to keep alive than croakers. Shrimp may be heartier when it comes to boat rides and sloshing around?
Posted on 5/20/13 at 3:28 pm to Mako
Are you using a net to take bait out?
Serious question.
ETA: What is the shape of the well? Is it rounded, ovular?
Serious question.
ETA: What is the shape of the well? Is it rounded, ovular?
This post was edited on 5/20/13 at 3:31 pm
Posted on 5/20/13 at 3:31 pm to Mako
take a few ozaka water bottles freeze them over night and put them in the live well.
I also do this for my regular ice chest in the summer and it makes the ice last alot longer. 2-3 of those at the bottom of the cooler and you will be set.
I also do this for my regular ice chest in the summer and it makes the ice last alot longer. 2-3 of those at the bottom of the cooler and you will be set.
Posted on 5/20/13 at 3:31 pm to Topwater Trout
Try to find out when you buy croakers when they were caught. If the trawl was pulled to long, most will die. But once a croaker lives for one full day at the bait shop, they stay alive very well. In my experience, unless the trawl was pulled for very short, you will lose at least half the croakers the first day. Try to buy "old" croakers and let the bait shop take the hit.
We can keep croakers all summer in a large bait well in the water as long as there is some oxygenation or tidal movement. We feed them fish eggs.
We can keep croakers all summer in a large bait well in the water as long as there is some oxygenation or tidal movement. We feed them fish eggs.
Posted on 5/20/13 at 3:37 pm to BRgetthenet
Yes I am using a net and its a round tank
Posted on 5/20/13 at 5:29 pm to TIGERRVER
I worked at a bait shop for several summers and this is true. You could put a thousand croakers in the tank in the evening and the next morning we would pull out 500 dead ones. The ones that survived though lasted for a while.
Posted on 5/20/13 at 6:37 pm to Mako
Another thing that we do is when we go fishng we bring out a bunch of plastic containers (Tupperware for instance). Get fresh salt water wherever your fishing. Bring back and freeze. Next day bring a couple in the ice chest and put in the live well every now and then.
Posted on 5/20/13 at 6:41 pm to Mako
put condoms around each finger and carefully pick them out, make sure they aren't lubricated though
Posted on 5/21/13 at 10:08 am to Mako
Thanks for the tips, I like the idea of asking for the croakers the night before fishing - knowing that they were caught 20 hours prior rather than a few hours before buying them.
Posted on 5/21/13 at 11:52 am to Mako
They sell granules that help with the ammonia problem. I pull the ragged looking ones out when I first see them and throw them in the chum bucket. When they die in this heat they mess up your water quality quickly.
Posted on 5/21/13 at 1:08 pm to Mako
quote:
but subjects the bait to the conditions of your surface water. He says to get a high power aerator that just pushes new air into the same water to make the bait last longer. He said to run the water pump a few times a day when over cooler water to allow for new water to be introduced to the bait well.
This is the key. Dont know jack about salt, but in fresh your better off feeling the well when you get away from the landing in the morning before the surface heats up and loses oxygen and recirculating that water than pumping in surface water all day.
Posted on 5/21/13 at 1:23 pm to Mako
quote:
I have an aerator which pumps surface water into my live well.
quote:
The air pumps allow the water consistency and temp to remain the same
quote:
He said to run the water pump a few times a day when over cooler water to allow for new water to be introduced to the bait well.
All three, but get a timer for the water pumps.
Bass pro has them.
Posted on 5/21/13 at 1:27 pm to Mako
I have a Pro Air system in my Kenner Livewell and have great results keeping bait alive.
Posted on 5/22/13 at 11:20 pm to meauxjeaux2
I typically use cut bait with heavy spinning setups and cast out from a Galveston jetty targeting redfish and blacktips. This time I'll be bringing a lighter setup too to go for trout and I had the same question as the OP.
We go to a bait shop on Galveston island and have gotten live bait in a bucket with an oxygen tablet but the fish/shrimp always die too quickly. Is there anything we can do to make them last longer or is a bucket without a pump always doomed to fail?
And how effective can a dead shrimp or fish be for trout? I'm just trying to figure out fishing with under a popping cork. Is that possible with dead bait?
We go to a bait shop on Galveston island and have gotten live bait in a bucket with an oxygen tablet but the fish/shrimp always die too quickly. Is there anything we can do to make them last longer or is a bucket without a pump always doomed to fail?
And how effective can a dead shrimp or fish be for trout? I'm just trying to figure out fishing with under a popping cork. Is that possible with dead bait?
Posted on 5/23/13 at 6:04 am to Mako
Go to an aquarium store and ask for a water conditioner called "Prime". It drops out the ammonia and chlorines for the water. And keep the water cool (not cold) to help keep the dissolved oxygen content higher, I use frozen water bottles. No need to constantly change water on crokers or shrimp.
Posted on 5/23/13 at 7:31 am to Mako
Is an aerator enough to keep redfish alive if I ever fish a tournament? Just got a new boat that isn't set up with a livewell. I want to set it up with one in front of the console, but I don't think I'll be able to set it up to circulate fluid. I've never tried to keep redfish alive before, so I really don't know what it takes.
Posted on 5/23/13 at 8:30 am to KG6
Man... Keeping them alive can be very difficult, it really does take trial and error, it took me a full year of tourney fishing to get a method I am confident it.
To be honest a large ice chest (100+ quart) works really well, get a good protable areation system and a back up pump.
Once in the boat be prepared to babysit good fish (>25") by holding them up right for about 15 minutes once you put them in the box. They tend to want to go belly up because they fight to the death to get off and exaust all energy. They are not like a bass, you can not throw them in a live well and forget about them.
To be honest a large ice chest (100+ quart) works really well, get a good protable areation system and a back up pump.
Once in the boat be prepared to babysit good fish (>25") by holding them up right for about 15 minutes once you put them in the box. They tend to want to go belly up because they fight to the death to get off and exaust all energy. They are not like a bass, you can not throw them in a live well and forget about them.
Posted on 5/23/13 at 9:06 am to Fifthstring
To add to the tips, make sure you don't get sunscreen in the baitwell. If you apply, make sure you use a bait net.
Also, when fishing gets superhot in the summer, I like to carry a seperate bucket and throw a handful of baits in so those folks in the front of the boat don't have to keep tracking to the back of the when the bite is on.
Also, when fishing gets superhot in the summer, I like to carry a seperate bucket and throw a handful of baits in so those folks in the front of the boat don't have to keep tracking to the back of the when the bite is on.
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